The National Institute of Standards and Technology recently submitted a report to Congress outlining steps to improve building functionality after natural disasters.
The report fills a request by Congress for “immediate occupancy (IO)” building codes and performance standards strategies to make more buildings more resilient to a wide variety of hazards. Existing standards and codes focus on reducing the likelihood of significant building damage or collapse, but do not typically address the need to preserve quality of life by keeping buildings habitable and functioning as normally as possible, a NIST official says.
Some of the obstacles to making buildings more functionally resilient after a natural disaster include:
— Convincing communities to invest in IO standards in advance of the event
— Clarifying the costs and benefits
— Influencing and incentivizing private owners to make the necessary investments in their buildings
— Determining special implementation procedures for public buildings since some do not have to comply with local codes
— Dealing with the old structures that tend to house the most at-risk populations
— Determining who is liable for building performance
— Encouraging collaboration in standards development
The report says that “increasing the performance goals for buildings would not be easily achieved, but the advantages may be substantial” and making them a reality “would entail a significant shift in practice for development, construction, and maintenance or retrofit of buildings.”
Related Stories
| Jul 11, 2014
California Supreme Court rules that architects can be sued by condo association
The decision held that even though, on most projects, the developer has the final say on design choices, the architect can’t escape liability to the end user.
| Jul 10, 2014
Latest construction accident fatality statistics reverse trend of declining deaths
The latest data on construction site fatalities for 2012 shows a rise in the death rate to 9.9 per 100,000 workers after 2011 had reached a recent low of 9.1 per 100,000, according to an analysis of data by the AFL-CIO.
| Jul 10, 2014
EPA seeking public comments on site contamination rules
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting public comment on its proposal to eliminate the dual standard for compliance with rules pertaining to testing of land that may have been contaminated by chemical pollution.
| Jul 10, 2014
Southern California city considers new water fee for developers
A persistent drought in Southern California could lead to a water fee for new construction projects in Ventura.
| Jul 1, 2014
$1 billion master planned development in California clears key hurdle
Plans for a new section of the proposed $1 billion La Entrada master-planned community in Coachella, Calif., moved ahead after the developer and city council agreed that the plan would include 500 affordable housing units.
| Jul 1, 2014
Dept. of Labor reaches settlement for $5 million in back wages for workers on federally assisted project
The U.S. Department of Labor and MDG Design & Construction LLC have reached a settlement over wage violations at the federally-assisted 26-story Grand Street Guild rehab project in New York City’s Lower East Side.
| Jul 1, 2014
GSA, Homeland Security research leads to performance-based design guide
The National Performance Based Design Guide, based on research and development supported by the Science & Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security and the Public Buildings Service of the General Services Administration, is now available.
| Jul 1, 2014
FEMA grant helps fund school theater that will double as tornado safe room
Scott City School District in Missouri recently broke ground on an 8,990-sf performing arts theater that will also function as a tornado safe room.
| Jun 30, 2014
Research finds continued growth of design-build throughout United States
New research findings indicate that for the first time more than half of projects above $10 million are being completed through design-build project delivery.
| Jun 26, 2014
Canadian groups combine forces to support EPD program for LEED v4
The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Group and the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) will collaborate to support LEED v4 and CSA Group’s Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) program.