A proposal in the California Assembly to extend a deadline for hospitals to make seismic retrofits has drawn sharp criticism from labor groups.
The controversy pertains to two requirements passed in the wake of the 1994 Northridge earthquake that destroyed many buildings in Southern California. Almost all of the state’s hospitals have already met the first requirement to meet standards that ensure buildings don’t collapse during a major quake. The second mandate is more costly for hospitals and more controversial.
It calls for hospitals to be able to remain operable and serve patients after a major quake by 2030. Nearly two-thirds of hospitals have yet to meet that goal. The California Hospital Association is asking for a seven-year extension as well as more limited scope. The association wants the rule to only apply to emergency facilities.
The legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom are still working out details of the state’s $263 billion budget, two weeks after the new fiscal year began. The hospital provision is a major sticking point.
Related Stories
| Nov 26, 2014
Cheyenne, Wyoming City Council kills downtown design standards proposal
The Cheyenne, Wyoming City Council voted down a measure that would have implemented design standards for new construction and building additions downtown.
| Nov 26, 2014
ASTM International develops first product category rules for asphalt roofing industry
The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) and ASTM International have developed Product Category Rules (PCR) for asphalt roofing in North America.
| Nov 26, 2014
International Green Construction Code will include option for outcome-based approach
The outcome-based approach requires the building owner to provide the building’s utility bills for a 12-month period within three years.
| Nov 20, 2014
Pentagon is reviewing hospital construction standards
An independent review panel of military specialists met with healthcare leaders Nov. 12 to consider whether construction standards for medical centers should be strengthened to align with industry best practices.
| Nov 20, 2014
ConsensusDocs releases first standard agreement for commissioning contracting
The new standard contract provides a contractual vehicle for owners to save significant money from operation and maintenance costs regarding energy performance.
| Nov 20, 2014
Revamped zoning is transforming several New Jersey downtowns
The zoning policy shift could produce the biggest transformation of North New Jersey’s downtowns since the arrival of malls pulled shoppers away from town centers in the 1960s and 1970s.
| Nov 20, 2014
ANSI approves 2015 Wood-Frame Construction Manual standard
The American Wood Council's 2015 “Wood-Frame Construction Manual for One- and Two-Family Dwellings” (WFCM ) has been approved as an American National Standard by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
| Nov 17, 2014
AAMA releases new blast hazard mitigation specifications for vertical fenestration systems
This document provides a guide for manufacturers, architects/specifiers, contractors, and building owners for specifying types of systems and services to meet the requirements of blast hazard mitigation.
| Nov 17, 2014
National Roofing Contractors Assn. offers guide for LEED v4 provisions
National Roofing Contractors Association has released LEED v4: Roofing-related Provisions, a document that examines the roofing-related provisions of LEED v4.
| Nov 14, 2014
Army net-zero initiative moving past pilot stage
The U.S Army's ambitious net-zero initiative has had several successful pilot trials, and planners are prepared to expand the nine-part demonstration field to scores of other Army facilities.
