flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Proposal to give Calif. hospitals more time for earthquake retrofits stirs controversy

Codes and Standards

Proposal to give Calif. hospitals more time for earthquake retrofits stirs controversy

State hospital association says 2030 deadline should be extended.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | July 21, 2021

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

| Aug 23, 2022

New Mass. climate and energy law allows local bans on fossil fuel-powered appliances

A sweeping Massachusetts climate and energy bill recently signed into law by Republican governor Charlie Baker allows local bans on fossil fuel-powered appliances.

| Aug 22, 2022

Gainesville, Fla., lawmakers moved to end single-family zoning

The Gainesville City Commission recently voted to advance zoning changes that would allow duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes to be built on land currently zoned for single-family homes.

| Aug 16, 2022

DOE funds 18 projects developing tech to enable buildings to store carbon

The Department of Energy announced $39 million in awards for 18 projects that are developing technologies to transform buildings into net carbon storage structures.

| Aug 11, 2022

Report examines supposed conflict between good design and effective cost management

A report by the American Institute of Architects and the Associated General Contractors of America takes a look at the supposed conflict between good design and effective cost management, and why it causes friction between architects and contractors.

| Aug 10, 2022

U.S. needs more than four million new apartments by 2035

Roughly 4.3 million new apartments will be necessary by 2035 to meet rising demand, according to research from the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) and National Apartment Association.

| Aug 9, 2022

Work-from-home trend could result in $500 billion of lost value in office real estate

Researchers find major changes in lease revenues, office occupancy, lease renewal rates.

Legislation | Aug 8, 2022

Inflation Reduction Act includes over $5 billion for low carbon procurement

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, recently passed by the U.S. Senate, sets aside over $5 billion for low carbon procurement in the built environment.  

Legislation | Aug 5, 2022

D.C. City Council moves to require net-zero construction by 2026

The Washington, D.C. City Council unanimously passed legislation that would require all new buildings and substantial renovations in D.C. to be net-zero construction by 2026.

| Aug 4, 2022

Newer materials for green, resilient building complicate insurance underwriting

Insurers can’t look to years of testing on emerging technology to assess risk.

Codes and Standards | Aug 3, 2022

Some climate models underestimate risk of future floods

Commonly used climate models may be significantly underestimating the risk of floods this century, according to a new study by Yale researchers.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021