San Francisco has released its Tall Buildings Strategy that outlines plans for better seismic resiliency for high-rise buildings.
A city building inventory shows that 156 buildings—either existing or under construction—are taller than 240 feet. One hundred of those were built prior to modern seismic code implementation.
A report by the non-profit Applied Technology Council recommends that the city develop regulations to address foundation and geotechnical issues like those plaguing Millennium Tower. That 58-story structure has started sinking and tilting.
The report suggests that city building codes be revised to mandate lower thresholds for seismic evaluations and retrofits when existing buildings undergo renovations, or when they are sold or re-leased. In addition, the report recommends that steel-frame buildings be inspected for weld damage that might have been caused by the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Sep 27, 2018
Natural light is the most prized office perk
Employees crave sunshine and views of the outdoors more than cafeterias, fitness centers, and childcare.
Codes and Standards | Sep 26, 2018
Industry consensus needed for multifamily energy efficiency retrofit approach
Choice of insulating materials can impact indoor air quality, resident health.
Codes and Standards | Sep 25, 2018
New market forces disrupting global real estate development industry
Executives concerned about trade policy, labor shortages, approval processes.
Codes and Standards | Sep 21, 2018
More than 130 organizations petition OSHA to create heat protection standard for workers
Includes mandatory rest breaks, heat-exposure monitoring, record-keeping injury requirement.
Codes and Standards | Sep 20, 2018
North Carolina law banning use of recent climate science could worsen Hurricane Florence impact
Policies may have undermined ability to make coastal regions more resilient.
Codes and Standards | Sep 19, 2018
AIA endorses building owner participation in cap-and-trade programs
Would spur more energy conservation in buildings and cut carbon emissions.
Codes and Standards | Sep 18, 2018
ConsensusDocs Coalition publishes new Lean Addendum
Industry-first document to facilitate lean tools without need to sign multi-party IPD agreement.
Codes and Standards | Sep 14, 2018
IAPMO seeks comments on proposals for 2021 plumbing and mechanical codes
Deadline is Jan. 3, 2019.
Codes and Standards | Sep 13, 2018
As ICC prepares to vote on codes for tall wood buildings, opposition is still strong
Influential body will vote in October on new provisions to allow 18-story wood-framed structures.
Codes and Standards | Sep 12, 2018
Saltwater incursion into Miami’s aquifer may make city uninhabitable later this century
Rising sea levels likely to claim drinking water before land is under water.
