Virginia has edged out Florida as the state with the most stringent hurricane building codes, according to the Institute for Business and Home Safety’s “2015 Rating the States” report.
Florida, which overhauled its building codes after Hurricane Andrew in 1992, slipped to the second spot. Most states with strong building code systems in place at the time of IBHS’s first report in 2012 remain committed to building safety, the organization says.
Most of these states have updated their codes to the latest model code editions, or are in the process of doing so, and maintained effective enforcement systems.
Some states, however, took no action to improve their codes, and a few have weaker systems in place now than in 2012, IBHS says. The study assesses the progress of 18 hurricane-prone coastal states along the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Coast.
Another study done by IBHS, the University of Florida and the FEMA Mitigation Assessment Team following Hurricane Charley, which struck Florida in 2004, found that modern building codes reduced the cost of insurance losses by 42% and the number of insured losses by 60%.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | May 13, 2021
LEED-certified federal buildings don’t use less energy than average
May be due to trade-offs on how score is developed.
Codes and Standards | May 12, 2021
White paper examines how to reduce pathogen transmission in ventilation
Pressure barriers and airflow distribution can be effective in existing buildings.
Codes and Standards | May 11, 2021
Pressure builds on White House to rein in cost of lumber
Spike in prices has added nearly $36,000 to price of average new home.
Codes and Standards | May 11, 2021
Residential codes should be upgraded to protect from cooking pollutants
Report examines ventilation standards, calls for increased public awareness of issue.
Codes and Standards | May 6, 2021
Blue roofs can provide relief to overwhelmed stormwater systems
Benefits most evident in industrial commercial areas.
Codes and Standards | May 5, 2021
Majority of schools took steps to improve air quality during pandemic
Districts still have unmet needs, face high costs and outdated building infrastructure.
Codes and Standards | May 4, 2021
Cost to keep Miami dry over next few decades is $4 billion
Rising seas demand big investment.
Codes and Standards | May 3, 2021
Fire stops critical to preserving three-decker housing
Old multi-family structures continue to provide badly needed homes in urban zones.
Codes and Standards | Apr 29, 2021
Dept. of Energy publishes energy savings analysis for ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2019
More than 4% savings for commercial buildings found for the updated code.
Codes and Standards | Apr 28, 2021
Building-integrated solar power turns buildings into power plants
Multiple alternatives could replace or complement rack-mounted PV arrays.
