Federal agencies boost standards for more resilient construction

Multiple federal agencies this month initiated new policies to make buildings in the U.S. more resilient to natural disasters.

Among the initiatives announced by the Obama Administration were:

Incorporation of resilient building codes into U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Department of Agriculture housing programs
Updates to the 2005 Multihazard Mitigation Council Mitigation Saves study by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Institute of Building Sciences
A disaster deductible for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Public Assistance program
Climate change risk screening for the General Services Administration's capital investment leasing program
Tornado-resilient codes and standards from the National Institute of Standards and Technology
Resilient building codes from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

More universities are incorporating reinforced rooms in student housing designs to provide an extra layer of protection for students. Storm shelters have been included in recent KWK Architects-designed university projects in the Great Plains where there is a high incidence of tornadoes. Projects include Headington and Dunham Residential Colleges at the University of Oklahoma and the University Commons residential complex at Missouri S&T.

Seismic Design | Feb 27, 2023

Turkey earthquakes provide lessons for California

Two recent deadly earthquakes in Turkey and Syria offer lessons regarding construction practices and codes for California. Lax building standards were blamed for much of the devastation, including well over 35,000 dead and countless building collapses.

The Guide for Developing Onsite Water Systems to Support Regional Water Resilience Pacific Institute

Sustainability | Feb 9, 2023

New guide for planning, designing, and operating onsite water reuse systems

The Pacific Institute, a global nonpartisan water think tank, has released guidance for developers to plan, design, and operate onsite water reuse systems. The Guide for Developing Onsite Water Systems to Support Regional Water Resilience advances circular, localized approaches to managing water that reduce a site’s water footprint, improve its resilience to water shortage or other disruptions, and provide benefits for local communities and regional water systems.

Concrete | Jan 24, 2023

Researchers investigate ancient Roman concrete to make durable, lower carbon mortar

Researchers have turned to an ancient Roman concrete recipe to develop more durable concrete that lasts for centuries and can potentially reduce the carbon impact of the built environment.