The collapse of a condominium tower in Surfside, Fla., has spurred regulators and insurers to more carefully scrutinize the condition of other high-rise residential dwellings.
Miami-Dade County has increased oversight of buildings undergoing the mandatory 40-year recertification process. Residents of a residential tower in North Miami Beach were ordered to evacuate the structure after a review of a recent engineering report warned of safety concerns.
In San Francisco, media reports raised renewed concerns over the safety of the 58-story Millennium Tower, which has tilted and sunk 18-inches since its opening in 2009. The engineer for that structure says, however, that it was built to a more stringent standard and that comparisons with the Surfside tower are unfounded.
Insurers have demanded that several condo associations show proof of current inspections, according to the Miami Herald. The New York Times reported that Miami-Dade County officials were investigating 24 multistory buildings that failed 40-year inspections or hadn’t submitted required documentation.
Related Stories
| Jun 21, 2012
Brazilian engineering/construction firm Odebrecht sues Florida over ban on companies doing business in Cuba
Odebrecht Construction Inc., a Brazilian engineering and construction company, is suing the State of Florida over a new law that bans governments from hiring companies with business ties to Cuba.
| Jun 21, 2012
String of shattered glass balcony panels prompts call for code reform in Ontario
Since last summer, glass balconies have shattered at 13 different buildings in Toronto.
| Jun 21, 2012
California adds window film to building code
California is the first state to add window film into its building code. Window film, a polymer material, offers cost-effective energy savings.
| Jun 21, 2012
New ISO standard to improve environmental management of concrete
A new ISO standard will help the construction industry better manage the environmental impacts of concrete.
| Jun 21, 2012
On net-zero projects, Building Teams will be held accountable for energy-efficiency performance
The building team will be held accountable for how net-zero energy buildings perform two, five, and maybe ten years after completion.
| Jun 14, 2012
USGBC co-founder launches rating system for building product manufacturers
U.S. Green Building Council co-founder David Gottfried’s new venture, Regenerative Ventures, has established a rating system for building product manufacturers.
| Jun 14, 2012
Green standard set for single-ply roofing membrane
A sustainability standard has been established for single-ply roofing membranes used on commercial buildings.
| Jun 14, 2012
Minnesota Vikings stadium plan gets legislative go-ahead
Legislation that approved the construction of a new billion dollar stadium for the Minnesota Vikings passed the Minnesota legislature.
| Jun 14, 2012
Report alleges New York’s prevailing construction wages are miscalculated, costing billions
A miscalculation in how prevailing wages are calculated in New York reportedly costs the state $3 billion a year in public-infrastructure projects.