The New York City Department of City Planning (DCP) has released "Retrofitting Buildings for Flood Risk," a comprehensive guide for New York City owners of buildings in flood zones.
Part of the city’s response to widespread flooding as a result of Hurricane Sandy, the manual offers retrofitting strategies that will enable home and property owners to reduce the risk of damage and disruption from coastal flooding.
Recent Congressional legislation reforming the National Flood Insurance Program will increase flood insurance premiums for buildings that are not retrofitted, according to a city press release. These increased premiums will directly impact neighborhood stability and housing affordability, especially for working class New Yorkers, the release says.
The manual contains some simple and low-cost actions New Yorkers living in the flood zone can take now to begin to adapt and protect their homes against flooding.
“Incorporating these improvement will help protect our city’s buildings against potential future extreme climatic events,” says Department of Buildings Commissioner Rick D. Chandler. “The Department of Buildings will provide dedicated plan examiners and inspectors to work with and support home and business owners in redesigning their structures to meet the new federally mandated guidelines.”
Related Stories
Standards | Jun 26, 2023
New Wi-Fi standard boosts indoor navigation, tracking accuracy in buildings
The recently released Wi-Fi standard, IEEE 802.11az enables more refined and accurate indoor location capabilities. As technology manufacturers incorporate the new standard in various devices, it will enable buildings, including malls, arenas, and stadiums, to provide new wayfinding and tracking features.
Contractors | Jun 26, 2023
Most top U.S. contractors rarely deliver projects on time: new study
About 63% of leading U.S. contractors are delivering projects out of schedule, according to a survey of over 300 C-suite executives and owners in the construction industry by XYZ Reality. The study implies that the industry is struggling with significant backlogs due, in part, to avoidable defects, scan, and rework.
Green | Jun 26, 2023
Federal government will spend $30 million on novel green building technologies
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will invest $30 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to increase the sustainability of federal buildings by testing novel technologies. The vehicle for that effort, the Green Proving Ground (GPG) program, will invest in American-made technologies to help increase federal electric vehicle supply equipment, protect air quality, reduce climate pollution, and enhance building performance.
Office Buildings | Jun 26, 2023
Electric vehicle chargers are top priority for corporate office renters
Businesses that rent office space view electric vehicle (EV) charging stations as a top priority. More than 40% of companies in the Americas and EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) are looking to include EV charging stations in future leases, according to JLL’s 2023 Responsible Real Estate study.
Urban Planning | Jun 15, 2023
Arizona limits housing projects in Phoenix area over groundwater supply concerns
Arizona will no longer grant certifications for new residential developments in Phoenix, it’s largest city, due to concerns over groundwater supply. The announcement indicates that the Phoenix area, currently the nation’s fastest-growing region in terms of population growth, will not be able to sustain its rapid growth because of limited freshwater resources.
Multifamily Housing | Jun 15, 2023
Alliance of Pittsburgh building owners slashes carbon emissions by 45%
The Pittsburgh 2030 District, an alliance of property owners in the Pittsburgh area, says that it has reduced carbon emissions by 44.8% below baseline. Begun in 2012 under the guidance of the Green Building Alliance (GBA), the Pittsburgh 2030 District encompasses more than 86 million sf of space within 556 buildings.
Industry Research | Jun 15, 2023
Exurbs and emerging suburbs having fastest population growth, says Cushman & Wakefield
Recently released county and metro-level population growth data by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that the fastest growing areas are found in exurbs and emerging suburbs.
Resiliency | Jun 14, 2023
HUD offers $4.8 billion in funding for green and resilient building retrofit projects
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently released guidelines for its Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP) that has $4.8 billion for funding green projects.
Codes and Standards | Jun 6, 2023
California’s new power grid modernization plan furthers ambitious climate goals
California’s new $7.3 billion grid modernization plan is a crucial step in furthering its ambitious climate goals. The board of governors for the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), the state’s grid operator, recently approved a strategy to build thousands of miles of new high-voltage transmission lines.
Mixed-Use | Jun 6, 2023
Public-private partnerships crucial to central business district revitalization
Central Business Districts are under pressure to keep themselves relevant as they face competition from new, vibrant mixed-use neighborhoods emerging across the world’s largest cities.
