U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology code revision recommendations in the wake of the World Trade Center terrorist attacks are being implemented in new high-rise construction, including One World Trade Center, the lead building of the new World Trade Center complex.
New requirements include:
- Buildings taller than 420 feet are now required to include an extra exit stairwell or a specially designed elevator that occupants can use for evacuations
- Stairwells in buildings more than 75 feet high must now have glow-in-the-dark markings that show the exit path even when lighting is out or dim
- Spray-applied fire-resistive materials must perform four times more effectively than current requirements in buildings 75 to 420 feet tall, and more than seven times better in buildings taller than 420 feet. BD+C
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Sep 22, 2020
Air cleaners, chemical and UV treatments among tools to safeguard indoor air amid pandemic
Strategies augment social distancing, increased air flow to combat COVID-19 spread.
Codes and Standards | Sep 21, 2020
No ease of lumber price spikes in sight
Wildfires strike Northwest timber industry in wake of Covid-19 shutdowns.
Codes and Standards | Sep 17, 2020
Spate of energy code appeals could hamper efficiency progress
Construction and fossil fuel interests oppose portions of latest model energy code.
Codes and Standards | Sep 16, 2020
Heat pumps are the future for hot water
Sustainability policies will drive trend.
Codes and Standards | Sep 15, 2020
Taller timber buildings approved in National Fire Protection Association code
Ensures compatibility with the International Building Code.
Codes and Standards | Sep 14, 2020
Relocation of neighborhoods, the next step in U.S. flood strategy, is underway
Repeated rebuilding after successive floods now seen as bad policy.
Codes and Standards | Sep 10, 2020
Fannie Mae programs provide incentives for multifamily solar
Affordable housing projects can find PV installations to be cost-effective.
Codes and Standards | Sep 9, 2020
Corporate pledges accelerate net-zero building movement
World Green Building Council drives goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Codes and Standards | Sep 8, 2020
Study will examine elevator airflow amid COVID-19 pandemic
Researchers to investigate risk of airborne transmission.
Codes and Standards | Sep 4, 2020
Updated selection, application guide for plastic glazed skylights, sloped glazing released
Part of suite of skylight documents by Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance.
