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
| Dec 15, 2011
Dayton, Ohio schools saving $2.6 million annually by building to LEED
On average, green schools save about $100,000 a year on operating costs, including energy and water savings.
| Dec 15, 2011
Building to LEED standards can pose new risks for construction workers
Workers on these projects suffer a 24% increase in falls to lower levels during roof work, which researchers attributed to the installation of solar panels, and a few other risks.
| Dec 15, 2011
NRDC charges Maine governor with weakening green wood requirement
The FSC program is administered through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and requires wood to be harvested in a sustainable way.
| Dec 15, 2011
Post-tornado, Tuscaloosa seeks to create walkable urban, retail areas
Block sizes initially were limited to a maximum perimeter of 1,750 feet, with no side of the block being longer than 500 feet.
| Dec 15, 2011
Allentown, Pa. city council asked to repeal union-friendly law
The mayor of Allentown, Pa. asked the City Council to repeal a year-old ordinance that forces contractors to hire union workers for large city projects funded with state and federal dollars.
| Dec 13, 2011
LEED-EB outpaces LEED for new construction
The U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC's) LEED certifications for existing buildings standard is outpacing LEED for new buildings for the first time.
| Dec 13, 2011
Regulators charge pervasive abuse of construction workers in Connecticut
Federal and state regulators say they have uncovered what they call "widespread noncompliance" with minimum wage and overtime laws in Connecticut's construction industry.
| Dec 13, 2011
Philadelphia mayor signs order for project labor agreements
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter signed an executive order establishing project labor agreements for major public works projects in Philadelphia.
| Dec 13, 2011
Improved code requirements for attic ventilation
The Roof Assembly Ventilation Coalition (RAVC) participated in the development of the code.
| Dec 12, 2011
LEED-EB Outpaces LEED for New Construction
The U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC’s) LEED certifications for existing buildings standard is outpacing LEED for new buildings for the first time.
