What we're reading, following & covering |
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California fires enter the heart of Los Angeles December 7 | The New York Times With thick plumes of smoke, towering flames and mass evacuations, a fast-moving wildfire struck one of America's major cities on Wednesday. As fires raged out of control across Southern California, a new blaze erupted in the Bel-Air neighborhood of Los Angeles, near iconic landmarks like the U.C.L.A. campus and the Getty Museum, home to old masters paintings and ancient Roman statues. Read more. |
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Wildfires in Southern California force thousands of people to flee December 5 | NPR Thousands of people on Monday were forced to flee wildfires that engulfed some 26,000 acres in Southern California just north of Los Angeles, weeks after firefighters farther north in wine country managed to contain the deadliest blazes in the state's history. At least one death in Ventura County has been attributed to the fire, where 1,000 homes in Ventura, Santa Paula and Ojai were evacuated, according to authorities. Read more. |
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Weak building code enforcement exacerbates destruction in Puerto Rico December 5 | The Wall Street Journal Puerto Rico has adopted building codes that include some of the strictest standards in the world when it comes to hurricane resistance. But there's a big problem: Bad enforcement. About 55 percent of all structures in Puerto Rico haven't been built to code partly because the government lacks an adequate process for code certification during the building process, according to Ricardo Alvarez-Diaz, president of the Puerto Rico Builders Association. Read more. |
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Volunteers, residents work to restore Puerto Rico's communities December 5 | The Washington Post As soon as Hurricane Maria had passed, Ernesto Rios got on his BMW motorcycle and began the trek to Puerto Rico's capital city from Salinas, a town on the island's southeastern coast. The ride usually takes 45 minutes. This time it took three hours. Roads were blocked by felled, leafless trees or rendered impassable from flooding. Power lines snaked across roads and sidewalks. There was virtually no electricity or cellphone service. Gas lines stretched for miles, and some people were camping out overnight at stations to power their cars and generators. Read more. |
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Texas county approves post-Harvey flood construction rules December 5 | The Washington Post Officials in a Texas county devastated by Hurricane Harvey approved new regulations Tuesday on building construction in flood-prone locations, rules they touted as the nation's toughest for a major metropolitan area. The rules taking effect Jan. 1 in unincorporated parts of Harris County will increase the required elevation for new homes and other structures to avoid floodwaters. Some new structures could be elevated up to 8 feet higher than current regulations require. Read more. |
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Builders said their homes were out of a flood zone, then Harvey came December 2 | The New York Times Leslie Martinez heard the floodwaters before she saw them. They rushed across the lawn, seeped around the doors and into the house. It was 2:15 a.m. on Aug. 28, three days after Hurricane Harvey made landfall. Her young daughter was asleep in her arms. Ms. Martinez's first reaction was to spread towels around the floor. Read more. |
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Chinese police detain 11 over deadly Tianjin skyscraper fire December 4 | The Asahi Shimbun Chinese police have detained 11 people in connection with a deadly skyscraper fire in the northern port city of Tianjin, the municipal government said on Sunday, after an investigation found numerous fire code violations. The blaze which killed 10 and injured five early on Friday morning was caused by renovation materials catching fire on the 38th floor of a serviced apartment building, the Tianjin government said in a post on its official Weibo account. Read more. |
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Fire safety for high-rise mass-timber building December 4 | Informed Infrastructure Buildings constantly change and develop as architects, engineers and scientists innovate and develop new products and construction methods. Interest has been growing worldwide in the design and construction of high-rise timber buildings, which are increasing in number throughout Europe and other parts of the world, as engineered mass-timber products such as glulam and cross-laminated timber (CLT) become more popular. Read more. |
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City of Durango adopts stricter energy codes December 5 | The Durango Herald On a split vote Tuesday, the Durango City Council adopted the 2015 energy code that will require all new construction in city limits to be more efficient. Councilors Dean Brookie and Melissa Youssef and Mayor Dick White voted for the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code, which governs home efficiency, such as insulation, windows and other systems. Councilors Sweetie Marbury and Chis Bettin opposed the new code. Youssef changed her previous position after doing more research and found that homebuyers would benefit in the long term from efficient homes. Read more. |
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The right way to evaluate building products December 5 | Code Watcher Safe buildings begin with the materials. To protect our communities, all materials, designs and products used in the built environment are thoroughly tested and evaluated to a list of accepted criteria developed by an approved organization. Here in the United States we have many service providers in the building product evaluation arena. However, they do not all have the institutional knowledge and accreditation scope to provide the services they claim. Read more. |
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Baldwin commissioners consider new property rules December 6 | 13 WMAZ The Baldwin County Commissioners may adopt an international code that regulates how homeowners use and maintain their property. It's called the International Property Maintenance Code. Baldwin County Commission Chairman, Sammy Hall, says the county wants to clean up the streets to have a neater appearance. But he says the law also has regulations about the interior of a home. That's why Milledgeville resident Raymond Woodall says the county is overreaching their bounds. Read more. |
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NIBS, NBI issue guidance document to help jurisdictions achieve energy goals December 1 | EC&M A number of cities and states across the United States have begun to recognize that the current code-based mechanisms in place do not provide the means to help them achieve their energy performance goals for buildings, according to a recent report from the New Buildings Institute. This organization maintains that codes largely focus on design requirements for a limited number of building characteristics, but do not require verification that the design results in actual, measurable energy savings. Read more. |
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20 percent of Heights residents in water district may need new valve after pressure increase December 4 | Billings Gazette A move to a gravity-fed water reservoir in the County Water District of Billings Heights will require some customers to pay for a little plumbing work. The new reservoir, which is a move away from water delivered from pump stations, increased the water pressure in the system. To combat an excess in pressure, some water users must install a pressure-reduction valve at the incoming water line. Read more. |
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New indoor modular construction company aims to build headquarters jobs in Missoula December 3 | Missoulian A new modular construction startup company in Missoula is part of a manufacturing industry in Montana that has added employees at more than double the national rate this decade. Tru-Home Montana aims to bring European-style efficiency and cost-savings to residential and commercial building projects in the Northwest by assembling homes and other buildings in the controlled environment of its 26,0000-square-foot facility in Bonner. Read more. |
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Winter weather prep campaign offers safety tips and home preparation guidance December 4 | The CW With winter weather on the way, the nonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) is launching the 2017-2018 Great Winter Weather Prep education campaign to empower families to prepare now before freezing temperatures arrive. The annual campaign offers simple tips to ensure safety and prevent costly losses by preparing homes and families to weather any storm this winter and beyond. Read more. |
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Don't forget about the sixth seal December 7 | ePeak Although New York's modern skyscrapers are less likely to be damaged in an earthquake than shorter structures, a new study suggests the East Coast is more vulnerable than previously thought. The new findings will help alter building codes. The U.S. Geological Survey had good and bad news for New Yorkers on Thursday. In releasing its latest set of seismic maps the agency said earthquakes are a slightly lower hazard for New York City's skyscrapers than previously thought, but on the other hand noted that the East Coast may be able to produce larger, more dangerous earthquakes than previous assessments have indicated. Read more. |
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Can you spark an urban renaissance December 4 | Building Design Construction Sometimes cities just "pop." It's typically caused by events beyond our control, like New York's surge after World War II when other capital cities were destroyed, or an economic phenomenon like the flood of tech companies in Silicon Valley. But thoughtful design, architecture and planning can accelerate these "pops" and even create an urban renaissance. Perhaps more importantly, design can sustain this momentum so it isn't just a flash in the pan. Read more. |
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City officials to consider ways for illegal camper to have fires December 5 | Westside Pioneer The police sergeant who leads the Colorado Springs Police Department's Homeless Outreach (HOT) Team plans to meet with the City Fire Department and City Attorney's Office about ways that people camping illegally could be allowed to have fires. Sgt. Curt Hasling told the Westside Pioneer he thinks the possibility could be found in the 2009 International Fire Code, which permits "recreational fires" under certain conditions. Read more. |
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Springfield wants to take over BUHL December 4 | Allied News Springfield Township officials are proposing a takeover of Buhl Community Water Company. "It doesn't really make sense to have two competing water systems," said Ray Bogaty, the township's solicitor, referring to Springfield's potential plans to build its own water system. Buhl and township leaders had gone back and forth for months to try and figure out a way to work together on expanding water services in Springfield in an effort to attract new businesses. They were unable to reach an agreement, and talks stalled this summer. Read more. |
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High performance cast study: Zone 5 December 5 | Code Watcher Since 2013 the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Housing Innovation Awards has recognized the top builders of zero energy ready homes. Housing Innovation award winners represent the top one percent of builders across the country who meet the most rigorous specifications for high-performance homes. Among this year's 24 winners is production builder Charles Thomas Homes. Founded in 2009, Charles Thomas Homes constructs high-performance homes that typically command a higher price than competing builders, but also deliver on energy efficiency and comfort, which is important in frosty climate zone 5. Read more. |
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ACI expands mission to focus on global standards adoption December 6 | For Construction Pros The American Concrete Institute announces that its mission has been expanded to reflect its proactive approach to advocating the global adoption of ACI standards. ACI, a leading authority and resource worldwide for individuals and organizations involved in concrete design, construction, and materials, has long focused its efforts on knowledge development and dissemination. Through this expanded mission, the Institute will now dedicate additional resources and effort to also advance the adoption of its consensus-based knowledge. Read more. |
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