What we're reading, following & covering

Wheelchair users say they feel snubbed by lawmakers at Arizona capital

January 24 | AZ Central

Several dozen men and women who use wheelchairs came to the state Legislature on Monday to push for stronger laws to protect the rights of people with disabilities. They weren't happy with what happened. It was the first time the advocacy group, Accessible Arizona, has held its "Roll on Arizona's Capitol" day, which they hope to make an annual event. But organizers say they were shocked and disappointed by the chilly reception they received from some lawmakers. Read more.

Beijing to demolish thousands of illegal structures

January 24 | BBC News

The city's acting mayor said they would "ensure zero increase of such structures". In November 2017, Beijing tore down buildings that violated safety codes, evicting tens of thousands of workers. It is unclear how many workers will be displaced this time. Mass evictions as Beijing is spruced up. China closes migrant worker schools. The Chinese capital will also continue to "close small shops operated from illegal openings cut in the wall", according to an annual report released by acting mayor Chen Jining. Read more.

Electrical wiring to blame for massive Bellevue fire that displace dozens of families

January 23 | Tennessean

Investigators with the Nashville Fire Department said Tuesday an electrical wiring failure is to blame for a massive fire that displaced up to 80 residents from their apartment building Monday night. The two-alarm fire broke out about 6:30 p.m. at Creekwood Apartments off U.S. 70, west of Nashville, burned two dozen units and left the building "a complete loss," fire officials said. Read more.

Bill would allow Utah schools to install bolt locks on classroom doors

January 23 | KSL

Public schools could install bolt locks on classroom doors for use during school lockdowns under a bill endorsed Tuesday by the Utah Legislature's Senate Education Committee. Current building and fire codes prohibit their use in schools, said Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, sponsor of SB87. Weiler said he introduced the legislation after a constituent told him that he wanted to donate the locks to his daughter's elementary school. He was referred to the principal, who told him to ask school district officials. District-level administrators referred him to public safety officials. Read more.

Disaster mitigation strategies that exceed code could save billions

January 23 | Building Design & Construction

Specific disaster mitigation strategies that go beyond the requirements of the 2015 International Codes model building codes could save the nation billions of dollars, according to the National Institute of Building Sciences just issued Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves: 2017 Interim Report. Investing in hazard mitigation measures to exceed select code requirements can save the nation $4 for every $1 spent, the report says. The report comes on the heels of the nation's worst year of natural disasters in terms of cost. Read more.

How to live in a tiny house without breaking the law

January 23 | Greenwich Time

For some of us, living in a tiny house is the dream, the ultimate minimalist lifestyle, a chance to be closer to nature, with none of the stress of paying off a mortgage for the rest of our prime years. But before you start plotting your new life in a diminutive dwelling, it's important to remember that these cute creations still occupy a gray zone. The law often sees tiny houses as ambiguous little islands floating somewhere between camper vans (aka recreational vehicles), mobile homes, and traditional single-family residences. So it's easy to get confused about what's legal and what's not. Read more.

Trump imposes tariffs on solar panels and washing machines in first major trade action of 2018

January 22 | The Washington Post

President Trump took action in two pending trade disputes Monday, imposing tariffs on imported solar panels and washing machines. The twin actions represent Trump's first tariff orders and are his most consequential trade actions since the early days of his presidency when he withdrew from a Pacific trade deal and launched negotiations to overhaul the North American Free Trade Agreement. The moves come in response to petitions from American manufacturers, who complained for years that rising imports were eating into their sales, and may signal the start of a wider administration offensive against U.S. trading partners. Read more.

New code enforcement program a success in Ambridge

January 22 | The Times

A change to the borough's code enforcement program last year helped catch more than 800 violations. Last January, borough officials folded the code enforcement program into the fire department, hiring three part-time firefighter/code enforcement officers that included a Baden firefighter who worked as Rochester's code enforcement officer, Conway's fire chief who works as an emergency medical technician with Medic Rescue and an Ambridge volunteer firefighter. Previously, the fire department had assisted code enforcement officers when needed. Read more.

Landlord's appeal in fatal blaze cites faulty fire codes

January 22 | U.S. News and World Report

A landlord sentenced to jail time following a fire that killed six people in Maine has filed an appeal that cites a vague fire safety code as a factor in the blaze. Gregory Nisbet was handed a short jail sentence for code violations stemming from the 2014 apartment fire, which was the deadliest in Portland in decades. The Portland Press Herald reports Nisbet has filed a brief that argues the fire code in unconstitutionally vague. Read more.

City in a swamp: Houston's flood problems are only getting worse

January 22 | Inside Climate News

In a corner office in City Hall last July, Stephen Costello ticked off Houston's recent floods from memory: Tropical Storm Allison in 2001 dumped on the northeastern part of town. A storm in 2009 hit the west side. 2015 saw Memorial Day flooding swamp the northwest closer to downtown, while Halloween rains slammed the south side. The Tax Day floods of 2016, the worst since Allison, spread across the city; Memorial Day that year saw the county northwest of Houston underwater. Then came Hurricane Harvey, and everywhere turned to soup. Read more.

This smart home technology is the best defense against natural disasters

January 22 | Architectural & Design

Remember when "quinoa" and "acai" were just words you wondered how to pronounce? Now we find them in the aisles of every grocery store and on the menus of many a fast-casual lunch chain. What if the next health craze wasn't centered on our food, but on our built environment? The water, air, and materials in our homes and yards have received little scrutiny when we consider how neurotic we are about what we put inside our bodies. Read more.

American Lung Association highlights three key steps to reduce risk of the second-leading cause of lung cancer

January 22 | American Lung Association

You cannot see, taste or smell radon, but this gas causes lung cancer and claims an estimated 21,000 lives in the U.S. each year. It is an invisible enemy in homes and buildings across the country. In recognition of Radon Action Month, the American Lung Association offers three simple steps that Americans can take now to reduce their own and their neighbors' risks from radon. "Many people don't know that radon is radioactive and the second leading cause of lung cancer," said Janice Nolen, Assistant Vice President of National Policy of the American Lung Association." Read more.

New code in the works

January 22 | The News

ASHRAE held its winter press conference, including a tasty breakfast of a veggie frittata, smoked sausage, and home fries at McCormick Place in Chicago. The conference was an opportunity for ASHRAE, along with partners the International Code Council (ICC), the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), to provide a brief history of the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) and ASHRAE Standard 189.1, also known as IgCC Powered by 189.1, its partnership, a peek into the new document, and what impact the code will have on the industry, particularly those manufacturers exhibiting at this year's AHR Expo. Read more.

A chance for the public to weigh in on Market House coming Monday

January 22 | The Baltimore Sun

Despite a light agenda for Monday’s City Council meeting, the council members, sans Mayor Gavin Buckley, will press on toward a Market House deal with New Market LLC. The council made a de facto pick for the hall style eatery two weeks ago, choosing to move forward with an ordinance tied to a New Market draft lease. The same cannot be said for the other competitive bidder, the Blonder family’s Annapolis Oyster, Co. Read more.

Case study: Hospital achieves HVAC energy compliance

January 22 | Consulting-Specifying Engineer

Great River Medical Center in West Burlington, Iowa, was completed in 2000. This Energy Star 100 hospital, which has perhaps the lowest site energy-use index (EUI) of any hospital in the U.S. at 95 kBtu/sq ft/year, might not comply with the energy code for new buildings under ASHRAE 90.1-2013: Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings or the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). (Energy Star is a Department of Energy program that rates building energy use compared to similar buildings. The ranking of 100 means in the 100th percentile, or lowest energy use of all buildings of that type in the program.) Read more.

Are we not eco? A deep dive into the weeds of climate change policy in Rhode Island

January 22 | Convergence RI

The local climate change alarm is sounding, but like a car alarm, it is considered more of an annoyance than a call to action. In fact, the many taxpayer funded studies and reports that explicitly outline the actions needed to address climate related change in Rhode Island are little more than dusty security blankets, shaken out when needed to comfort select audiences or ripped as fake by deniers to rile up their base. These publicly funded documents are largely forgotten, so politicians can promise unrealistic economic growth, so State House bosses can create specific short-term jobs, and to appease special interests. Read more.

Southern California to feel effects of the Thomas Fire for years, if not decades, experts say

January 21 | AccuWeather

The Thomas Fire raged through Southern California for over a month, from Dec. 4 to Jan. 12. While the cause is still unknown, the fire and its consequences have wreaked havoc on the lives of residents in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. As the largest fire in California history, the Thomas Fire burned 281,893 acres and destroyed 1,063 structures in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, according to InciWeb. Heavy rain on Jan. 10 led to even more destruction in Southern California. Mudslides, flooding and debris flows caused property and roadway damage, which are still being inspected. Read more.

133 years after the world got its first skyscrapers: how safe are they?

January 21 | Progrss

In 1885, the world got its first ever skyscraper. When the New York Home Insurance Company wanted new headquarters in Chicago's cleared-out downtown, they wanted it fireproofed, since the headquarters were being built following the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which ate through the city's mostly wooden topography. However, they also wanted it tall, with a capacity that could take up the maximum number of small offices above the bank floor. Read more.

First responders: Make sure house number are visible

January 19 | Local News 8

A reminder from sheriff's offices around the region, and from first responders; homeowners make sure your house numbers are easy to see from the street. Some areas, like Franklin County, said it has seen more and more homes without visible house numbers in recent months. Local first responders said it's an important reminder that sometimes goes overlooked. Take a look outside at your house number. Can you tell what it is? Can others? If it's not easy to see for you, it's not for first responders either. The Pocatello Fire Department said having a visible house number is key. Read more.

U.S. sets new coast record for major disasters

January 8 | The Hill

The United States set a new record last year for the total cost of weather and climate change-related disasters that exceeded $1 billion, driven largely by wildfires and hurricanes. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Center for Environmental Information said in a Monday report that the 16 disasters that cost more than $1 billion added up to $306 billion. The total number of disasters tied with 2011 for a record, while the total cost was a new high. Read more.