White House Announces Efforts to Increase Community Resilience Through Building Codes and Standards

Words: Dan KamysOn Thursday, May 12, the White House hosted a Conference on Resilient Building Codes to highlight the critical role of building codes in furthering community resilience and the importance of incorporating resilience and the future impacts of climate change in the codes and standards development process. Building codes set the baseline for the safe design and construction of homes, schools and workplaces, providing the minimum requirements to adequately safeguard the health, safety and welfare of building occupants. The impacts of climate change also pose significant challenges for buildings and homes, many of which were not built to withstand the future impacts of climate change. As part of the conference, the Obama Administration highlighted federal and private-sector efforts aimed at advancing the principles of resilience in building codes and standards, and building design. Earlier, President Obama declared May as National Building Safety Month. New federal actions announced at the event include:
  • U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Incorporation of Resilient Building Codes into Housing Programs.
  • Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Institute of Building Sciences: Update to the 2005 Multihazard Mitigation Council Mitigation Saves Study.
  • Federal Emergency Management Agency: Disaster Deductible for the Public Assistance Program.
And more. Complete details from the White House are available online in a Fact Sheet.
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