A recently released study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that California’s building code for higher risk wildfire areas has significantly reduced structural loss.
A home built in 2008 or later under the Golden State’s expanded wildfire building code is about 40% less likely to be destroyed than a 1990 home experiencing an identical wildfire, according to the research. “There is strong evidence that these effects are due to state and local building code changes,” the bureau’s report says.
California now requires all roof material in wildfire hazard areas to be rated Class A for fire resistance. In addition, exterior siding must be fire resistant, vents must covered by a fine wire mesh to resist ember intrusion, windows and doors must resist fire for at least
20 minutes, and decks and other building appendages must be built of non-combustible materials. The most recently update code also includes requirements for defensible space.
Other states that have experienced damaging large-scale wildfires including Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington have not as yet followed California’s lead to beef up building codes. California’s code, research suggests, presents a useful model for others to follow.
Related Stories
| Nov 16, 2012
Voters approve fewer construction ballot measures in 2012 than in 2008
Voters passed fewer ballot measures related to construction projects this year than they did in 2008, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America.
| Nov 9, 2012
New ANSI/BIFMA standard adds point for lower formaldehyde emissions
The ANSI/BIFMA e3-2012 Furniture Sustainability Standard now includes an additional point for furniture products that meet a new, lower formaldehyde emissions limit.
| Nov 9, 2012
Higher bar on LEED may not be harder to reach
The U.S. Green Building Council expects to substantially revise LEED next year, requiring builders beginning in 2015 to take new and more-detailed steps to get buildings certified.
| Nov 9, 2012
CSI’s sustainability practice group offers webinar on EPA's WaterSense Program
The Construction Specification Institute’s sustainability practice group is offering a webinar Nov. 20 on EPA’s WaterSense Program, featuring Lynn Gilleland, drinking water specialist with EPA’s New England office.
| Nov 9, 2012
Mayor in Calif. wants to expedite permits for $1B worth of projects
The mayor of San Jose, Calif., plans to issue new construction permits worth an estimated $1 billion in the next six months to spur job creation and create revenue for the city.
| Nov 9, 2012
Jury awards N.Y. roofer $2 million for injuries after construction site fall
A roofing worker from Cortland County, N.Y., has been awarded $2 million in damages due to the injuries he sustained from a 60-foot fall at a dormitory construction site.
| Oct 31, 2012
Investigators look into crane severely damaged by Sandy in Manhattan
Investigators are examining a construction crane collapse atop a $1.5 billion luxury high-rise in midtown Manhattan due to high winds during Hurricane Sandy.
| Oct 31, 2012
Construction error suspected in Miami-Dade College garage collapse
A construction error is the chief suspect in the partial collapse of a parking garage at Miami-Dade College in Doral, FL.