Lead Time for Building Codes

This article highlighted two things for me, see Deadly Tornado in Joplin, Mo., Leads to New Building Codes.

The first issue is the time it may take from the time of an event’s occurrence to when an actual change in the building code is made. In the case above, the tornado in question happened in 2011, 13 years ago. The wheels of progress on building codes turns slowly.

Then the other thing I noted was that the incremental change was “minor” in my understanding. The wind speed factor in protecting an essential building was increased by seven miles an hour! Incremental indeed.

Lastly as it was noted in the same article is this quote, “Localities can choose to build above the standard building code or ignore it entirely, as some smaller jurisdictions do…” which highlights the uneven application of building codes throughout the United States. Some local jurisdictions still don’t have “any” building code.

There is plenty of room for improvement when it comes to building codes.