All articles tagged with #building regulations
A construction industry leader criticizes the government's plan to turn fire safety guidance into law, arguing it is too lenient and allows risky materials, potentially compromising fire safety in buildings, despite government claims of clarity and safety improvements. The consultation on the new law ends in December, with legislation expected in 2026.
As urban land becomes scarcer, U.S. cities are increasingly permitting development on irregular and overlooked lots, such as triangular, crescent-shaped, and narrow strips, by relaxing zoning rules to help address the housing shortage.
Texas's lenient land use and building regulations, especially in flood-prone areas, contributed to the tragic flooding at Camp Mystic, highlighting the need for stricter safety and zoning policies to prevent future disasters amid rising extreme weather events.
Binyamin Appelbaum argues in the New York Times for a shift towards mass production of modular homes in factories, citing the need for a sequel to the failed 1969 initiative, Operation Breakthrough. Appelbaum highlights the potential benefits of standardized building materials and regulations, as well as the ability to significantly reduce construction time from eight months to a single day. He suggests that government investment and subsidies, similar to those that have driven the spread of solar panels, could revolutionize the home-building business and address issues of housing market volatility and transportation costs.
Boston has pulled out of a pilot program aimed at banning fossil fuels in buildings, despite the mayor's previous commitment to participate. The city cited concerns about its complex infrastructure and strained electric grid as reasons for not applying. Climate advocates fear that pressure from real estate developers, who oppose fossil fuel bans, may have influenced the decision. Boston has already taken steps to reduce fossil fuel usage in new buildings, but advocates wanted the city to participate in the program to demonstrate that such measures can be implemented affordably. The final spot in the program is now a four-way race between Northampton, Salem, Somerville, and Boston.
New Zealand police have filed five murder charges against a man accused of starting a deadly fire at a Wellington hostel two weeks ago. The man had earlier been charged with arson. The fire killed five people, including a well-known street performer. The building had no fire sprinklers, and lawmakers are reviewing building regulations. The accused has been granted temporary name suppression and has yet to enter a plea.
A lawsuit filed by six ex-Twitter employees accuses Elon Musk of risking staff's lives by installing illegal locks on office bedrooms. The suit alleges that a top Twitter manager was told to install locks that wouldn't automatically open when the fire suppression system was activated, which is a violation of California building codes. The manager argued that this "would put lives at risk" and instead quit, but the unsafe locks were added by somebody else. The lawsuit accuses Musk of showing "reckless disregard" for "both the law and for the lives and safety of his colleagues and employees."
A lawsuit filed by six ex-Twitter employees accuses Elon Musk of risking staff's lives with illegal locks on office bedrooms. The suit alleges that a top Twitter manager quit the company after refusing to install locks that contravened building regulations and could risk staff's lives in the case of a fire. Musk's transition team instructed the manager to get cheaper, noncompliant locks because the others were too expensive. The lawsuit accuses Musk of showing "reckless disregard" for "both the law and for the lives and safety of his colleagues and employees."
New Zealand police suspect arson in the deadly fire that engulfed the four-storey Loafers Lodge in Wellington, killing at least six people. The police are treating it as a homicide investigation. A couch fire at the hostel two hours before the fatal fire was not reported to emergency services, and police are investigating if there is any link between the two fires. The building had no fire sprinklers, and the Prime Minister has asked the minister for housing to look at building regulations to see if there is anything more that can be done.
New Zealand police have launched a homicide investigation into a fire that killed at least six people in a Wellington hostel, which they believe was arson. Police have not yet arrested anyone but have a list of people they want to speak to. The hostel had no fire sprinklers, and the prime minister has asked the minister for housing to look at building regulations to see if there is anything more that can be done.
New Zealand police are treating the deadly fire that broke out in a Wellington hostel, killing at least six people, as arson and have started a homicide inquiry. The police have not arrested anyone yet and have not revealed why they believe the fire was deliberately lit. The hostel, called Loafers Lodge, did not have sprinklers, and there have been conflicting reports about when and whether alarms sounded at the time the blaze began. New Zealand’s government will investigate whether building regulations for accommodations like Loafers Lodge are fit for purpose.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is facing criticism over his government's response to the earthquake that hit the country in February, with lax building regulations blamed for exacerbating the disaster. However, in Erdogan's strongholds, such as Kahramanmaras, many voters remain loyal to the president, despite the slow recovery efforts. The opposition coalition candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has a slight national lead over Erdogan, but polls suggest the earthquake response has done little to sway voters. The election is seen as a battle between two radically different visions for the future of Turkey.