For the past 25 years, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has helped develop building codes, the construction standards that help houses survive hurricanes, wildfires and earthquakes. Now, ...

Building codes are a set of regulations that govern the design, construction, and alteration of structures. A general understanding of building codes helps all parties involved in design and ...

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, two feet of rain fell on western North Carolina, damaging or sweeping away thousands of houses in landslides and floods. At least 101 people died. In many cases, ...

A new federal analysis gives all but a handful of states the lowest possible rating on the quality of their building codes, showing a widespread failure to protect people against windstorms and ...

Building codes and local, state and federal laws can present a labyrinthine path to securing the approvals, permits and compliance with legislation required to commence construction of a new or ...

The wake of Hurricane Andrew in Dade County, Fla., in August 1992. Fifty-four people died in the storm, which caused over $27 billion in damages and led to Florida’s adoption of a statewide building ...

After Category 5 Hurricane Michael slammed into Mexico Beach, Fla., in 2018, there was a dramatic contrast in destruction: homes built at or beyond state building codes still stood, whereas many of ...