President Obama has issued an executive order designed to better protect federal buildings, and the workers in them, against risks of earthquakes.
It says that when making investment decisions regarding owned or leased buildings (or those financed or regulated by the federal government) agencies “shall seek to enhance resilience by reducing risk to the lives of building occupants and improving continued performance of essential functions following future earthquakes.”
New building design and construction, and alteration of existing buildings, must meet industry codes specified in the order, and agencies similarly generally must lease only buildings that meet those codes. Those codes are to be considered the minimum, however, and agencies may require higher levels.
“The federal government recognizes that building codes and standards primarily focus on ensuring minimum acceptable levels of earthquake safety for preserving the lives of building occupants,” it says. “To achieve true resilience against earthquakes, however, new and existing buildings may need to exceed those codes and standards to ensure, for example, that the buildings can continue to perform their essential functions following future earthquakes. Agencies are thus encouraged to consider going beyond the codes and standards set out in this order to ensure that buildings are fully earthquake resilient.”
