FL Building Code? 1

[SteelPE]

We are currently working with a client who has locations through out the country. We have worked on a number of projects already and have been asked to adapt the “typical” for a possible building site in Florida.

We have started a preliminary process of checking out the design against the 2010 Florida Building Code. In running through the code, I noticed at the end of chapter 16 they make reference to some additional requirements for High-Velocity Hurricane Zones. However, I can’t seem to find a definition of a High-Velocity Hurricane Zone in the code. Are there requirements required to be applied throughout the state of FL or am I completely missing something?

 

[JedClampett]

I took some training put on by the FES (Florida Engineering Society) on the new code. It's pretty intimidating until you realize that most of the items they're "punching" (flood loads, wind loads, energy codes, ADA, etc.) were always in there, but just not as emphasized.
There's some changes that appear to implement a wind load based importance factor (actually hihger wind loads for important structures, especially in Miami-Dade and Broward) but the instructor showed that they pretty much were consistent with current practice.

 

[Lutfi]

I am waiting for my 2010 crate to arrive next week. We have to buy all of them because we are multi- disciplinary firm. I hate updating so many codes.

Sometimes I see value added to the updates, most of the other times, all I see and hear us cash registers ringing sales for the good folks who publish and print these codes. Am I the only one with this opinion here?


Regards,
Lutfi