Concrete Industry Responds to Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina hit the Louisiana coast on September 29 of last year causing major damage to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. NRMCA’s Board of Directors met on September 20 and urged NRMCA to take the lead on promoting stronger building codes in Gulf Coast states affected by the hurricane. Only four days later, Hurricane Rita hit the Texas coast on September 24 causing damage in Texas and additional damage in Louisiana.

Several NRMCA member companies offered temporary and permanent employment for workers displaced by Hurricane Katrina through www.nrmca.org. NRMCA sent a letter to the editors of 30 major national newspapers on October 5 authored by Robert Garbini indicating the importance of adopting and enforcing model building codes for commercial and residential construction. Concrete industry stakeholders in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi were urged to contact their state legislators to support the adoption of a statewide uniform building code through NRMCA’s grassroots website.

In early November, NRMCA’s Lionel Lemay (847) 918-7101, along with other members of the Alliance for Concrete Codes and Standards met to adopt a position on statewide building codes. The position statement was distributed to local groups. The position statement urges states to adopt current versions of the International Building Code and International Residential Code and allow local jurisdictions to amend the codes so long as those amendments are stricter than the model codes.

On November 22, the Louisiana Senate and House passed a new bill which establishes a state uniform building code. The bill sets as a minimum the International Building Code (IBC) and the International Residential Code (IRC). The bill does allow for more stringent local amendments. In an effort to encourage public support leading up to new legislation for a state wide building code in Louisiana, NRMCA President, Robert Garbini wrote letters to the editors of all major newspapers in Louisiana.

On November 29, Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco signed Senate Bill 44, which establishes a state uniform building code, into law. The law, now known as Act No. 12, sets as a minimum the International Building Code (IBC) and the International Residential Code (IRC) and establishes a 19 member council to be selected by Governor Blanco which will oversee and enforce the new code. The bill does allow for more stringent local amendments subject to council approval.

Robert Garbini wrote a letter to the editors of newspapers in Mississippi urging the state government adopt a statewide minimum building code similar to the one adopted in Louisiana. The Mississippi Concrete Industries Association (MCIA) contracted with Mississippi State University to conduct investigation of hurricane damage in Mississippi. They produced a report of findings and code recommendations. RMC Research Foundation provided funding for the study.

MCIA joined a coalition committed to developing a comprehensive statewide building code. The coalition has members from the Subcontractors Association, Homebuilders Association, Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), FEMA, American General Contractors of America (AGC), American Consulting Engineers Council (ACEC), Department of Finance and Administration, American Institute of Architects (AIA). Initiatives of the coalition included adopting the International Code Council (ICC) Family of building codes and establishing a building code review board for the state. In the wake of Louisiana adopting a statewide minimum building code, industry stakeholders in Mississippi were urged to write Governor Barbour and members of the Mississippi legislature asking them to adopt a similar law through NRMCA’s grassroots website.

MCIA hosted a Mississippi Building Code Workshop on December 16, 2005, in Hattiesburg, MS. Invited attendees include architects, engineers, and building officials. The objective of the workshop is to prepare key decision makers for the next Katrina and discuss the potential for a statewide minimum building code in Mississippi. A report issued by Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour's Commission on Recovery, Rebuilding and Renewals recommended toughening building and zoning codes in the state.

In reaction to the favorable report, MCIA and the Coalition to Build a Safer and Stronger Mississippi mounted another advocacy and public relations campaign which resulted in an article in The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, MS). Mississippi residents were encouraged to write their legislators in support of statewide building codes.

On February 10, 2006, the Mississippi Senate passed a bill that would adopt both the International Building Code and the International Residential Code statewide. Senate Bill SB2807 also allows local jurisdictions to adopt amendments to the building code provided they are more stringent than the minimum standard. The bill was referred to the Mississippi House. Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour wrote a letter to the Chairman of the Senate Insurance Committee, Dean Kirby, indicating he would sign the bill into law if it was passed in its current form. 

In reaction, the Coalition to Build a Safer and Stronger Mississippi scheduled a Capitol Day on March 7, 2007, so that members of the coalition could let Representatives know that their constituents believe it’s important for Mississippi to have a statewide building code. The Mississippi House then passed a bill which was much weaker than the earlier Senate bill in that it does not establish a statewide minimum code but allows each county to adopt their own building code. The House bill (HB 1406) was returned to the Senate where it was amended to read much like the original Senate bill. The House failed to concur with the amended bill and the bill has been forwarded to conference.

Members of MCIA continued to work with the Coalition to Build a Safer and Stronger Mississippi in support of the stronger Senate version of the bill. Eventually, the weaker version of the bill was signed into law.

As a follow-up to the new building codes in Louisiana and Mississippi, NRMCA, along with concrete groups in Louisiana and Alabama planned three one-day workshops on hurricane resistant concrete construction. The Gulf Coast Workshops  took place on:

• April 11 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi

•  April 12 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

• April 13 in Mobile, Alabama

The one-day workshops introduced Hurricanes and Hurricane Resistant Construction followed by sessions on insulating concrete forms, precast concrete, removable forms, tilt-up concrete, and concrete masonry. Builders, architects, engineers, contractors, building officials, product suppliers, and the general public were invited to attend. The workshops were sponsored by Alabama Concrete Industries Association, Concrete and Aggregate Association of Louisiana, and Mississippi Concrete Industries Association. Other cooperating partners include PCA, NCMA, ICFA, PCI, CFA, and TCA. Attendees received 7 Professional Development Hours.

The workshops were so successful that NRMCA worked with 9 more state affiliates to deliver the seminars throughout the Atlantic Coast and Tornado Alley in 2006. Over 500 people attended the seminars. The program will continue into 2007 with seminars scheduled for:

• February 15 in Omaha, Nebraska

• February 28 in Virginia Beach, Virginia

Click here for more detail.

As a result of its focus on building codes, NRMCA added Erin Ashley as Director of Codes and Sustainability on September 1, 2006. Ashley provides technical support to NRMCA members and state affiliates regarding local building codes and green building standards. She works with local members and state affiliates to promote the adoption of statewide minimum building codes and represents NRMCA at International Code Council and National Fire Protection Association hearings. She also represents NRMCA at sustainability standards development organizations. Contact Erin Ashley at (410) 796-7975.