High-Rise Integrity

LOUISIANA STATE FIRE MARSHAL UPDATE

THE FUTURE OF HIGH-RISE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY IN LOUISIANA

By: Ashley Rodrigue, State Fire Marshal Public Affairs Director

The tragic condo building collapse in Surfside, Florida, that has, so far, claimed the lives of about 100 people, has brought about a lot of questions here in Louisiana—Are high-rise buildings inspected for structural integrity? If they are, how frequently are they inspected? If they’re not, why not? Should occupants of Louisiana’s high-rise buildings be concerned about the safety of their buildings? These are all relevant questions, and according to State Fire Marshal H. “Butch” Browning, some of the answers are not good enough.

“I truly believe this collapse was preventable with the right oversight and accountability in place and enforced,” said Browning, “Every one of us in the building industry should be looking at our own oversight and accountability measures right now and that goes for public and private entities. What I see in Louisiana is lacking.” Browning says that evaluation would be conducted by the state, as opposed to the AHJs that conducted those initial reviews on new construction, but the burden would be on the building owner to maintain the schedule. However, several AHJs across the state are already reviewing their existing recertification schedules and standards in light of the Florida incident.

In addition, Browning says, similar to the LSUCCC’s registry for certified building inspectors, the state would maintain a repository of these records, and when building owners fail to meet their obligation to have the review done in the required timeframe, or if a review finds repairs are needed but are not being addressed, the accountability arm would be the state’s court system.

Currently, all codes adopted by the Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code Council (LSUCCC), pertaining to structural inspections of high-rise buildings, relate to new construction or renovations of existing structures only. Chapter 17 of the International Building Code (IBC) addresses special inspections and tests concerning highrise structures but has no mention of annual or multi-year inspections.

The NFPA 1 Fire Code addresses instances where structural elements with visible damage can be cited by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), resulting in a required technical analysis and potential repair if that analysis reveals repairs needed, but there is no requirement establishing a frequency of reinspection. Browning wants to see that changed. “Of course, these are off-the-cuff ideas which is why we are hoping the construction community will be engaged in this conversation as it moves forward,” said Browning, “As always, we all have a hand in ensuring safety, and this is just our latest chance to step forward and prove that commitment to building safety.”

We hope you will be part of this movement to bring about more confidence in our state’s high-rise structures. Stay tuned for ways to get involved!

“I believe there should be serious conversations underway at the Capitol shortly, if not already, about establishing a statewide, required inspection schedule and standard for structural reviews of all buildings in our state that are six stories or more.”

UPDATE FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

FIGHTING BIDEN’S COST OF OPPORTUNITY

By: Attorney General Jeff Landry

Around the world, the United States of America is known as the land of opportunity. Our abundant resources, personal liberties, and open markets empower individuals to turn willpower into success. This promise of opportunity leads nearly a million immigrants to apply for citizenship and residence every year.

The American economy is a dynamo for prosperity because open markets and competition drive costs downward, meaning businesses have more resources to innovate and add employees. Unfortunately, the Federal regulatory system routinely increases these costs at the political whim of the President; and, with the stroke of his pen, Joe Biden has recently rushed to illegally impose crippling costs on almost everything we do.

Through Executive Order 13990, Biden bypassed our elected representatives to impose the Left’s radical, selfdefeating green agenda on the American economy and people. This executive fiat paves the way for the most expansive and expensive federal regulatory initiative in history.

Economists have called the social cost of carbon “the most important number you’ve never heard about.” And as designed by the Obama Administration, this scheme selectively imposes a monetary “social cost” on nearly everything that involves the release of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane. These are the ubiquitous byproducts of human life in developed economies, already subject to intense federal scrutiny. But all of that is in jeopardy now that Joe Biden wants to rig the regulatory system to fit his agenda of self-sabotage. And to be clear: I am not talking about the cost of implementing emissions controls. I am talking about imaginary numbers thought up by political appointees to artificially raise the cost of living, working, and producing.

For instance, Joe Biden’s imaginary math would have artificially compounded regulatory costs by $9.5 trillion last year – increasing prices, reducing selections, and minimizing opportunities for businesses and consumers. This would have devastated the American recovery – especially in states like Louisiana that produce natural resources, foodstuffs, and manufacturing components used throughout our country.

Every cent of fake cost is another that demand must overcome to get the wheels of commerce back up to speed. Every seemingly minor regulatory action based on these imaginary billables moves us toward permanent augmentation or limitation of our economy and markets. This level of regulatory misconduct is unacceptable at any time, but today could be the most egregious period. Our recovery from the pandemic will surely stall and our global leadership will diminish if our consumers and producers get saddled with this inflated cost of opportunity.

While many know that 30% of methane emissions arise from natural gas and petroleum systems, even more would likely not be aware that nearly the same amount – 27% – is the result of livestock excretion. Nitrous oxide is another large byproduct of agriculture, with 75% of those emissions coming from soil and waste management. And carbon dioxide is a byproduct of burning anything carbon-based – like hydrocarbons, foliage, and firewood – or through certain chemical reactions, like those used to manufacture cement. I will not stand by while the President attacks our American economy and way of life. I have already filed a lawsuit to prevent the Biden Administration from carrying out this executive order that will kill thousands of jobs throughout the country and impose significant burdens on the American people. And I will continue to push back against overreach from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Our Nation’s capacity to provide abundant energy, nutritious food, and public works depend on these very activities. And they are affordable and available here because our economic system reduces costs. Merit Shop Message | Summer 2021