Post 9/11 Building Code To Cost Building Owners Extra $13 Million For A 42-Story Tower

September 8, 2008 8:42 a.m. EST

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - The General Services Administration has expressed opposition to stricter building standards on towers in the aftermath of 9/11.

On top of the reasons behind its opposition is the high cost of the requirements which include stronger fireproofing and extra emergency stairwell. The new provisions were based on a report by the National Institute of Standards and Technology after a comprehensive federal study was undertaken into the collapse of the World Trade Center twin towers seven years ago.

Under the new rules, non-residential towers over 420 feet tall or 40 floors, must have a third staircase and fireproofing that could withstand 1,000 pounds per square foot of force. It also requires buildings over 75 feet tall to have glow-in-the-dark markings on stairwells and back-up-lights in case power shuts off

Real estate industry officials estimate that the new requirements will cost building owners an extra $13 million for a 42-story office building, on top of $600,000 annual foregone rent as floor space will be reduced.

In lieu, the Building Owners and Managers Association and David Frable, GSA fire safety engineer, are pushing for specially designed elevators that would still operate even during a fire.

The new regulations would only affect, so far, 10 new buildings over 420 feet that went up since 2000, while there are 750 existing edifices across the U.S. The Code Council will meet next week and vote on the association's proposals when it meets in Minneapolis.

Outside the 9/11 attack, which building owners consider an extraordinary incidents, buildings are safe with a an average of one civilian death in an office building nationwide from 2000 to 2004, data from the National Fire Protection Association showed. Ron Burton, BOMA vice president, insisted the new regulations are knee-jerk reactions which would not do any good.

The BOMA, in a testimony before a U.S. House of Representatives hearing, pointed out the negative effect of the subprime mortgage crisis and credit crunch on new and existing building projects, which would be exacerbated if the extra cost of the post 9/11 new requirement would be added.