Category: Urban Planning

Why So Many American Homes Are Flimsy – Cheddar Explains


Why So Many American Homes Are Flimsy – Cheddar YouTube Channel

Eight Assets

      • Physical Design & Walkability

Green New Deal

      • Upgrade all existing buildings
"The Three Little Pigs"
“The Three Little Pigs” houses made using straw-bale construction, stick-built construction, and masonry construction.

Building Construction Categories (ISO)

(From irmi.com)

Categories of building construction established by Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO), in its Commercial Lines Manual (CLM) for purposes of developing rates for insuring commercial property, based on susceptibility to damage by fire. The six ISO CLM building construction categories and the associated ISO construction codes, from the least fire-resistive category to the most fire-resistive category, are as follows.

1. Frame
1. Frame (e.g., stick-built construction house)

Frame—Exterior walls of wood, brick veneer, stone veneer, wood ironclad, or stucco on wood. Examples: Housing, with no more than 3‐4 stories. (Construction Code 1)

2. Joisted Masonry
2. Joisted Masonry (e.g., masonry construction with wood roof – house/office/retail)

Joisted Masonry—Exterior walls of masonry material (adobe, brick, concrete, gypsum block, hollow concrete block, stone, tile, or similar materials) with combustible floor and roof. Examples: Housing, small office or retail spaces with no more than 3‐4 stories. (Construction Code 2)

3. Noncombustible
3. Noncombustible (e.g., steel construction – warehouse/factory)

Noncombustible—Exterior walls, floor, and supports made of metal, asbestos, gypsum, or other noncombustible materials. Examples: Warehouses and manufacturing facilities. (Construction Code 3)

4. Masonry Noncombustible
4. Masonry Noncombustible (e.g., masonry construction with metal roof – schools/office buildings/shopping centers/warehouses)

Masonry Noncombustible—Same as joisted masonry except that the floors and roof are of metal or other noncombustible materials. Examples: Shopping centers, strip malls, office buildings, warehouses and schools. (Construction Code 4)

5. Modified or Semi‐Fire Resistive
5. Modified or Semi‐Fire Resistive (e.g., protected steel, concrete or heavy masonry walls and floors – high and mid‐rise office buildings/condos)

Modified Fire Resistive—Exterior walls, floors, and roof of masonry or fire-resistive material with a fire resistance rating of at least 1 hour but less than 2 hours. Examples: High and mid‐rise office buildings and condos. (Construction Code 5)

6. Fire Resistive
6. Fire Resistive (e.g., masonry/reinforced concrete – high‐rise office buildings/condos/parking garages)

Fire Resistive—Exterior walls, floors, and roof of masonry or fire-resistive materials with a fire resistance rating of at least 2 hours. Examples: High‐rise office buildings, condos or parking garages. (Construction Code 6)

Strong Towns | Charles Marohn | Talks at Google


Strong Towns | Charles Marohn | Talks at Google

      • Slow Decline: Why our cities are on the cusp of a long, slow decline, and how to approach the challenge rationally
      • Bad Growth: Why inducing growth and development has been the conventional response to urban financial struggles—and why it just doesn’t work
      • Productiveness: Why old and blighted areas are often more financially productive than shiny new ones
      • Little Bets: The power of “little bets” to strengthen communities and improve the lives of citizens
      • Public Engagement: How humble public engagement can create amazing insights
      • Better People: The surprising ways that strong neighborhoods make us better people