When the Twin Towers were constructed in the 1970s, the builders were granted some exemptions from New York's building codes. The exemptions allowed the builders to use lightweight materials so the skyscrapers could achieve greater heights. But, the consequences were devastating. According to Charles Harris, author of Engineering Ethics: Concepts and Cases (compare prices), fewer people would have died on September 11, 2001 if the Twin Towers had used the type of fireproofing required by older building codes.
A tragic legacy of September 11 is that buildings in New York City must now adhere to more demanding building codes. Tall office buildings are required to have more durable fireproofing, an extra emergency exit, and many other safety features. Based on suggestions outlined in a lengthy government report published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), New York's building codes have been adopted by cities across the United States.
NIST Recommendations for Safer Skyscrapers
- Adopt nationwide standards and codes for estimating the load effects, predicting failure, and preventing progressive collapse.
- Improve standards and testing procedures to ensure fire resistance.
- Develop new methods for designing and evaluating fire resistant structures.
- Improve the design, performance, reliability, and redundancy of fire protection systems such as sprinklers, standpipes/hoses, fire alarms, and smoke management systems.
- Improve evacuation procedures, emergency communications, and emergency preparedness.
- Improve response operations, emergency communications, access to buildings, and coordination of large-scale emergency response.
- Improve safety code compliance and record-keeping.
- Upgrade training and education of fire protection engineers, fire safety professionals, structural engineers, and architects.
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September 11, 2001:
Destruction, Reconstruction, and Monuments
