Los Angeles Building and Construction sector

Los Angeles Building and Construction sector

The New Port Construction Management is honored to invite all construction management students to a construction management conference that will be held at New Orleans City Hall on 1st March 2020. The conference will address various building and safety codes used in the state of Los Angeles, including their formulation history, the changes that have occurred over time and the circumstances that warranted them, and application of the codes in the current building and construction industry. Moreover, the conference will feature various keynote speakers in the sector, both from regulatory government agencies and the private sector that have experience on the subject. Come one, come all, and be a part of the safety revolution that is taking place in the Los Angeles Building and Construction sector.

Cause of Concern

The building and construction play an instrumental role in the growth and development of a community, state, and, subsequently, the nation as a whole. Through the operational operations undertaken in the sector, a country can attain housing, social infrastructure, and public infrastructure that significantly impact the quality of life for the population as a whole. However, in the recent period, the same products of the building and construction industry that typically foster the wellbeing of society have turned to be death traps. The reversed impact of various buildings is not a direct fault of the players in the sector but instead various hurricane events that have occurred. Moreover, the hurricane attacks are not localized in our community only, and neither are the new challenges on the planet. Contrarily, hurricane attacks have been experienced in many different regions within the US and beyond for an extended period.

However, during each period, the nature of the challenge caused by society is subject to its level of advancement economically, scientifically, and technologically. Despite this, the players in the sector have the responsibility of responding appropriately to facilitate the adaptation of the industry in the face of adversity caused by natural phenomena to ensure that the structures created by the sector can withstand the challenges thrown to the society by nature. For instance, after the 1992 Hurricane Andrew attack, the construction codes of Florida had to be changed, and some of these changes included a mandatory requirement for construction contractors to install impact windows, nail secured roof shingles, and roofs and walls ties that were stronger. In the same spirit for the current society to re-evaluate the hurricane attack challenge in the context of the present society and development approaches of addressing the problem more efficiently.

A Real-Life Scenario of the Relevance and Impact of Safety Building and Construction Code: The 2010 Earthquake Case of Haiti and Chile

The major natural catastrophes that have occurred in various world regions have more than emphasized the relevance and utility that can be attained from informed and up-to-date construction codes. Moreover, natural phenomena have practically indicated how building and construction practices can influence the power of life and death during events when nature attacks confront human populations. Some of the real life examples that emphasize the role of safety codes in building and construction include the recent earthquake attacks in Chile, Haiti, and South California that incurred a high cost in human society both economically and in the loss of human life. For instance, in Haiti, the magnitude 7.0 earthquake resulted in the death of more than 230,000 individuals, the destruction of significant levels of the population’s wealth, and the collapse of many buildings. Subsequently, after a period of six weeks, the same earthquake hit Chile but at a much higher magnitude estimated to be about five-hundred times that of Haiti. However, the subsequent loss of lives in Chile was lower, estimated to be in hundreds as opposed to hundreds of thousands in Haiti. The significant variation in the lives lost in Haiti and Chile due to the earthquake can, to a considerable level, be accounted for by the difference in the construction norms of the two nations. The same principles apply to the New Orleans context, which is a city that has, for an extended period, been ground zero for hurricane attacks.

Highlights Construction Code Aspects to be addressed in the Conference

History of the Construction Code in New Orleans

The history of construction in New Orleans dates back to the earliest days of European settlement in Louisiana, which is as early as the late 17th Century. During the early periods, the Europeans that lived in the area built coastal parishes. However, the unpredictable watercourses, rising rivers, low-lying areas, and saturated soils posed a constant threat of flooding for the residents of the area.

Consequently, the early residents of New Orleans were compelled to reassess and redesign the structure of the houses to ensure that they remained safe from the risks that living in New Orleans posed on them. Currently, most of the environmental conditions that impacted the early settlers in New Orleans still exist. However, due to the consistent changes in the construction practices in the region, their impact has been diminished; thus, it is easy to disregard their impact on the early settlers.

The making of the New Orleans Construction Sector: House Raising and Moving

While the early New Orleans settlers had adopted their house designs to mitigate the various risks posed by the New Orleans environment, construction in the region was still limited to a limited capacity. However, over time some of the settlers attained advanced expertise in the art and science of constructing raised homes. Moreover, a select group of individuals achieved the capability of moving a built structure from one geographical location to the next. The original masterminds behind the skill of moving constructed structures are not credited with the advancement. However, two of the oldest operators that formalized the trade of house raising were John G. Abry and Jeremiah Lincoln. The two above pioneers are credited for turning the skill of house raising and moving into businesses and, consequently, the earliest forms of construction contracting business establishments. Subsequently, the availability of construction services facilitated the first making and development of the New Orleans construction industry since the formulation of these early institutions inspired the creation of many more organizations that offered similar services. In turn, the first construction companies in New Orleans paved the way for the growth and development of New Orleans since their specialty could easily be applied in various construction contexts in the region.

The Role of Design and Technology in House Elevation in New Orleans

The specialization that had occurred in the early New Orleans construction industry facilitated the advancement of building and construction techniques for structures that fit the region’s environmental context. Some of the new construction designs developed for a house raising in New Orleans include basement foundation, slab-on-grade foundation, and Crawlspace Foundation, to mention a few. The advancement of construction design in New Orleans and the efficiency associated with each design indicates the earliest makings of the New Orleans construction code. Presently, the entire US construction sector is significantly influenced by technological advancement and Innovation. Consequently, more efficient approaches to addressing the city’s natural environment are being developed, and in turn, regulatory policies in the industry are following the upgrade trend.

Therefore, one cannot emphasize enough the need for the New Port Construction Management to involve and engage the present generation of students aspiring to join the industry in its issues and operation. As the future generation of the sectorial players in the construction sector, the earlier you start getting involved, the more promising the future of the industry in New Orleans, and subsequently, the safety of the population.