QUESTION
We are currently working with a client who has locations through out the country. We have worked on a number of projects already and have been asked to adapt the “typical” for a possible building site in Florida.
We have started a preliminary process of checking out the design against the 2010 Florida Building Code. In running through the code, I noticed at the end of chapter 16 they make reference to some additional requirements for High-Velocity Hurricane Zones. However, I can’t seem to find a definition of a High-Velocity Hurricane Zone in the code. Are there requirements required to be applied throughout the state of FL or am I completely missing something?
REPLIES
@Ron
At best, the FBC is a bastardization of the IBC. It is based on the IBC, one cycle removed.
HVHZ refers only to Dade and Broward Counties. This comes from the fact that until 2001, Florida had two model building codes…the Standard Building Code and the South Florida Building Code. The South Florida Building Code was based on the predecessor of the IBC…the Standard Building Code was just that…produced separately by the Southern Building Code Congress International (a weirdly confusing name I might add). When the national model codes were consolidated, Florida decided to institute its own code (as did other states) and make it a statutory requirement. The compromise to allowing SF to keeps its provisions (which were admittedly stronger…particularly for wind loading) was the inclusion and definition of the HVHZ.
SOURCE
https://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=312102
Above is a snippet.