47.5 MB - The Whole Building Design Guide

isks for the facility at the proposed site. Inaddition, alternative solutions should beconsidered in order to avoid site-specific hazardslike floods. After decisions about thebuilding location have been made, hazardmitigation involves acquiring a full understandingof the prevalent hazards andconsidering all appropriate hazard-resistancemeasures to ensure the uninterrupted operationof critical facilities.All work on critical facilities must meet theminimum requirements of building codes andrelated regulations. However, the importanceof uninterrupted operation of criticalfacilities frequently makes it necessary to gobeyond the code requirements to provideacceptable levels of protection for the facility’sfunctionality during, and in the immediateaftermath of, a hazard event.Typically, the selection of a site for a critical facility is based onspecific functions of a facility and the characteristics of its servicearea. In cases where critical facilities may be exposed to floodingand wind hazards, it is recommended that the final site decisionbe made only after all alternative sites have been evaluated forhazard exposure and the resulting effects of the hazard exposureon the design, construction, and operation of a facility.Considering that critical facilities should avoid hazard-prone areas,site selection may sometimes be a difficult and prolonged process.This is especially true in situations when the facility service requirementscannot be easily reconciled with requirements to minimizethe exposure to hazards. Sometimes a facility, like a fire station forexample, cannot fulfill its rapid response function if it is locatedoutside the hazard zone, far from the area the facility is intendedto serve. Additionally, site selection is not always controlled by thecommunity. Many local jurisdictions report that the high cost andthe scarcity of available land can severely limit the consideration ofalternative locations. The consequences of accepting a flood-pronesite include not only the potential physical damage, but also theloss of services provided by the critical facility. This loss of servicecan adversely affect the community as a whole, both in the immediatepost-event period and during its long-term recovery. Section2.5.1 contains a discussion and a number of questions that canhelp guide determinations about whether the risks associated withbuilding a critical facility in a floodplain are acceptable.If the site selection process determines that no other practicaland feasible alternatives are available and that a facility must belocated in a hazard-prone area, the highest level of protectionshould be a design priority.CRITICAL FACILITY DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS1-9