Since 1984, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has sponsored efforts to address problems of seismically hazardous existing buildings. Much of this work has been accomplished through FEMA’s Existing Buildings Program (EBP). With the release of the seismic evaluation and rehabilitation standards ASCE 31 (Seismic Evaluation of Existing Buildings, ASCE/SEI 31-03, ASCE, 2003) and ASCE 41 (Seismic Rehabilitation of Existing Buildings, ASCE 41-06, ASCE 2006), the EBP reached a logical reflection and re-engagement point. The EBP has been guided from its inception, by action and strategic plans that have drawn on the opinions of experts in the existing buildings’ community to define goals, objectives and strategies addressing fundamental obstacles to more widespread evaluation and rehabilitation of seismically hazardous buildings. In 2004, the Applied Technology Council (ATC) was awarded a contract by FEMA that included the task “Update Seismic Rehabilitation Guidance, Program Definition and Guidance Development.” This task was designated the ATC 71 project and resulted in the development of an action plan to guide EBP efforts over the next decade. The recommendations contained in this document “Existing Buildings Program, Action Plan 2009-2019 (publication pending) were developed to address the highest priority needs identified from review of past EBP guidance documents, interviews with members of the existing buildings’ community, and the NEHRP Workshop on Meeting the Challenges of Existing Buildings held in September of 2007. The action plan identifies tasks that align with the strategic objectives of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) and more particularly with those objectives that coincide with FEMA’s responsibilities in the Implementation Phase of NEHRP’s Performance Segment (Research-to-Practice Pipeline). Recognizing the capabilities and interests of the EBP’s many strategic partners (actively engaged in seismic research and code development), the action plan recommends focusing EBP activities in the following general categories of needs: 1. Facilitate Framework to Update Existing Building Standards 2. Develop and Improve an Actionable Understanding of Earthquake Risk 3. Develop Simplified Evaluation & Rehabilitation Procedures 4. Improve Education and Training of Engineering Professionals 5. Develop New Products that Address Unmet Needs
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