Florida Requirement for Elevating Buildings May Not Be Enough as Sea Level Rises

Florida’s next building code update to take effect next year calls for new construction along the coast to elevate buildings one foot. That requirement, however, may not be adequate to protect homes from flooding given the reality of sea level rise, according to a new study.

The study by Florida International University, commissioned by the Florida Building Commission, recommends raising all new construction along flood-prone coastal areas by two feet. It’s too late for this recommendation to be enacted in the new 2020 code, but it could be implemented in future codes.

According to a report in the Miami Herald, every extra foot a building is built over the base flood elevation results in a discount on flood insurance. Elevating one foot could drop annual flood insurance premiums 17%; two feet of elevation could shave 37% off a premium.

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