Building Codes and the Westside Urban Forum
Frederick Fischer and Partners – Santa Monica City Services Building, Santa Monica, CA (Photo Credit)
The Westside Urban Forum is now in its third decade as a networking organization dedicated to the land-use dialogue impacting Los Angeles’ Westside. Its monthly speaker series features insightful speakers focused on a lively debate about the future of the Westside of LA’s urban fabric.
In September, Flanigan was asked to moderate Westside Urban Forum’s panel of building standards and codes experts, addressing a very specific theme: “Will the Updated California Building Code Foster Sustainable Development?” Yes, but no so fast… cautioned panelists. Ratcheting standards higher, and cost effectively, is complex.
Codes stretch as innovation drives efficiency. Panelists included Osama Younan, Executive Officer of the City of Los Angeles Building and Safety. Also on the panel were experts from Frederick Fisher and Partners, Integral Group, and Hudson Pacific Properties, all developers of projects that go well beyond the code and prove net zero concepts.