NRMCA’s Peng Testifies Before New York City Officials on High Rise Construction

As part of its Build with Strength building advocacy program, NRMCA last month presented to the Fire & Criminal Justice Services Committee of the New York City Council. Vice President of Sustainability Tien Peng's testimony, titled “High Rise Fires and What New York City Can Learn from the London Tragedy,” concerned recent trends in fire in multifamily buildings. The New York City Council members as well as the general public in attendance supported life safety strategies with a keen interest in sprinklers and building codes.

Peng demonstrated the dramatic changes have been made in New York City building codes which bans combustible construction and why there has not been increase in apartment fires in New York that have been seen throughout the rest of the country, including neighboring Edgewater, NJ. Joining him was Brian Medford, regional manager for
Fox Blocks, who presented the resilient benefits of insulating concrete forms (ICF) in high rise construction. City fire department officials and affordable housing advocates also testified supporting fire safety. At one point in the testimony, a fire chief wished all buildings were “sprinklered and made of concrete.” We couldn’t agree more.

Build with Strength, a coalition of NRMCA, promotes noncombustible concrete building systems through communications, project promotion, education and advocacy. To learn more about these programs, please contact Tien Peng at 206-913-8535 or tpeng@nrmca.org.