Dubai has been rated by geologist as an area that has minimal earthquake risks. However as and extra safety measure the government is increasing their building code requirements against earthquake, by requiring all buildings 10 floor or higher design able to withstand forces created by an earthquake of up to a magnitude of 5.9 Buildings with between four and 10 floors will need withstand earthquakes ranging between 5.0 and 5.5. It is expected that these new building code requirements could add as mush as 8% of additional costs on these projects as beams and columns will be larger and heavily reinforced.

The modifications will affect the requirements of the structural design and sector loads related to earthquakes, while those related to wind speed have not been changed and remains the same. Local builders are also claiming that with all these new regulations some shovel-ready project will need to go back once again to the drafting table before they can be started, causing additional delays to the local industry.

FIU has created the Wall of Wind testing land, a lab that will demonstrate how building materials behave during a real category 5 hurricane. The University hopes this will identify and provide actual data to improve building codes once they know how different materials perform during wind conditions. The Wall of Wind, created by the Florida International University in Miami, its made of 12 high speed fans that, when working together, simulate a category 5 hurricane, enough to provide more than 255,000 cubic feet of air per minute. The laboratory has already provide significant data allowing Florida agencies to enhance their building codes, as these huge fans can test anything from nails to shingles to roof-top air-conditioning units.

The WOW can test the following materials:

1. Roofing materials
2. Wall cladding
3. Building rooftop equipment
4. Windows, doors, curtain walls
5. PV systems
6. Bridges, road signs, light poles, traffic signals
7. Electrical transmission structures

_{Photo Courtesy AP}

The Fargo-Moorhead flood diversion project is one step closer to reality when the U.S. Senate authorized the $1.8 billion project. However, the project which really is needed to protect against annually disastrous flooding, still needs to get approval by the House and one additional important thing: get funding approved. There are indications that the project might be amended to include taxes that can be used to cover part of the funding needed for the project. The project has received opposition from some sectors as normally these projects could be completed under a budget significantly higher than original and could bring future problems due to insufficient funding. The project includes a design for a 1,500 foot wide channel that will reduce the 100-year flood event from 42.4 feet to 35 feet at the Fargo gage. In addition, the FM Diversion would give the area a chance by reducing the river level in Fargo from 46.7 feet to 40 feet during a 500-year event. Politics are pushing the House to authorize the project this year, so it can be ready to start construction during 2014.

_{Photo © Simminch}