Construction in the city of New Orleans is regulated in accordance with the International Building Code, the International Residential Code, the International Mechanical Code and the International Combustible Gas Code. Electrical work is governed by the National Electrical Code. The Department of Licensing and Regulation is responsible for ensuring that safety regulations are met throughout the construction and use of buildings and properties in the city. The only building code required for the lower areas of New Orleans was created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Since more than 90% of New Orleans buildings were built after 1984, only a small number of houses had to comply with FEMA regulations (GNOCDC, 2000). In reality, raising the height of the base was not effective in protecting homes in New Orleans. The white sections labeled B represent the highest-elevation areas in New Orleans where no flood insurance or base flood is required. The Base Flood Elevation (BFE) for low-lying areas was last updated in 1984. The Department of Licensing and Regulation works hard to ensure that all safety regulations are met when it comes to construction and use of buildings and properties in New Orleans.
The building code created by FEMA is the only one required for lower areas of the city. Although raising the base height was not effective in protecting homes, there are still areas with high elevation that do not require flood insurance or base flood. It is important to stay up to date with the BFE for low-lying areas, which was last updated in 1984.
