A contractor is building a home in a tsunami evacuation zone on the Big Island. According to Hawaii Building Code, what additional structural requirement applies?
Correct Answer
D) All utilities must be elevated above base flood elevation
In tsunami evacuation zones, Hawaii Building Code requires all utilities and mechanical equipment to be elevated above the base flood elevation to prevent damage and contamination.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
Hawaii Building Code requires that all utilities and mechanical equipment be elevated above the base flood elevation (BFE) in tsunami and flood hazard zones. This prevents utility damage during inundation and reduces contamination risk (e.g., sewage, fuel) that could compound disaster impacts.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A: Structure must be designed for breakaway lower level
Breakaway lower levels are a FEMA-required feature for structures built in coastal A and V flood zones, not a blanket requirement for all tsunami evacuation zone construction under Hawaii Building Code. This is a plausible but incorrect option.
Option B: Building must include emergency escape routes
Emergency escape routes are a general life-safety requirement and are not a special additional structural requirement specifically triggered by tsunami zone classification. This option confuses occupancy/egress rules with hazard-zone construction rules.
Option C: Foundations must extend to bedrock
Extending foundations to bedrock is not universally required by Hawaii Building Code for tsunami zones. Bedrock depth varies enormously across the Big Island, and such a blanket rule is not codified. This is a distracter that sounds geologically plausible.
Memory Technique
Tsunami = water rises. So everything that could be harmed or cause harm when wet (utilities, mechanical) must rise above the base flood elevation. Think: 'Water rises, so utilities rise.'
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