Lifestyle

4 Advantages of Retrofitting a Building in a Seismic Zone

Published

4 years ago

July 19, 2022

When it comes to earthquake preparedness, one of the most important things you can do is retrofit your building. Retrofitting a building means making changes to improve its seismic performance. There are many advantages to retrofitting a building, including reducing damage in an earthquake and saving money on insurance premiums. This blog post will discuss the benefits of retrofitting a building in a seismic zone.

Experts agree that retrofitting is an excellent way to improve the seismic performance of a building. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), “retrofitting is arguably the single most important thing you can do to increase the safety of your home or business from an earthquake.” Pedram Zohrevand, a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers with extensive knowledge of safe property designs, believes that it is of the utmost importance to ensure your property is safe from natural disasters through retrofitting.

1. Reducing Damage

One of the advantages of retrofitting a building is that it can reduce damage in an earthquake. When a building is not correctly retrofitted, it is more likely to collapse during an earthquake. This can lead to injuries, fatalities, and costly property damage. Retrofitting a building can help prevent this type of damage by strengthening the structure to be better able to withstand the shaking of an earthquake.

In addition to reducing damage to the building itself, retrofitting can also help protect the contents of the building. In a non-retrofitted building, contents can shift during an earthquake and become damaged or broken. By retrofitting your building, you can help keep your belongings safe and reduce the amount of damage that occurs during an earthquake.

2. Saving Money

Another advantage of retrofitting a building is that it can save money on insurance premiums. Buildings not adequately retrofitted are considered high-risk, meaning they will have higher insurance premiums. Retrofitting your building can lower your insurance rates and save money on your premiums.

Retrofitting can also help you save money by preventing business interruptions. If a building is not retrofitted and suffers damage in an earthquake, the business housed in the building may have to close for repairs. This can result in lost revenue and customers. However, if the building is appropriately retrofitted, it is less likely to be damaged in an earthquake, which means the business can stay open and continue generating income.

3. Improves Value

A third advantage of retrofitting a building is that it can improve the property’s resale value. If you plan to sell your property in the future, retrofitting it will make it more attractive to potential buyers. Buyers will be willing to pay more for a property that has been properly retrofitted because they know that it is less likely to sustain damage in an earthquake.

Retrofitting can also help you lease your property more efficiently. Many tenants are now looking for properties that have been retrofitted because they want to be sure that their belongings will be safe in the event of an earthquake. By retrofitting your building, you can make it more attractive to potential tenants and improve your chances of leasing the property.

4. Peace of Mind

The fourth and final advantage of retrofitting a building is that it can give you peace of mind. Knowing that your property is less likely to be damaged in an earthquake can help you sleep better at night. Retrofitting your building will give you peace of mind knowing that you have taken steps to protect your property.

Final Thoughts

Retrofitting your building is an intelligent choice if you live in a seismic zone. It can reduce damage in an earthquake, save money on insurance premiums, improve the resale value of your property, and give you peace of mind. These are just a few advantages of retrofitting a building in a seismic zone.

If you want to retrofit your building, you should contact a professional to help you. They will know how to make your building stronger and less likely to collapse in an earthquake. Experts like Pedram Zohrevand believe that retrofitting is one of the best things you can do to protect your property from earthquakes. So if you live in a seismic zone, don’t wait – retrofit your building today!

Lifestyle

Why Toba Ogunremi Believes High-Performing Teams Start with Belonging, Not Pressure

Published

2 days ago

July 23, 2026

Michelle Langton

Most teams don’t fall apart all at once. It happens slowly, missed conversations, quiet disengagement, people doing what’s required but nothing more.

Toba Ogunremi has spent years working inside care environments where that kind of shift is easy to miss until it starts affecting everything. Leading operations at Samorem Care in the UK, he has seen how systems can appear stable on the surface while teams underneath struggle to stay connected to their work.

One experience early in his career changed how he looks at leadership entirely.

He had taken over a team that wasn’t in crisis, but it wasn’t working well either. The people receiving care were safe, but they weren’t thriving. The same was true for the staff. There was no urgency, no energy, just routine.

The usual solution would have been to tighten control by setting new targets, increasing supervision, and creating performance plans. He didn’t do any of that.

“I started with conversations,” he says. “Real ones. Not rushed, not formal.”

One by one, he spoke to each team member. What came out wasn’t frustration with the job itself, but something quieter and harder to spot.

“They weren’t disengaged because they didn’t care,” he explains. “They were disengaged because they felt unseen.”

No one had asked what they thought. No one had taken the time to understand how they were coping. Over time, that absence had turned into distance. That moment stayed with him. It shaped how he leads today.

His approach is simple, but not always easy to apply: people perform better when they feel they belong.

He believes high performance usually comes when people feel like they genuinely belong and know that what they do actually matters.

In healthcare, where pressure is constant and expectations are high, this idea can sound secondary. The focus is often on outcomes, compliance, and efficiency. Toba doesn’t dismiss those things, but he questions what happens when they become the only focus.

Even when all the processes are in place, if the people delivering the care feel disconnected, it eventually reflects in the quality of the work.

At Samorem Care, this thinking shows up in small but consistent ways. Recruitment is not just about experience. It’s about how someone responds to people, how they handle pressure, and how they communicate. Once they are in, the focus shifts to keeping teams stable and supported, rather than constantly rotating staff or reacting only when something goes wrong. He also pays attention to how leaders show up day to day.

According to him, leadership is not just about giving direction; it’s about being present enough to understand what your team actually needs.

That presence matters more in care than in most industries. The work is demanding, often emotional, and not always recognised for what it takes. When teams feel stretched or overlooked, it affects how they interact with the people they support.

For Toba, resilience is less about constant pressure and more about creating a work environment where people can do their jobs well without burning out. In his view, strong teams are not just coping; they are supported enough to stay clear-headed and consistent in their work.

His background outside healthcare still shapes how he leads. Having worked in sales and communications, he understands how important it is to read people and build trust. In healthcare, though, the impact is far more direct, as decisions affect someone’s everyday life, not just an outcome on paper.

That shift makes leadership more personal. Teams need more than instructions; they need stability, clarity, and a sense that they are understood. What defines Toba Ogunremi’s approach is its simplicity. He focuses on being consistent, listening carefully, and addressing issues early rather than reacting late.

In the end, his belief is straightforward: teams perform better not because they are pushed harder, but because they feel valued and part of something that works.