Natural Hazards Observer
| July 2006 | Volume XXX | Number 6 |
IBHS Leads the Way to Safer Living
There is almost no place where a home is out of reach of a natural disaster risk. Wildfires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, hailstorms, blizzards. One or more of these natural disasters can occur virtually anywhere.
We all want to feel safe in our homes, but we know from sad experience that natural disasters can destroy homes by the tens of thousands. We also know from engineering studies conducted in the wake of recent natural disasters that houses can be made to better withstand most natural calamities, significantly reducing property damage and personal injuries.
Fortified . . . for safer living
The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) introduced the “Fortified . . . for safer living” program in late 2000. The program was initiated in Florida to demonstrate how houses could be built to withstand hurricane, wildfire, and flood damage without significantly increasing construction costs. Later, “Fortified” standards were developed to address other disaster risks around the country. This was done by looking at historical data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other organizations that track disasters and by working with an advisory committee of academics, insurance industry experts, and others.
A house that achieves the IBHS Fortified designation raises a home’s overall level of disaster resistance and offers increased peace of mind for the homeowner. There are now about 2,500 Fortified houses completed, under construction, or planned in 10 states. Florida, Texas, and South Carolina have entire Fortified . . . for safer living neighborhoods. Other states with Fortified houses, either built or in the pipeline, include Alabama, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.
Because natural disaster risks exist nearly everywhere, the Fortified program has been designed to be applied anywhere. Program criteria can be tailored to cover the perils peculiar to a specific location. A Fortified house built in the far north-central part of the nation, for instance, would include features that protect against severe winter weather. Those features would not be required in a Fortified house built along the Gulf Coast.
Fortified criteria also can be applied to any form of construction, so it does not matter if a builder uses wood frame construction or newer methods, like insulating concrete forms (ICF) or structural insulated panels (SIPs). Even modular homes, built in sections in a factory and shipped to a building site, can qualify for the Fortified designation. The style or beauty of a home is not compromised, because the strength comes from tying the roof, walls, and foundation together better, building a strong roof, and preserving the building envelope by using higher design pressure- or impact-resistant windows and doors or other methods of protecting the openings from wind-borne debris.
Modern Requirements and Materials for Modern Needs
The Fortified requirements are referred to as “code plus” because they exceed building codes, the minimum acceptable standards for construction. Furthermore, many states do not have a uniform standard, and some communities use older, sometimes outdated codes. Fortified houses are built in ways that go beyond these minimums, which means greater structural strength than most conventionally built houses. One requirement applies regardless of location: a house must be able to withstand a minimum of 130 miles per hour peak gust winds.
The many natural disasters that have hit the United States in recent years are making builders and home buyers more conscious of the advantages of using construction materials and techniques to build stronger structures. Shortages of skilled tradesmen are also prompting a move to the use of newer construction systems, such as ICF and SIPs, because they are relatively easy to install, strong, and more energy efficient, according to Chuck Vance, IBHS Fortified program manager.
“For years we were talking about frame construction. Today we are seeing a large influx of systems, whether out of wood, concrete, steel, or a combination, that are tested and making inroads,” Vance said.
Energy efficiency is also becoming a concern, as home heating and cooling bills climb. Builders who use the newest construction systems to reduce energy costs, such as ICF and SIPs, are finding that for little added cost, they often can achieve the Fortified designation by including items such as pressure- or impact-resistant windows and doors and better roofing materials.
Fortified in Practice
One of the newest houses to be built to Fortified standards was completed in late April in Paterson, New Jersey. The strength of the house comes from features including:
- Hurricane straps that provide extra-strong connections between the roof and walls;
- Pressure- or impact-resistant windows and doors that resist powerful winds, withstand higher wind and water pressures, and, when impact-rated, prevent breakage if they are struck by flying debris;
- Insulated concrete form walls and floors and structural insulated wall and roof panels that make a home more energy efficient and more rigid in construction; and
- Hail- and wind-resistant roofing materials.
“When you think about disasters, New Jersey isn’t top-of-mind,” said Vance. “But there is risk in every part of the country, and here the greatest concerns are high wind and severe winter weather. Fortified criteria build in protection and offer homeowners peace of mind.”
The Paterson house was built as part of BASF’s Better Home, Better Planet Initiative. BASF made sure the house was highly energy efficient, environmentally friendly, healthy for occupants, and affordable. BASF calls it a Near Zero Energy Home because it uses ICF, SIPs, solar energy, metal roofing materials, high-efficiency window glass, and other features that cut energy costs by about 80 percent.
“By using these high-performance building systems, we’re not only getting a very strong house, but also a super energy efficient house,” said Jack Armstrong, who spearheaded construction for BASF. “It’s really worthwhile to go all the way [to achieve the Fortified designation] to reap all these other benefits.”
Unlike New Jersey, the hurricane risk in South Carolina is well known. Less well known is the area’s earthquake risk. The Charleston area was hit by a temblor in the 1800s, so the Siena Park at Grande Dunes development being built has features to withstand hurricanes and earthquakes, said Berkley White, vice president of Classic Home Building & Design.
“We’ve been doing ICF construction for about five years,” White said. “It seemed a natural fit with what we were doing, to piggyback on the Fortified program. We were practically building to Fortified standards anyway. With the ICF construction, we use a poured-in-place monolithic slab with rebar integrated into the wall system. That creates a strong footing to wall connection. We simply had to use different straps for the connections of the roof to the walls. We also had to use different garage doors with stronger struts. But that’s about it. We were already using impact-resistant glass. Our houses have resistance to natural disasters, are quiet, and meet or exceed standards for Energy Star.”
Another important feature of the Fortified designation is its affordability. This is exemplified by Habitat for Humanity homes in three states that have been built to the Fortified . . . for safer living standards. IBHS member companies Nationwide Insurance, Travelers of Florida, and American Family Insurance have helped to sponsor the construction of these important projects.
Owners of Fortified houses also usually enjoy lower utility bills and, in some cases, can be eligible for discounted insurance premiums. South Carolina Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company, American National Property and Casualty Company, AAA Chicago Motor Club, and Travelers of Florida have announced discounts for qualifying policyholders in certain states whose homes are built to the Fortified standards.
Since the Fortified . . . for safer living program debuted in Florida, builders and home buyers from New Jersey to Texas and from Louisiana to Wisconsin have embraced it. Continued expansion of the Fortified program is expected as word of the peace of mind and other benefits it brings continues to spread.
Harvey Ryland
Institute for Business & Home Safety
The Institute for Business & Home Safety is a national nonprofit initiative of the insurance industry to reduce the social and economic effects of natural disasters and other property losses by conducting research and advocating improved construction, maintenance, and preparation practices. Learn more about the Fortified . . . for safer living program and IBHS at www.ibhs.org/.