The Progress of Hurricane Resistant Construction in the U'S'

1
The Progress of Hurricane Resistant Construction
in the U.S.

• Nanette Lockwood, PE
• Solutia Inc.

2
State Building Codes for New Homes
State adopted model residential codes
11/14/2009
Alabama and Delaware are the only hurricane prone
states that have not adopted model residential
codes
3
Mandates for all New Homes?
All cities/counties must enforce state
residential codes
11/14/2009
Enforcement not required in all cities/counties
No adopted model residential codes
4
Adequate Mandates for all New Homes?
Hurricane standards generally equivalent to model
residential code
11/14/2009
State weakened model residential code
Enforcement not required in all cities/counties
No adopted model residential codes
5
Incentives for Existing Home Retrofit?
11/14/2009
Grants and/or financial incentives
6
Ranking State Performance
7
How Committed is Your State to Making Homes
Hurricane Resistant?
Florida, South Carolina
Connecticut, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New
Jersey, New York, Virginia
Mississippi, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Texas
Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland
-
Alabama, Delaware
8
Performing States Being Challenged

• Connecticut
• HB 6204 delays next code update
• Florida
• SB 2100 removes mandatory wind-borne debris
  protection from homes insured by Citizens gt
  750,000
• Massachusetts
• SB 205 extends old non-hurricane resistant code
  for another 18 months
• North Carolina
• SB 911 eliminates model code requirement for
  residential code
• South Carolina
• SB 618 adopts developing maps prematurely into
  existing codes reducing wind requirements

9
States Without Mandatory CodesStruggling to
Catch Up

• Alabama
• HB 633/ SB 448 sets state codes
• Meeting resistance from firefighters
• Maine
• LD 441 exempts homes from state codes
• HB 466 cities/counties gt 2,000 pop. must enforce
  state codes
• Mississippi
• HB 289 develops mitigation program
• Died in committee
• Texas
• SB 820 cities gt 100,000 pop. must consider codes
• Budgetary issues set to overshadow

10
Fundamental Challenges Continue

• Alabama
• Builder, firefighter and county disagreements
  delay code adoption
• Georgia
• 201 cities and 49 counties dont enforce state
  codes (www.dca.state.ga.us)
• Maryland
• Cities still allowed to opt out of enforcement
• Mississippi
• Counties still oppose mandatory state codes
• Rhode Island
• Weakened wind provisions remain unchallenged
• Texas
• Counties dont have authority to adopt and
  enforce codes

11
Building hurricane resistant homes should not be
just a dream today, it should be expected.

• Thank you.