Storm Resiliency Services
Storms are Becoming More Severe with Each Passing Year
Natural disasters are getting more common as the temperature of the planet continues to rise. We are experiencing an increased number of natural disasters resulting in widespread damages and loss of lives. 2017 was a record-breaking year for the highest number of billion-dollar disasters to have hit the USA in a single year. There were a total of 16 separate billion-dollar disasters which included eight severe storms and three tropical cyclones.
The total damages of the natural disasters amounted to $306.2 billion in 2017. Out of the $306.2 billion, hurricanes like Harvey, Irma and Maria accounted for $265.0 billion in damages. The storms have joined the league of destructive disasters like Sandy and Katrina to become the top 5 costliest hurricanes in the USA.
Climate scientists warn that storms are going to become more common as a part of climate change. The memory of Hurricane Sandy is still fresh in our minds which caused over $70 billion in damages. Cities like New York were severely affected and the storm caused significant devastation across communities in the five boroughs. Sandy also killed 72 Americans and destroyed over 650,000 homes.
We cannot stop storms like Sandy and Harvey from happening. What we can do is to adapt ourselves and our infrastructure to withstand the disastrous effects of nature. We need to create stronger and durable homes and buildings which can stand in the face of fierce storms. Only then we can ensure the safety of our family and lives and reduce the damage caused to our property.
Resilient design is emerging as a viable and popular option when many states are still struggling with building codes. Creating your building in order to withstand the forces of nature is not a choice anymore- it has become a necessity.
designs storm resilient residential and commercial buildings. We prepare you not just for the coming storm, but for many storms that are going to hit USA in the future. A storm resilient building keeps the inhabitants safe and reduces the impact of disasters. You can protect your property from damages and get back on track quickly even when nature is not forgiving.
Our storm resiliency measures ensure the longevity of your building and keep your repair costs to a minimum after a storm.
Stricter Building Codes and Best Practices from Around the Nation
Building your way towards a storm resilient future
We are slowly learning our lessons from each passing storm. Many states in the USA have adopted stricter building codes and standards after severe damage from hurricanes and flooding.
But not all states have learnt their lessons! The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) released a report in 2018 on the building codes of 18 hurricane-prone states. The report ranks the states based on their effectiveness of the building codes to withstand storms.
States like Florida and Virginia have got top ranks because of their strict building codes. On the other hand, states like Delaware and Mississippi feature at the end of the list. Cities like New York also have disappointing ranks and portray the need for stricter codes.
When you stay in a storm-prone area, you have to take every step to protect your property. Don't make a compromise just because your state doesn't have strict construction codes. That's why we design buildings incorporating the strictest codes and best practices from around the nation.
Our engineers and designers are aware of the effective codes adopted by leading states like Florida and Virginia. We are also aware of the best practices in the industry to create a storm-proof structure. Every design we undertake is meant to add value and create resiliency that keeps your building standing even in the face of most severe storms.
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Effectiveness of Stronger Codes: Facts and Figures
Various studies and surveys have shown that buildings constructed with strict codes fare better that buildings built conventionally.
Research by Kevin Simmons, a professor at Austin College evaluated insured-loss data from 2001 to 2010. He discovered that buildings with strict codes cut back windstorm losses by 72%. Also, for every additional dollar spent on construction, $6 was saved in losses.
We have more statistics to prove the effectiveness of stringent codes. According to IBHS, the hurricane Andrew caused $20 billion in insured damage. The agency found that the loss could have been reduced by 50% for residential properties if they were built following 2004 Florida building codes. For commercial buildings, the loss would come down by 40%.
Research by Louisiana State University found that wind damages from hurricane Katrina would reduce by 80% only if buildings adopted stronger codes. Another IBHS study after Hurricane Charley in 2004 revealed that building codes decreased the severity of losses by 42% and loss frequency by 60%.
The advantages of building a house according to stringent codes and best practices are clear. You can survive even the fiercest storms and maintain functionality of your property. Damages, even if they occur, are minimum and you can repair them easily.
You can also reap other benefits by creating a fortified home or building. Insurance companies now push for stricter codes, especially in storm-prone areas. You can expect to get your property insured at a reasonable rate by adopting a resilient design.
Storm resilient properties also fetch a high price at the time of reselling. You can sell your home or building for a higher price than a typical house without a resilient design. For example, a home built with Fortified standards gains 7% increase in resale value compared to conventional houses.
Going for storm resiliency is the ultimate step you can take to protect your property and family. We ensure that your building is built with the latest standards which proved to be effective. Our engineers also consider many factors apart from building codes to create a resilient structure. We adopt a foolproof process which evaluates various aspects before creating a storm resilient design.
Storm Resiliency: An Evolving Design Strategy to Safeguard Your Property
Climate change is unleashing more extreme weather events. The time has come for designers and contractors to pay extra attention to the challenges of weather. Building a storm resilient building is a multi-faceted process and needs several considerations.
For example, a storm resilient building should be able to withstand server wind loads of the storm. But that is not enough to ensure complete resiliency to storms. You also have to count in other factors like ground-level flooding and heavy precipitation which come as a part of most storms.
adopts an evolving strategy that tailors itself according to your conditions. We carry out extensive surveys and research to determine the factors that can affect your property. Our designers also take the local factors into account that affect the performance of your building.
We adopt long-term thinking and consider the worst-case disaster scenarios for every project. This enables us to come up with the perfect storm resilient design every time without exception. We also consider the everyday wear and tear of your building to create the most resilient design.
Our design team is competent in handling the variable and complex factors that go into making a storm-resilient construction. We have a simple aim- to create storm resilient buildings which also offer sustainability.
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