The Up studio
From coast to coast, extreme weather is becoming an increasingly expected phenomenon. Whether the impact is from a hurricane, tornado, derecho, wildfire or severe flooding, the typical American home, commercial building or municipal structure typically lacks the strength to withstand the onslaught of today’s more virulent weather conditions.
Achieving a more robust and resilient built environment requires a multifaceted strategy that includes stronger building codes, better urban planning and location, improved construction strategies and effective early warning systems. In addition to all these measures, stronger building materials must play a role in effective solutions.
For example, numerous studies have shown that reinforced concrete, steel frames, roofs and walls, and impact-resistant windows are better able to withstand the effects of flying debris caused by tornadoes and hurricanes. Because buildings constructed with these materials tend to sustain less damage, repair costs are reduced, there are fewer insurance claims, and recovery periods after storms are typically shorter.
Different categories
Resilient materials typically include structural frames and walls, exterior and roofing materials, waterproof barriers and secure anchoring.
Structural framing and wall solutions include concrete reinforced with steel reinforcement to better withstand wind and the impact of windblown debris; insulated concrete forms (ICFs) with steel-reinforced concrete that can withstand winds of 200 miles per hour; a frame in which wood is exchanged for steel that beats traditional materials in its resistance to fire, moisture and wind; and steel reinforcement reinforced cement block that provides strength and stiffness.
When it comes to exterior and roofing solutions, metal roofing offers greater durability and fire resistance and, when properly installed, can withstand wind gusts of up to 140 miles per hour. A plastic interlayer within multiple layers of glass can ensure that impact-resistant windows and doors are not broken by wind-driven material. Under the heading of waterproof materials, liquid-applied sealing material can provide improved air and water tightness through a spray-on material that resembles caulk. And homes can be more securely anchored to their moorings with hurricane straps that secure the roof, walls and foundation against uplift forces when storms lift homes from their moorings, causing untold damage.
Old methods
In recent decades, Americans have benefited from countless developments that have improved virtually every aspect of our lives. But the houses we live in are built in much the same way and with the same materials as in colonial America. So says Sam Fertik, founder and CEO of Carbon Custom Builders in Pound Ridge, New York. The growing impact of extreme weather events is likely to be one of the major factors shaping real estate in the coming years, especially in coastal areas, he said.
“As these areas experience more devastating storms and variable temperatures, buyers will demand homes that are built to withstand the unexpected,” he adds. “Climate resilience will shift from an added value to a market expectation.”
One of the critical construction methods his company embraces is the combination of ICFs with steel frames, resulting in non-combustible structures that can withstand higher wind speeds and seismic loads. This ensures that the damage caused by forest fires, hurricanes or earthquakes is more aesthetic than functional, he reports.
Discussions about weatherproof homes often emphasize incremental developments such as better shingles and fire-resistant siding, adds Mike Kennaw, vice president and general manager of Omaha, Neb. Fox Blocks, which produces ICFs for sustainable, energy-efficient building envelopes. “These renovations miss the fundamental vulnerability: the building envelope itself,” he says, adding that ICF replaces the inherent shortcomings of wood-frame construction with steel-reinforced concrete walls that are structurally strong, fire-resistant and impermeable to moisture.
“Some homes are built to last, others are built to be replaced,” he says. “For builders, buyers and policymakers, the real question is not if to adopt resilient construction practices, but when. That time is now.”
Fertik adds: “Our industry is heavily dependent on wood and the workforce trained to work with it; other regions, such as Europe, have long embraced concrete and masonry. It’s time we break that cycle and build smarter from the ground up.”
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