![]() After Hurricane Andrew, Florida adopted a new building code with several amendments aimed at hurricane protection. It is then up to local jurisdictions to either adopt them or not, or adopt them with amendments. Florida building codes are published on a three-year cycle. How do we plan and build to withstand these fierce storms and minimize as much damage as possible? One way is through regulation. territory Puerto Rico, is estimated around $85 billion in property damage, and the island is still reeling from the after-effects. ![]() This is the first year on record that the continental United States has experienced two Category 4 hurricane landfalls in the same year. This year, Hurricane Harvey (Cat 4) is estimated at $80 billion in property damage and Hurricane Irma (Cat 4) is estimated up to $65 billion in property damage. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy (Cat 1) resulted in $65 billion in damage. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina (Cat 3) cost us $108 billion in property damage and killed 1,833 people. In South Florida, Hurricane Andrew (Cat 5) cost $25 billion in property damage and killed 44 people. In an average year, there are 10 tropical storms (six of which become hurricanes) and more than 1,200 tornadoes touch down. Green indicates Cat 1, while purple represents Cat 5. The graph below illustrates the paths of these hurricanes. What is the connection between extreme weather events and building codes? As we look ahead to the future, what have we learned from these catastrophic events? History and costs of hurricanesįor the last 100 years, there have been 56 hurricanes, Category 1-5, making landfall in Florida since 1916. Building codes ensure the right materials and installation practices are used, which could have prevented the destruction of the first two houses. Think of the story of the three little pigs: the first pig built cheaply and quickly with hay, the second put a little more investment in with sticks, but it was the third little pig that put in the work for the strong brick house that stood up again the wolf's powerful blow. So, what about the buildings that actually survived those 100 to 150 MPH winds, made them come out unscathed? What did those buildings have that the others did not? They were built to meet more stringent building codes. Philippe Houdard, a resident of Miami’s Brickell financial district who rode out Irma in his 16th-floor condo in a tower built after the new code took effect, said he felt secure throughout the storm: “At no point were the windows rattling,” he said. You want to move on with your life as quickly as possible. You want your building to survive the storm. Which scenario would you want to be in? Of course, the first one. Another building in the same community didn’t fare so well, and the people in that building were displaced, stressed and are still dealing with the after-effects. The landscaping was pretty beat up, but everyone inside was safe and could go on with their lives the next day. On September 10 of this year, Hurricane Irma directly hit a condo building in Miami, Florida, with 53 MPH winds and gusts up to 100 MPH, and the building stood without a scratch. And when construction is happening all over the country and construction prices go up because a hurricane came through some 500 miles away, that puts stress on our clients. Insurance rates go up, material prices go up and the labor force is impacted as well. When these events hit, and hit hard, we are all affected. We also need to understand that the immediate impact of a weather event on the construction industry extends far beyond the coasts. As storms are becoming more frequent and fierce, we in the building industry need to focus on resilience and improving our cities, towns, buildings and infrastructure so they can endure the storms to come. How does a hurricane in Texas influence our buildings in the Midwest? Even though it turns into a tropical storm by the time it reaches us, hurricanes still provide an opportunity to learn and improve so our buildings withstand the weather events that we are more likely to experience here. According to The Lancet report Countdown, there has been a 46 percent increase in the number of weather-related disasters from 2000 to 2016. While it is important to understand what didn’t work, we like to focus on what did work and what needs to continue to work. They provided protection and saved people's lives. ![]() How extreme weather events evolve our building codes and regulationsĮxtreme weather events, such as the multiple hurricanes that came through in August and September, put buildings to the test. ![]()
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