July 25, 2006

NACA Members Respond to Gulf Coast Hurricanes

   REBUILDING AND RECOVERY

 
Gulf coast homes feature storm resistant concrete walls and roofs

The New York Times reports that contractors on the Gulf Coast are building houses designed to withstand severe storms. Many of the buildings far exceed what even the toughest building codes require, with reinforced storm shutters, eight-inch concrete walls and concrete roofs. "We're building tanks," developer Jason Comer said. As a result of the demand for these homes, insurance companies are even offering policies at a discount in coastal areas where they are otherwise cutting back on coverage. Read the full article.
 

   EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING

Storm resistant construction workshops scheduled

NACA members are working together to deliver ten workshops on storm resistant concrete building systems in states affected by tornadoes and hurricanes. The seminars, titled Storm Resistant Concrete Homes and Buildings, are scheduled for:

   CODES AND RESEARCH

Concrete research foundation releases Hurricane Katrina forensic study
The RMC Research Foundation recently released the research report Coast in the Eye of the Storm – Hurricane Katrina: August 29, 2005. The RMC Research Foundation and the Mississippi Concrete Industries Association (MCIA) partnered with Mississippi State University’s Civil Engineering Department to perform a forensic evaluation of the impact hurricanes and flooding have on building systems in the U.S. Gulf Coast region. The study includes an evaluation of how different types of building systems were able to withstand high winds, storm surge and flooding resulting from Hurricane Katrina. The report also includes evaluations of both residential and commercial building codes and how changes to building codes may mitigate the impact of future severe weather events. Click here to read the executive summary. Contact Jennifer LeFevre at 1-888-846-7622, extension 1151 or at jlefevre@rmc-foundation.org to request a copy of the report.

NIST reports stricter codes key to minimizing damage from hurricanes

Stricter adherence to existing building standards, model building codes and good building practices, and a greater recognition of the risks posed by storm surge, could minimize the kind of structural damage experienced in the Gulf Coast states hit by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita last year, the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced in a report issued last month. The report makes 23 recommendations for specific improvements in the way that buildings, physical infrastructure (such as bridges and utilities) and residential structures are designed, constructed, maintained and operated in hurricane-prone regions across the United States—not just in the states affected by Katrina and Rita. The NIST report urges state and local agencies to adopt and enforce building standards and model codes regarding hurricanes—and to make relatively straightforward changes in building practices. The NIST report, Performance of Physical Structures in Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita: A Reconnaissance Report, is available online at http://www.bfrl.nist.gov.

Hurricane wind code plan makes reasonable proposal

According to the Pensacola News Journal, a proposal to expand existing hurricane wind zones for the Pensacola Bay area in Florida is being called an improvement over current codes and a workable solution. The governor's office opposes the proposal from the Florida Building Commission, but the Pensacola News Journal praises the proposal for putting the vast majority of Santa Rosa and Escambia Counties in the wind zone. Read the full article.