The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) expanded FORTIFIED, a voluntary, beyond-code, resilient construction program, to include the multifamily sector. The standard is geared to homes built or retrofitted to perform better in severe weather, including powerful high winds and heavy rain from thunderstorms, derechos, hurricanes, and tornadoes.
IBHS says it will offer its FORTIFIED Home certification courses for free to nonprofit organizations building homes for families with low to moderate incomes. It will also eliminate the small administrative fee it collects to review and process FORTIFIED designations for single-family homes built by nonprofit organizations for families with low to moderate incomes.
In addition, IBHS will advance research-based affordable resilience solutions, including guidance on ways to make manufactured and modular homes more resilient through public policy initiatives. The organization will continue to collaborate with insurance companies, federal, state, local, and tribal entities, nonprofits, and others who build or have a shared interest in resilient homes and strengthened communities.
To achieve certification, builders and contractors must adhere to strict construction standards developed by IBHS to minimize damage from severe weather. Key resiliency features must be verified and documented by an independent, third-party evaluator.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jun 28, 2021
Local and state building energy performance standards aim to curb climate change
Owners must up the ante on operations and retrofits.
Codes and Standards | Jun 24, 2021
Biden Administration will restore ‘Waters of the U.S.’ protections ended by Trump
Early revision more likely to hold up in court, says legal expert.
Codes and Standards | Jun 23, 2021
Denver unveils renewable heating and cooling plan
City releases roadmap to decarbonizing existing homes and buildings.
Codes and Standards | Jun 22, 2021
Actually, few companies plan to significantly reduce their office footprint
CBRE survey shows that many firms will continue with hybrid work.
Codes and Standards | Jun 21, 2021
Vancouver, B.C., may delay new zero emissions building standards
Building permit delays may postpone new standards by a year.
Codes and Standards | Jun 17, 2021
Buffalo’s parking reform having noticeable impact on development
Elimination of mandatory parking allotments encourages new projects.
Codes and Standards | Jun 16, 2021
Inconsistent building codes make some states more vulnerable to hurricanes
Florida takes top spot for strongest building code in latest IBHS survey.
Codes and Standards | Jun 15, 2021
Growing housing supply gap will worsen affordability crisis
Supply projected to fall 4.5 million units short in 2022.
Codes and Standards | Jun 15, 2021
Florida will allow virtual inspections, building code enforcement, permit issuance
New law will go into effect on July 1, 2021.
Codes and Standards | Jun 10, 2021
New York City cracks down on construction site safety
Buildings Dept. issues new safety legislation for City Council consideration.