Owners of buildings in hurricane zones want to minimize damage and get tenants back in their homes or offices as soon as possible after a storm. So the onus is on the Building Team to find, specify, and—when necessary—engineer products and systems to ever-higher standards. The powerful hurricanes of the past 20 years have resulted in more stringent building codes and standards as well as more rigorous product testing.
In Florida, for example, the Miami-Dade County Building Department issues a Notice of Acceptance (NOA) to products only after they’ve passed intensive tests that simulate the effects of high-velocity hurricanes. The Miami–Dade list is a good place to start when selecting products for a building in a hurricane zone, says Bryan Karsky, AIA, LEED AP, executive vice president of Collman & Karsky Architects in Tampa, Fla. “You’re dealing with assemblies and testing that already give you a baseline for the level of hurricane hardening or wind resistance,” says Karsky. But bear in mind that additional engineering will be needed in areas where wind speeds can reach Category 4 (sustained winds of 131 to 155 mph) or Category 5 (sustained winds greater than 155 mph).
Let’s take a look at four building products that have been recently put to the test and approved for use in hurricane zones.
Wellbilt’s Sure-Board Wall Panel
Bilco’s Type S and Type NB steel and aluminum hatches
Related Stories
Healthcare Facilities | Aug 28, 2015
7 (more) steps toward a quieter hospital
Every hospital has its own “culture” of loudness and quiet. Jacobs’ Chris Kay offers steps to a therapeutic auditory environment.
Healthcare Facilities | Aug 28, 2015
Shhh!!! 6 ways to keep the noise down in new and existing hospitals
There’s a ‘decibel war’ going on in the nation’s hospitals. Progressive Building Teams are leading the charge to give patients quieter healing environments.
Architects | Aug 28, 2015
How to transition leadership within your architecture firm, Part 2
Close to retiring? Without a plan for leadership transition, you might not foster candidates who will be capable of taking over the reins, says Whitehorn Financial's Steve Whitehorn.
Retail Centers | Aug 27, 2015
Vallco Shopping Mall renovation plans include 'largest green roof in the world'
The new owners of the mall in Cupertino, Calif., intend to transform the outdated shopping mall into a multi-purpose complex, topped by a 30-acre park.
Libraries | Aug 27, 2015
Barack Obama Foundation begins search for presidential library architect
Both national and foreign firms will compete for chance to design the Chicago-based Presidential Center.
Architects | Aug 27, 2015
How to transition leadership within your architecture firm, Part 1
In order for your firm to thrive and preserve your legacy after retirement, it is essential that you create a strategic plan to not only transition ownership of your firm but its leadership as well.
Mixed-Use | Aug 26, 2015
Innovation districts + tech clusters: How the ‘open innovation’ era is revitalizing urban cores
In the race for highly coveted tech companies and startups, cities, institutions, and developers are teaming to form innovation hot pockets.
Office Buildings | Aug 19, 2015
Good design can combat open-office issues
Three tricks to maintain privacy and worker production in a cube-less world, according to GS&P's Jack E. Weber
Architects | Aug 19, 2015
Despite dip, architecture billings remain strong
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the July ABI score was 54.7, down a point from a mark of 55.7 in June.
Architects | Aug 17, 2015
Historic power plant converted to modern offices in Minnesota
A landmark power plant in Owatonna, Minn., damaged in a 2010 flood has new life as the headquarters of Owatonna Public Utilities following a renovation by architects Leo A. Daly.
