Tampa, Fla. (July 22, 2010) – The summer edition of Disaster Safety Review, a publication of the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), sheds new light on coastal property risks as the Gulf and Atlantic coasts prepare to enter the height of what is forecast to be an active hurricane season.
The issue’s feature article, “Surviving Nature’s Fury: Performance of Shingle Roofs in the Real World,” details findings of a comprehensive IBHS research study on roof cover damage during hurricane conditions. The study examines damage levels at relatively low wind speeds as a function of the age of the roof, the adoption and enforcement of modern building codes, and investigates the validity of questions concerning whether the current approach to the design of shingles that reduces uplift loads is adequate.
This edition marks a turning point in the publication of Disaster Safety Review, which will now be the primary venue for original IBHS research, said Editor Candace Iskowitz, IBHS director of public affairs.
“We hope IBHS members, as well as professionals in the construction, engineering scientific research fields and others will look to the magazine as a source for valuable building science research from the new state-of-the-art IBHS Research Center and from IBHS post-disaster field investigations,” Iskowitz said.
Other articles in the summer 2010 DSR include:
· “Tracking the Tropics: Predictions for an Active 2010 Atlantic Hurricane Season,” which includes seasonal forecasts from NOAA, Colorado State University, N.C. State University, Tropical Storm Risk, Accuweather.com, EQECAT Catastrophe Modeling, and the United Kingdom Meteorological Office.
· “It Only Takes One Hurricane: FORTIFIED Solutions for Protecting Your Home,” which highlights the new IBHS retrofit program that offers affordable options for existing homes to reduce the risk of damage from hurricanes and other natural hazards.
· “Making a Case for Proper Window and Exterior Door Installations,” outlines steps taken by the Fenestration Manufacturers Association and other trade groups to address water intrusion issues that surfaced after the active 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons along the Gulf Coast.
· “Will Coastal Codes Pass the Test this Hurricane Season?,” examines the importance of modern, well-enforced building codes in reducing hurricane-related damage and provides a state-by-state analysis of codes in place from Texas to Maine.
· “IBHS Research Center: From Concept to Reality,” traces the construction process of the facility and is accompanied by a Frequently Asked Questions article about the state-of-the-art research lab in South Carolina. The lab is scheduled to open in October and will change the face of windstorm-related hazards research, specifically as it relates to wind-driven hail, wildfire ember transport, high-wind exposure and hurricane resilience.
· “Responding to the Risk in South Carolina,” highlights the state’s move toward resiliency in the 20 years since Hurricane Hugo’s devastating winds and rains pummeled coastal and inland areas.
###
About the IBHS
IBHS is an independent, nonprofit, scientific and educational organization supported by the property insurance industry. The organization works to reduce the social and economic effects of natural disasters and other risks to residential and commercial property by conducting research and advocating improved construction, maintenance and preparation practices.
Contact:
Joseph King (813) 675-1045
jking (at) ibhs (dot) org
Twitter: disastersafety
