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PENSACOLA MEETING, NOVEMBER NOMINATIONS Opened The IHPA Board of Directors held a General Membership Meeting July 20 at the Hampton Inn, Pensacola Beach, FL. It was the first Panhandle area meeting for the IHPA and was very well received. More than 80 people attended the luncheon meeting. Ed Carson, Florida Building Commissioner, was the guest speaker and delivered an informative presentation regarding the Panhandle Windborne Exemption. Joe Belcher, IHPA Code Consultant, also spoke on this topic. The impact of recent hurricane seasons upon the insurance industry and the resulting crisis was also discussed at the meeting. For more information on the Panhandle Windborne Exemption and how it will affect your business visit the IHPA Web site: www.inthpa.com. The next scheduled meeting is slated for November 8 at Brooks Restaurant in Pompano Beach, FL. Nominations for officers and directors for two-year terms will be taken at this meeting. Additional details will be made available soon and will be posted to the IHPA Web site. CODE UPDATE: MOST IHPA MODIFICATIONS APPROVED BY FBC The Florida Building Commission (FBC) met in Hollywood, FL, July 9 to 12. During the code change rule development workshop, all proposed modifications submitted by the IHPA code consultant, with the exception of those mandating permits and inspections, were approved by the full Commission. A formal rulemaking hearing will be conducted during the August 20 to 23 meetings in Miami. If the Commission decides to make any changes, it will be necessary to publish a Notice of Change and to conduct at least one, and possibly two, additional hearings. To date, the IHPA changes have not been challenged. In addition, changes to the definition of the wind-borne debris region in the Florida Panhandle and the definition of Exposure Category C should be of interest to IHPA members. Changes of interest to the hurricane protection industry scheduled for implementation as part of the 2006 Supplement include: • Inclusion of side-hinged doors from garages as part of means of escape. • Providing safety factor for impact resistant covering testing (1.5 times DP ±). • AAMA 506, Hurricane Impact and Cycle Testing of Fenestration Products. • Wood Structural Panels—Clarifies precutting of wood structural panels to fit openings; requires pre-drilling of panels; requires attachment hardware be provided; requires permanently installed corrosion resistant hardware; increases size of screws; increases capacity of screws into masonry from 496 to 1,500 pounds; eliminates use of nails; increases allowable height from 33 to 45 feet; increases basic wind speed from 130 mph to 140 mph. • ASTM 1886 may use 2000 or 2005 Edition. • ASTM 1996 may use 2002 or 2005 Edition. PANHANDLE EXEMPTION REMOVED The Florida legislature removed the statutory definition of the wind-borne debris region in the Florida Panhandle from statute in the recently ended 2006 session. As previously authorized by the legislature, the FBC contracted with Applied Research Associates (ARA) to study the Panhandle Exemption issue and make recommendations. The Commission adopted the recommendation of the ARA study to designate the wind-borne debris region in the Panhandle as the areas seaward of the 130 mph wind speed contour line from Figure 1609. (Formerly defined as within one mile of the coast from Franklin County east to Alabama.) In addition to areas seaward of the 130 mph contour line, areas within 1,500 feet of the coastline of bays are designated wind-borne debris regions. The net effect of the change is to increase the areas in the Florida Panhandle which will require the protection of exterior glazing. In addition to redefining the wind borne debris region, the Commission modified the definition of Exposure Category C. The new definition will result in more areas being designated Exposure Category C with the net effect for the typical single-family dwelling being a 15 to 20 percent increase in design pressures. The increase for taller buildings will range from 30 to 50 percent. IMPLEMENTATION DATES CHANGED The FBC also modified various implementation dates: • The 2006 Supplement scheduled for implementation March 1, 2007, was changed to December 1, 2006. • The modified Exposure Category C definition will be part of the 2006 Supplement enacted December 1, 2006. • The revised definition of the wind-borne debris region will be implemented March 1, 2007. • The implementation of the Florida Building Code 2007 was changed from January 1, 2009, to October 1, 2008. With the implementation of the Florida Building Code, 2007 Edition, the option for designing for increased internal pressure (partially enclosed) in lieu of protecting glazing will be eliminated. IHPA SUPPORTS EDUCATIONAL GOALS OF DISASTER SURVIVAL HOUSE Twenty-eight days into the 2006 hurricane season, Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center, hosted a media day event at the Disaster Survival House in Deerfield Beach, FL. The event was intended to inform the media about the importance of hurricane preparedness and what needs to be done in preparation for each hurricane season. “Residents in South Florida should be leading the whole nation in preparing for hurricanes,” said Mayfield. “The Disaster Survival House encompasses a culture of preparedness where individuals can go to learn about hurricane survival.” The two-hour event kicked off with key speakers such as Mayfield and Erik Salna, project coordinator for the Disaster Survival House, discussing the importance of hurricane safety and preparation. During a guided tour of the house, the media were able to interview various hurricane experts about specific things that can be done to prepare families and homes from hurricanes. Among these experts were Frank Lepore, public affairs officer, National Hurricane Center; and Bill Feeley, president, IHPA. “The Disaster Survival House was designed to help educate and inform people on how to properly plan and prepare for disastrous types of weather conditions, such as hurricanes,” said Salna. The House is the home base for Hurricane Warning!, a tax-exempt non-profit organization that teaches hurricane and disaster mitigation, safety and preparedness to children, families, seniors, students and businesses. This education program is taught through a tour that features a hurricane laboratory, examples of window protection and wind tunnel demonstrations. Hurricane tracking, flooding, storm surge, lightning, boating safety, generator safety, safe room and disaster preparedness planning are covered in the new educational tour. In addition, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training classes are regularly scheduled. The Disaster Survival House has now been transformed into an all-hazards learning center. Formerly the State Farm Good Neighbor House, it is a 3,300-square-foot, three-bedroom residential home built to withstand major hurricane-force winds. Many rooms have ceiling and wall cutaways that show fortified construction and safety features to minimize property loss. In fact, it is designated a Fortified Home by the Institute of Business and Home Safety (IBHS). IHPA AT SEBC The IHPA and Hurricane Protection magazine exhibited at the Southeast Building Conference (SEBC) held at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL, August 3 to 5. This year’s show featured 1,039 exhibitors. IHPA and Hurricane Protection displayed in the show’s Hurricane Alley, which featured more than 60 exhibiting companies offering products and services Florida builders need to comply with the state’s building code and protect homeowners from the effects of a hurricane or natural disaster. SEBC drew a record crowd of more than 16,000 visitors within the building industry. Next year’s show is set for July 12 to 14. |
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