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| special report
High
Visibility
Hurricane protection highlights at the 2005 International Builders’
Show.
One
year—actually six months—can make a huge difference in the world
of hurricane protection: Witness June through November 2004. That difference
also was abundantly evident at the International Builders’ Show (IBS)
held in Orlando, FL, in January.
A year ago, in Las Vegas, NV, a number of hurricane protection products
were highly visible at the IBS (see HP, Spring 2004, page 18). But at this
year’s show, an interested visitor could spend the entire three days
hiking the 1.5 million square feet of exhibit space (some 1,600 booths!)
stopping only at exhibits showcasing some type of product with hurricane
protection in mind. That’s how present the topic has become.
Of course, holding the show in Orlando made hurricane protection a natural
highlight, and that was great for the industry. The 2005 IBS, produced by
the National Association of Home Builders, saw a record-breaking 104,922
in attendance—many of them builders and just the sort of people who
need to know more about hurricane protection.
Better still, several model homes were built and opened for show attendees
showcasing the latest construction, design and technology for homes. Some,
including the NextGen Demonstration Home, were built on-site at the Orange
County Convention Center parking lot and prominently featured hurricane
protection.
And there’s more good news: The 2006 International Builders’ Show
is slated for January 11 to 14 at the same Orange County Convention Center.
VIRTUAL HIKE
Many of the products at this year’s show aimed at the hurricane protection
market have received product approval. Many were said to have been tested
to IRC or Miami-Dade standards—some even said they’ve been engineered
to surpass these standards. Of course, in these latter cases that doesn’t
mean they actually have approval. Many other manufactures said their products
were going through the approval process. Still, a point to be made is that
coastal builders and homeowners have an expanding source list of products
to protect their homes.
Some of the highlights at the 2005 IBS include:
• Simonton Windows—Simonton brought hurricane protection front
and center—actually center and high overhead with a 37-foot fabric
cyclone. The booth featured the company’s StormBreaker™ Plus impact-resistant
products made especially for severe storm markets.
• Wayne-Dalton—Here the company’s wind load door products
were highlighted, but so too was its Fabric-Shield, a lightweight PVC-coated
translucent fabric panel that lets daylight through but blocks rain, wind
and blown debris.
• Cameron Ashley—A host of storm protection products were presented
by this wholesale building products distributor and its network of distributors.
• PGT—WinGuard impact-resistant windows and doors were key products
at this company’s booth. They provide protection against flying debris
and hurricane-force winds with a complete line of products.
• Marvin Windows and Doors—The company’s StormPlus™
line was featured this year, one of 11,000 different products the company
offers in standard sizes plus custom.
• Pella Corp.—HurricaneShield™ windows and doors were highlighted
by a company that offers a full range of residential and commercial products.
• Hurd—FeelSafe™ windows and patio doors were featured with
coastal builders in mind. The windows and doors feature laminated glass
for protection and insulation.
• Silver Line Windows—A full line of window and door products
were feature with the company’s SafeGuard® impact resistant windows
receiving special notice.
• MW Mfg. Inc.—Wood, metal and vinyl door and widow frames were
featured with impact-resistant glass.
• Windsor Windows & Doors—This company’s Legend High
Performance products are engineered to guard against water and wind damage.
• Loewen—Out of Canada, Loewen has focused on the luxury home
market. Its StormForce™ Series is said to meet IRC standards. The series
is offered in three lines: maximum protection, impact resistant and design
pressure.
• Vetter Windows & Doors—High-performance patio doors were
featured, each engineered to withstand torrential rains.
• Raynor Garage Doors—This company offered a full slate of garage
doors and openers for residential, commercial and industrial applications.
Its easy-to-operate residential reinforced garage door is designed to quickly
brace it to withstand high winds and blown debris.
• Dow Chemical Co.—For the building industry, Dow Chemical is
known for its insulation and house wrap. This year it was offering a wall
system that is engineered off-site to specs and is impervious to water.
• Crane Performance Siding—Crane’s solid core products were
introduced six years ago, adding rigidity and high performance to the panels.
Its unique locking system was designed to withstand high velocity winds
without tearing off the wall. It’s new SmartTrack™ channels water
away of the homes.
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NEXTGEN DEMONSTRATION
HOME POINTS THE WAY TO BUILDING WITH PROTECTION IN MIND
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One of the highlights of the 2005 International Builders’ Show
(IBS) was the NexGen Demonstration Home, produced by iShow, Bellevue,
WA. The idea behind the home, built by All American Homes, Rutherfordton,
NC, and transported to the Orange County Convention Center parking
lot, was to teach builders about the materials and techniques available
to make a home “Safe and Sound”—the theme for this
year’s home.
The NextGen 05 home showcased proven ways to build a wind- and fire-resistant
home that makes its owners feel a little more secure when the next
storm hits. This year 14,000-plus IBS visitors walked through the
home. It also drew the attention of local and national media. Hurricane
Protection magazine got involved with the iShow Demonstration Home
as a media partner.
With building codes being reviewed and updated from the Gulf Coast
of Texas to Long Island, NY, builders, contractors and architects
need to keep informed on how they can meet these changing codes, protect
the homes they build and the families that occupy them while maintaining
costs and design integrity. Building with storm and hurricane protection
in mind from the very beginning is a plus for everyone.
The iShow modular home was built to the specifications of the Tampa,
FL-based Institute for Business and Home Safety’s (IBHS) “Fortified
. . . for safer living” program. The Fortified program is a set
of structural specifications designed to strengthen a home against
natural disasters (see HP, Winter 2002, page 20). The specs vary by
region, but the Safe and Sound home was fortified against two major
threats faced by Florida homeowners: hurricanes and wildfire.
This year’s home featured hurricane protection products from
top to bottom and inside and out. Starting on the outside, StormBreaker™
Plus windows and doors from Simonton were installed around the house.
These Dade County approved products help protect the structure and
its family in severe weather. The laminated glass and steel-reinforced
vinyl frames can withstand flying debris and wind speeds up to a Category
4 hurricane.
For those opting for storm shutters, Madden Mfg. provided storm panels
featuring a proprietary Safety Edge that makes handling easier and
safer. The panels meet Florida Building Code 2001, SBCCI and Miami-Dade
and are tested to withstand debris impact at speeds of 50 feet per
second. The company also offers its patented Sea-Through Panels that
allow light in once the panels are in place.
On the roof, DECRA Roofing Systems provided stone coated steel roofing
meeting the IBHS Fortified program. It resists threatening elements
including hurricane winds. Also on the roof, Air Vent Inc. installed
wind-, hail- and impact-resistant solar panels.
Continuing around the outside, James Hardie® Siding Products were
installed that resist damage from wind, flying debris and hail brought
on by hurricane conditions. It also is non-combustible. Beneath the
siding was Tyvek® HomeWrap® from DuPont™. This weatherization
membrane resists air infiltration and water intrusion, yet allows
moisture to diffuse through to prevent mold and mildew buildup.
Inside the home was a unique safety feature: a safe room. DuPont’s
StormRoom™ with Kevlar® was designed as a walk-in closet,
but was engineered to withstand hurricane and tornado wind speeds
up to 250 mph. In addition, the room was ventilated, had electrical
connections and even will allow cell phones to operate from inside.
iShow already is at work planning a demonstration home for the 2006
International Builder’s Show, again scheduled for January at
Orlando’s Orange Country Convention Center. The theme for next
year’s home is “Peace of Mind.” |
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