Fla. building codes considered strongest among coastal states
An IBHS study also found North Carolina’s standards had improved the most among states that face hurricane threats.
Florida again sat atop the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety’s (IBHS) ranking of Gulf and Atlantic Coast states with the strongest building codes, beating out Virginia by just a point. The ranking comes as hurricane season commences.
“Building science has advanced significantly over the last decade, providing cost-effective strategies to reduce the impact of Mother Nature. Modern building codes are core to addressing the known risks of high winds and heavy rain that invariably come with these systems,” Dr. Anne Cope, chief engineer at IBHS, said in a release. “Strong adopted and administered codes apply the latest science and engineering knowledge to protect homes and families from the catastrophic damage hurricanes bring and make our coastal communities more resilient for the future.”
The institute reported international residential codes, as well as Florida building regulations, leveraged its research to develop standards that now include sealed roof deck provision for high-wind zones. IBHS testing revealed that sealed roof decks can keep out 95% of water even if the primary roof cover is damaged.
Additionally, third-ranked South Carolina is a state to watch, according to IBHS, following a series of “positive” code updates that moved it more in line with regulations in Florida and Virginia during the past decade. Rounding out the top five states were New Jersey and Connecticut. Further, North Carolina was considered to have the most improved codes, gaining five points over its previous rating.
Massachusetts’ fall, weakest states
Trending the wrong way, Massachusetts dropped in the ranking due to the state removing wind-borne debris requirements for its coastal area, IBHS reported. However, Massachusetts did not place it on the bottom of the list, as the ranked states with the weakest codes were New Hampshire, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi and Delaware.
Of the 18 “hurricane coast” states examined, eight were categorized as “poor” by IBHS, which noted the commonality among them was no mandatory statewide code. While every state’s code might not pass the institute’s standards, IBHS notes there are jurisdictions within those states that do have and enforce strong building codes.
For example, Mobile and Baldwin counties in Alabama have adopted IBHS’s FORTIFIED Home standards, and the benefits of those criteria were seen following Hurricane Sally’s landfall in 2020, according to Cope.
“Resilient building saved countless families from the disruption and displacement their neighbors suffered through and demonstrated why we need stronger codes all along the hurricane coastline,” she said.
IBHS’s Rating the States report analyzes and scores the 18 Gulf and Atlantic Coast states’ vulnerability to hurricanes based on a list of questions regarding statewide building code adoption, administration and enforcement, and contractor licensing requirements in adopting those codes.
Related: