Prepare your projects and clients for weather events with the right planning and products

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[["a",["href","https:\/\/agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1029\/2021GL095774","target","_blank"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www1.nyc.gov\/site\/cdbgdr\/about\/About%20Hurricane%20Sandy.page","target","_blank"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.fema.gov\/emergency-managers\/risk-management\/building-science","target","_blank"]],["b"],["i"],["a",["href","https:\/\/obe.com\/product-feature\/hurricane-resistant\/?utm_source=aia\u0026utm_medium=article\u0026utm_campaign=hurricane-resistant","target","_blank"]],["a",["href","http:\/\/www.obe.com\/","target","_blank"]],["em"]],"sections":[[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"AIA partner Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope identifies how to manage issues that can sidetrack your path toward buildings that will stand up to storms."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Architects and designers working in Florida and the Gulf Coast are very familiar with building codes that address hurricane conditions. "],[0,[0],1,"As storms intensify"],[0,[],0," and strike unexpected areas of the country \u2014 such as "],[0,[1],1,"Hurricane Sandy\u2019s $19 billion in damages"],[0,[],0," to New York City in 2012 \u2014 it has become critical for architects and designers to assess building design and product performance against the possibility of major weather events, no matter where in the country."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"If the location of your new project does not require impact-resistant product by code (such as the building code requirements of Florida), recommending a higher performing window system can be a tough sell. Product data are less visible than the wow factor of a beautiful view: Clients can easily ignore how strong the window seals need to be when they\u2019re mesmerized by uninterrupted views of a beautiful vista on the other side of an oversized span of crystal-clear glass."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The oversized glass trend continues to dominate every window application. Clients looking to make it bigger can be surprised by the cost to purchase, fabricate, and install (and test, if they are custom) lites of that size that meet the appropriate code requirements or to take that extra step to further strengthen the structure. When you\u2019re in a state with less-stringent codes, how do you sell safety from a storm that may or may not occur?"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"It\u2019s about protecting the investment: "],[0,[2],1,"According to FEMA"],[0,[],0,", designing buildings to meet the 2018 International Residential Code and 2018 International Building Code led to a national benefit of $11 saved for every $1 invested in comparison to older generations of code."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"While meeting a predetermined requirement appears straightforward, there are still challenges when creating structures or retrofitting buildings to stand against the fiercest storms. Here are suggestions on how to mitigate the risk of those issues affecting your project:"]]],[1,"h3",[[0,[3],1,"Proper testing"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Architects must specify previously tested and certified products that will meet the design guidelines. If custom products are required, the project team needs to fabricate, test, and certify a project-specific product. Retrofit projects that predate current code requirements can be particularly complicated depending on the required code and the fa\u00e7ade aesthetic, because the portion of the retrofit that must be brought up to code depends on the percentage of reconstruction. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The time and cost implications could be significant, especially as we continue to face supply chain issues, so it\u2019s important to identify where customization is needed early in the project and adjust the timeline and budget accordingly. "]]],[1,"h3",[[0,[3],1,"Accountability"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Many components and therefore team members come together to produce window systems. The framing manufacturer, glass manufacturer, glass fabricator, installer, general contractor, and test laboratory are all coordinating to produce a system that is not just standing up to wind and possible projectiles \u2014 there is also the potential for water damage and mold. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cField air and water testing at specified intervals can verify performance and compliance under actual project conditions and verify constructability,\u201d explained Kristin Nolan, director of product support services for Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope. \u201cToo often products pass laboratory testing, only to have difficulties when installed in the field. Field testing validates the performance of assemblies during and after installation, confirms quality of workmanship, and reduces future risk.\u201d"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Nolan added that the testing methodology needs to be defined and can\u2019t be general \u2014 specification should be project-specific, and responsibilities for test failures must be clearly defined. "]]],[1,"h3",[[0,[3],1,"Beware of over-engineering"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cWorking with a manufacturer with a diverse product portfolio will help ensure you aren\u2019t purchasing a more complicated or expensive system than your design requires, and you have more flexibility,\u201d Nolan said. For example, a diverse product portfolio will give you more options for thermal or acoustic performance and various glass infill options. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"As Hurricane Sandy showed us, Florida and the Gulf are not the only areas of the country that can be devastated by weather events. Knowing what to consider and how to design and build with the best storm-ready products will protect your clients\u2019 investment far into the future. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[4],1,"Learn about Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope\u2019s"],[0,[3,4],2," "],[0,[4,5],1,"hurricane-resistant products"],[0,[],0," and the industry\u2019s most comprehensive collection of glazing-focused interior and exterior products and services at "],[0,[6],1,"obe.com"],[0,[],1,". "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[7],1,"AIA does not sponsor or endorse any enterprise, whether \npublic or private, operated for profit. Further, no AIA officer, \ndirector, committee member, or employee, or any of its component \norganizations in his or her official capacity, is permitted to approve, \nsponsor, endorse, or do anything that may be deemed or construed to be \nan approval, sponsorship, or endorsement of any material of construction\n or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in\n any material or product."]]],[1,"p",[]]]}