Page 59 - Green Builder Magazine May-June 2019 Issue

Resilient Housing www.greenbuildermedia.com/resilient-housing

BUILDINGS AND SYSTEMS THAT ARE READY FOR ANYTHING tight, even under the incredible pressure of the storm.
The same could not be said for many others in the community.
Panama City su ered weeks without water, electricity and other basic
services. Every powerline had snapped. Homes were completely
destroyed and the ones still standing had rooftop tarps for weeks,
even months as owners waited for contractors and installers to repair
the damage.
Some of Kristi’s friends and neighbors are still going through
the painful process of replacing roofs, and worse, repairing the
devastating damage their failed roofs caused by allowing water
to penetrate into their homes. The city has evaluated and deemed
homes “uninhabitable” due to unsafe conditions, including mold and
mildew caused by water penetration. Every home on Kristi’s block
was designated as such—except for hers.
As roofs are replaced and the community recovers, Kristi is
eternally grateful she made the decision to replace her roof with
metal.
“After what we went through, it’s shocking when you hear people
say they are replacing their roofs with asphalt shingles again,” she
says. “When you live through something as horri c as this hurricane
was and understand first-hand the power it has to cause mass
devastation and su ering, it’s simply not worth the risk to your
CREDIT: METAL ROOFING ALLIANCE
home, or your life.”

A crushing blow. This Panama City home with an asphalt roof didn’t fare
well, sustaining thousands of dollars in damage.

AN EDUCATIONAL GOAL
Recently named the winner of the Metal Roo ng Alliance (MRA)’s
2018 Top Survivor Home contest, Kristi will receive a grand prize of
$1,500, based on her home’s extreme story of endurance.
With many homeowners battling destructive climate challenges
in 2018—ranging from massive hurricanes, and tornadoes to severe
hailstorms and wild res—MRA decided to launch the competition
to highlight how U.S. and Canada homeowners are taking steps to
fortify their homes against increasing threats, including by using
metal roofs. While Kristi is thrilled to be selected as this year’s winner
by the MRA, she considers her fortunes to be far greater than taking
the top prize.
“With climate extremes becoming increasingly common, taking
steps to make homes more defensible and resilient is essential no
matter where homeowners live,” MRA Executive Director Renee
Ramey says. “Building and renovating homes so that they are better
able to withstand climate extremes is a hot topic in the industry,
CREDIT: METAL ROOFING ALLIANCE given the massive challenges homeowners have faced in recent
years.”
That includes using more durable, longer-lasting and stronger
materials such as metal roofs, as well as construction methods that

against monster storms and help prevent damage from climate-
Debris field. Many homes were deemed unlivable after Hurricane Michael not only meet but exceed codes for being able to better stand up
blew through the area in 2018. related events such as wild res, Ramey notes. GB

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