Experts hope lessons learned from hurricanes will make buildings safer
Stronger building codes for hurricane-prone regions the goal of February meeting

Tomorrow's homes and buildings will stand up better to hurricanes as a result of what is learned from the 2004 hurricane season. Building safety professionals, government officials, engineers, architects, insurance professionals, building owners and the public will share information to support the construction of stronger, safer structures to better protect lives and property. The Hurricane Symposium, Feb. 11-13, 2005, in Tampa, Fla., will assess the impact of Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne.

Hurricane Symposium participants will examine the effects of four unprecedented, consecutive hurricanes. The public forum will include discussions of the effects of wind and water on buildings and structures and analysis of how the storms impacted hurricane preparedness and disaster response.

"The hurricane symposium is an important, initial step in identifying which structures held up well during the storms and which structures did not," said International Code Council CEO James Lee Witt. "When the final analyses are complete, the International Code Council will use this information to enhance the standards used for hurricane resistant construction and enhance public safety in hurricane-prone areas."

"The Florida Building Commission will use the hurricane symposium as an opportunity to gain additional insight into building performance during the four storms," said Commission Chairman Raul Rodriguez, AIA. "It will provide valuable information for our evaluation and updating of the state's future building codes."

The Hurricane Symposium will consist of one day of presentations on Feb. 11 and two days of committee meetings on Feb. 12-13. A report of all proceedings of the symposium will be distributed by the International Code Council and the Florida Department of Community Affairs.

Expected topics of discussion include the performance of roof, window and door systems, water penetration, the impact of wind-borne debris, mobile home performance, power distribution infrastructures and public communication during the hurricanes.

The International Code Council currently has three committees addressing hurricane-related issues: the Hurricane Resistant Construction, Storm Shelter and Disaster Response Committees. Each of these committees will meet during the Hurricane Symposium.

"It is important that experts in building safety, construction and engineering meet to assess the effects of this historic hurricane season," said Florida Department of Community Affairs Secretary Thaddeus Cohen. "This symposium will provide a much-needed forum to discuss the damage created by these storms and explore new ways to protect Floridians, their homes and businesses in the future."

Cosponsors and supporting organizations of the Hurricane Symposium are the International Code Council, the Florida Department of Community Affairs/Florida Building Commission, the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), the Building Officials Association of Florida (BOAF), the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Structural Engineering Institute (SEI), the National Institutes of Building Sciences (NIBS), the National Hurricane Conference and the National Conference of States on Building Codes and Standards (NCSBCS).

The International Code Council, a membership association dedicated to building safety and fire prevention, develops the codes used to construct residential and commercial buildings, including homes and schools. Most U.S. cities, counties and states that adopt codes choose the International Codes developed by the International Code Council.

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EDITORS' NOTE: To arrange interviews or media coverage of the Hurricane Symposium, please contact at the International Code Council, 1-800-214-4321, ext. 4224.