A.G. Gancarski
With flooding and storm destruction presenting ever-increasing concerns in Florida, the state’s flagship university and Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) are urging homeowners to harden their homes with an eye toward blocking water intrusion.
The Resilience Inference Performance Level (RIPL) Report offers “preliminary analysis of how building materials and smart home technologies work together to enhance the resilience of single-family homes against hazards that can lead to water intrusion,” with an eye toward mitigating risks and reducing insurance costs.
OIR Commissioner Mike Yaworsky is “proud of (his) Office’s partnership with the University of Florida to produce this in-depth study showing the extreme benefits of hardening your homes.”
“Water intrusion will always be a threat for residential buildings in Florida, but we can take important measures to mitigate these risks. I hope Floridians dig into this resource and make resilient choices for their homes that may ultimately lower home insurance premiums,” Yaworsky advised.
The Thursday report recommends building materials that include “high-performance exterior cladding, interior construction materials, and finishes that are rigorously tested and certified for flame spread resistance and water intrusion prevention,” given that the failure of sub-standard materials drives costs.
Smart home mechanisms, including intelligent utility shutoff mechanisms, foundation monitoring, and integrated sensor networks, also offer value adds for homeowners.
“Partnering with FLOIR has been an exceptional opportunity for the Florida Institute for Built Environment Resilience, as we work together to make Florida homes stronger, safer, and more affordable to insure,” said Lisa Sundahl Platt, the Director of UF’s Sustainable Adaptive Material Practicum Lab.
“By integrating innovative building materials and smart home technologies, this evidence-based initiative proactively strengthens community resilience which could meaningfully reduce insurance premiums. This whole systems approach to home design weaves together risk reduction and resilience, empowering homeowners with greater peace of mind and meaningful savings in the face of natural hazards and emerging risks.”
The report is billed as a “critical milestone in the development of a groundbreaking decision support system based on resilience performance requirement analysis.”
