June officially started the hurricane season in the United States and it runs through November. While continuing to focus on fire safety, our Build with Strength effort will also be highlighting resilient construction throughout the summer months. In utilizing research from the MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub, Build with Strength will continue to urge resilient construction not only in coastal communities, but also throughout the U.S. wherever natural disasters occur.

 

In 2016, insured losses in the United States due to natural disasters totaled nearly $24 billion, so resilient construction is vital in disaster-prone areas. The MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub's Break-Even Mitigation Percent (BEMP) Model is designed to help calculate the expected loss ratio due to hazard damage. The results demonstrate the right amount to invest, so that it will pay for itself over the building's lifetime. This study estimated a $340,000 hazard mitigation for a $10 million structure (3.4% break-even mitigation percent) over the building's life-cycle would actually pay for itself. This allows for safer residents and stronger communities because millions of dollars won't be needed to rebuild after a disaster. This shows that using resilient building techniques upfront, with durable and quality materials like concrete, is an important step in preventing disaster before it occurs.

 

Resilient construction is also valuable through tornado alley. Hurricane season has officially begun, but spring and summer months also see increases in tornado activity. Highlighting resilient structures, like safe rooms and safe schools, are vital during the season of increased storm threats. Through the Build with Strength initiative, NRMCA has resources to help members and state affiliates advocate for resilient and safer construction including model legislation, talking points, public relations, and other key strategies.