How Hurricane-Resistant Technology has been Embraced in Florida

Eye of the hurricane
Photo by NASA on Unsplash

For over 25 years, accomplished construction expert Scott Buescher has worked at Mercedes Homes, LLC, as chief operations officer. The private building firm has successfully constructed thousands of homes across the states of Florida, Texas, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Scott Buescher grew the Melbourne, Florida-based firm from humble beginnings of only 35 homes in its first year to 5,700 units and $1.7 billion in revenue at its peak. He also spearheaded innovation efforts in embracing hurricane-resistant technology in conjunction with various partners.

Hurricane-resistant technology has evolved significantly in the last decade owing to increased hurricane activity causing widespread destruction. After Hurricane Andrew in 1992, Florida introduced new, stringent, mandatory building codes on a local level, followed by implementation of the new regulations on a statewide level in 2002. The new regulations have drastically influenced new constructions in Florida, making it the state with the highest mandatory code in the U.S.

A key highlight of the modern building code emphasizes the exteriors of buildings. New homes constructed in Florida in areas that experience winds of more than 120 mph must have exterior impact protection. Impact protection includes the installation of reinforced doors, hurricane shutters, and impact-resistant windows. Other code changes for houses in the 120-mph wind zones are mandatory roof straps, which connect the roof of a house via cables that run all the way to the concrete slab or basement.