Rice gene protects crop from heat, construction counters hurricanes

Hurricane-resilient construction protects buildings and saves money

After Hurricane Ivan in 2004 caused extensive damage and a loss of insurers, Alabama implemented mandatory minimum insurance discounts for homes built or retrofitted to a voluntary code, created by the nonprofit Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety. 

Compared with conventional construction, the standards of the IBHS Fortified Home program reduced loss frequency by 55% to 74%, in an analysis of 2020 Hurricane Sally data. The Fortified system requires third-party verification and ranges from better roof fasteners to stronger connections between a roof, walls, and the foundation. Costs range from 0.5% to 3% more for new construction, and 6% to 16% for retrofits, for which Alabama offers grants of up to $10,000.

Why We Wrote This

In our progress roundup, researchers looking for climate solutions find that building codes can reduce loss from severe storms, and that specific rice strains have a “switch” that makes them more resilient to heat.

“It really does start to bring home that there is value for everybody involved,” said Fred Malik, managing director of the Fortified program. “There’s value for the insurers; there’s value for the homeowner.”

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