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Innovative Panelized Homes Stand Up to Hurricane Charley

In sharp contrast to the damage sustained by the rest of the neighborhood, two of the homes were completely intact and the third required a minor one-day repair to its roof membrane, which was punctured by an uprooted palm tree.

The homes were built by Home Front, Inc., of Venice, FL, for the Charlotte County Homeless Coalition.

The home manufacturer uses fiber-cement structural insulated wall panels that consist of two sheets of 5/16-inch cement board laminated to four-inch polystyrene foam, resulting in a breaking strength of approximately 7,000 pounds and an insulation R-value of 20.

The roofs of the homes are finished polystyrene panels laminated to heavy aluminum skins. The panels are interlocked and bolted to a ridge beam structure and the wall extrusion caps.

Lastly, the keystone to the structures’ wind resistance is a steel interior frame that also supplies the ridge beam for the roof. The interior frame system is a series of steel columns attached to steel imbeds in the slab.

According to Home Front, the homes exceed the stringent Dade County building codes put in place after Hurricane Andrew. In a wind tunnel, the walls and roof survived wind speeds of 200 miles-per-hour with no damage after three missile impacts. 

Attend This Year’s Building Systems Councils SHOWCASE

The Building Systems Councils SHOWCASE is the ultimate NAHB resource for the systems-built housing industry. SHOWCASE features educational sessions, trade show exhibits, award ceremonies and considerable networking opportunities tailored to manufacturers, builders, dealers, suppliers and associates in concrete, log, modular and panelized home building industries.

SHOWCASE is scheduled for Oct. 31-Nov. 3 in Austin, TX. Click here for more information or to register.

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