FLASH: A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY

The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH, Inc.) in late July began taking steps to defend its name in an ironic case of apparent copyright infringement.

FLASH® is a national, non-profit corporation based in Tallahassee, FL, founded in 1998 by collaborative non-profit, private and public organizations dedicated to strengthening homes and safeguarding families from disaster. Earlier in July, The Florida Bar, The Florida Bar Foundation, Florida Legal Services Inc. and the Real Property Probate and Trust Law Section of The Florida Bar kicked off an effort to provide homeowners facing foreclosure with volunteer attorneys to assist them. They announced the statewide effort named FLASH (Florida Attorneys Saving Homes) in a press release issued July 10, 2008. Unfortunately, the attorney-led initiative failed to determine whether they could legally use the name.

“We commend the work they are doing and their desire to help Florida homeowners, but the failure to observe the fundamentals of trademark use is causing significant consumer confusion,” said Leslie Chapman-Henderson, president and CEO of FLASH, Inc.

After a spokesperson for the attorney group appeared on CNN’s “Larry King Live,” FLASH personnel started receiving calls and e-mail inquiries from consumers seeking help to avoid foreclosures. FLASH has notified The Florida Bar of the infringement and asked that they take immediate action to avoid further confusion for consumers.
FLASH is the fastest growing disaster safety education organization in the United States with more than 90 partners including FEMA, Georgia Pacific, Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), International Code Council (ICC), Mercedes Homes, NeighborWorks, NOAA, South Carolina Insurance Department, State Farm Insurance Companies, Texas Department of Insurance, Texas Tech Wind Science & Engineering, The Home Depot and Home Depot Foundation, University of Florida, and USAA.

GULF COAST BUILDING CODE, CONSTRUCTION TRAINING AVAILABLE ON WEB SITE

The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) in June announced the launch of a new Web site, www.ibhstraining.org, designed to train government officials and building professionals in the Gulf Coast region on code administration and high-wind construction products and techniques.

Developed for IBHS by Building Media Inc., the free online training includes a series of video presentations on educating building inspectors, setting up a building department and other duties associated with code enforcement.
The IBHS training program covers permitting, plan checking and the inspection process, as well as the key high-wind construction issues specified in the International Residential Code (IRC). The goal is to help builders know what to expect from the inspection process and help building officials understand the desired workflow in their offices, how to conduct proper field inspections, and help them prepare for International Code Council certification exams.

“Strong and enforceable building codes are essential to crafting resilient communities that can better withstand natural threats,” said Mike Salmon, IBHS senior engineering manager. “For states in the beginning stages of implementing a new residential code, there are several steps to success. Our goal for this site was to provide guidance for everyone participating in that process.”

SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO FBC HIGHLIGHT NEW ICC MATERIALS

The International Code Council (ICC) has made new reference materials available for purchase by Florida’s construction professionals to quickly see what changed from the 2004 to the 2007 Florida Building Code.
“Significant Changes to the Florida Building Code, Building-2007 Edition” aims to benefit architects, engineers, inspectors, building and fire department personnel, builders and other construction professionals by highlighting the changes that address new technologies, modern materials and methods of construction, and current approaches to fire safety, life safety and structural stability.

“Significant Changes to the Florida Building Code, Residential -2007 Edition” aims to help building and fire officials, architects, plans examiners, design professionals, home builders and other professionals in the residential side of the industry because it focuses on those provisions with special significance, are utilized frequently, or have changed application so readers can identify what’s new and why.

The four-color publications, developed by the ICC in partnership with Delmar, Cengage Learning, identify specific code changes, comparing the 2004 code language to the newer text and explaining the rational for the code changes. For ease of use, the books follow the general layout of the Florida Codes. Photographs and illustrations help make the texts readily comprehensible, according to a statement by ICC.

AAMA WORKS TO VALIDATE STRINGENT TESTING PROTOCOLS FOR SEVERE WIND-DRIVEN RAIN RESISTANCE

American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA), Schaumburg, IL, has begun a 12-month review to thoroughly evaluate AAMA 520, Voluntary Specification for Rating the Severe Wind-Driven Rain Resistance of Windows, Doors and Unit Skylights. The final document is expected to be published next summer, well in advance of the 2009 hurricane season, AAMA has stated.

According to John Lewis, AAMA’s technical director, once final revisions to the introduction for AAMA 520 are approved by the AAMA Southeast Region Technical Committee, a preliminary copy will be shared with AAMA-accredited testing laboratories and other members to ensure the specifications are clear and the test protocols yield repeatable results. “The participants’ input will help validate testing equipment and procedures and evaluate a selection of current, hurricane impact-resistant windows,” said Lewis. “Without a doubt, once released, these specifications will represent the most stringent test standards of their kind in the industry today.”

“Following the 2004 hurricane season’s destructive power and the property damage of wind-driven rains, the Florida Building Commission sought out AAMA’s Southeast Region organization. At the FBC’s urging, we have assessed current test methods and developed a standard of performance for testing windows to enhance their ability to resist water penetration under hurricane conditions,” said AAMA’s president and CEO Rich Walker. “The resulting document will serve as an elevated performance characterization but is not intended for building code adoption and enforcement.”

Lewis explains that the majority of door and window testing is based on AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S.2/A440. “This standard relies on static pressure tests for evaluating structural performance and resistance to water penetration. The goal of AAMA 520 is to better replicate hurricane conditions using a rapid pulsating test with computer-controlled cycling of high and low pressures.”

“AAMA’s ongoing and collaborative efforts are paving the way for products to be better able to withstand the onslaught of a hurricane—something of interest to code officials, architects, builders and insurance companies who serve the 53 percent of Americans (153 million in all) that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) reports as living within coastal regions,” stated Scott Walker, AAMA Southeast Region president and executive vice president of Architectural Testing, Inc. (York, PA). “With so many people affected by this, it’s critical that we have full confidence in these guidelines.”

ARCHITECTS, BUILDERS LEARN ABOUT IMPACT WINDOWS, HIGH PERFORMANCE GLASS

More than 80 architects from throughout South Florida gathered at CGI Windows and Doors, Inc., Miami, FL, in mid-June to learn about the latest technology in impact resistant windows and glass. The event was co-sponsored by the Miami chapter of the American Association of Architects (AIA).

“While Florida continues to be the world leader in developing hurricane resistant strategies, such as impact resistant windows, there is always new information that architects need,” said Brian Evans, CGI CEO. “We created this seminar to help bring architects up to speed on the latest hurricane code requirements and technological advancements in the impact-resistant glazing industry.”

The event, Designing with Impact Resistant Windows & High Performance Glass, was hosted and held at the CGI Windows and Doors facilities. The seminar was accredited by AIA and provided architects with two learning units. The CGI staff gave architects a tour of the company’s manufacturing plant and reviewed how window and door systems are designed to withstand hurricane force winds.

SUPPORT BUILDS FOR CODE GRANT

Support is building in Washington for the Community Building Code Administration Grant Act of 2007 (CBCAG). If approved, CBCAG funds would be dedicated to training “first preventers,” building and fire safety officials who prevent harm by ensuring compliance with safety codes before disasters occur. The bill would make possible recruitment and training in under-served communities in greatest need of officials to assure safety through code compliance.

In June, U.S. Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA), chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, along with U.S. Representatives John Boozman (R-AR)‚ Michael Capuano (D-MA)‚ Betty McCollum (D-MN), Robert Scott (D-VA) and Pete Stark (D-CA) added their names as co-sponsors.

The CBCAG authorizes a competitive grant through the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development to help local governments hire, train and equip code officials to save lives and protect property. Introduced last December by Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Rep. Dennis Moore (D-KS), the CBCAG would aid communities that see their resources over-stretched, or lack resources altogether in the face of building booms or major rebuilds after a disaster (see HP, Spring 2008, page 9).

CBCAG is support by the International Code Council, as well. “In so many communities, there simply aren’t enough resources for building safety,” said International Code Council CEO Rick Weiland. “You can adopt codes, but if you don’t have trained people on the ground to ensure compliance and provide support, it doesn’t matter.”
The CBCAG currently awaits action by the U.S. House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity and the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.

STO EXPANDS COLOR OPTIONS

Sto Corp., Atlanta, GA, has expanded its StoCreativ® Granite product color offering to a total of 10 colors.
StoCreativ Granite is an acrylic-based interior and exterior wall finish, formulated for durability and low maintenance for new construction or renovation. It is trowel-applied and designed to provide the look of cut or polished granite in a versatile lightweight finish coating.

FOUR-FOLD DOOR PASSES HIGH VELOCITY HURRICANE ZONE TESTING

Door Engineering and Mfg., Kasota, MN, has announced that its Four-Fold Door System has passed testing requirements for use in High Velocity Hurricane Zones. The testing covers Miami-Dade County and Broward County in addition to the entire state of Florida, the company stated.

The FF700 Hurricane-Rated Four-Fold Doors can be constructed up to 16-feet wide and 17-feet tall and include up to two rows of windows as large as 24 inches wide by 60 inches tall, it added.

The company also stated that the FF700 is rated for up to 65psf design pressure, and the test protocol also included large-missile impact testing.

IBHS ANNOUNCES PROMOTION, STAFF ADDITION

The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) announced in July an expanded role for its head of engineering and an addition to its management team.

Timothy A. Reinhold is being promoted to senior vice president of research and chief engineer. Reinhold will oversee both the soon-to-be-built Insurance Center for Building Safety Research and the ongoing engineering programs at IBHS headquarters in Tampa, FL.

Reinhold has conducted research on structural capacity for most of his professional career. In addition to directing numerous studies for tall buildings and specialty structures, he has been deeply involved in research relating to the performance of housing in severe wind events.

Brenda O’Connor is joining IBHS as senior vice president of public affairs. O’Connor is a seasoned communications strategist with more than 20 years of public affairs and government affairs experience. She joins IBHS from the Glover Park Group (GPG), where she was a vice president in the public affairs practice. Prior to GPG, she was vice president of public affairs for the American Insurance Association (AIA), a national public policy advocacy organization for property-casualty insurance companies.

ADAMS NAMED BOARD PRESIDENT FOR NATIONAL VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATION

Bill Adams, five-year disaster response services director for the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (www.crwrc.org), was named president of the board of directors for National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) at the association’s 16th annual conference in May.

The 2008 Annual VOAD Conference was held in Little Rock, AR, where Adams was elected to replace Tom Hazelwood on the 13-member board.

Adams is the latest of several CRWRC disaster response directors to hold the National VOAD Board post.
In the last two years, CRWRC volunteers have repaired more than 600 homes damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and sent more than 200 church and youth work groups into the area to assist with clean up and rebuilding, among many other critical responses.

SIMONTON NAMES DANISCH VP NATIONAL SALES

Tom Danisch has joined Simonton Windows, Parkersburg, WV, as the company’s vice president of national sales. In his new role, Danisch will work with Simonton’s network of national customers and assist in growing the company’s business in various market segments throughout the country.

Danisch brings 14 years of domestic and international building industry experience to Simonton. He has worked for Illinois Tool Works (most recently as general manager for the Miller Business Unit), Andersen Windows, AZEK Trimboards and Armstrong World Industries.

RESIDENTIAL ROOF, WALL BUILDING SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE ON BENJAMIN
OBDYKE’S NEW WEB SITE

Benjamin Obdyke Inc., Horsham, PA, has launched its newly redesigned Web site, www.benjaminobdyke.com. The unveiling of the new site is part of the company’s 140th anniversary celebration in the residential building products industry.

“We’re marking this company milestone with a reinvigorated Web site that gives our customers and partners the tools and information they need to ‘build better’ by improving the performance of the building envelope and other building materials,” said Jim Ash, director of marketing.

The new site is now focused into audience-specific categories, including building professionals and distributors. Each interest area puts education materials, research reports, product information, and training assets at the visitor’s fingertips. In addition, all product literature is now downloadable and available online.

COASTAL WETLANDS PROVIDE $23.2 BILLION IN STORM PROTECTION

A new study published in Ambio reports that U.S. coastal wetlands annually provide storm protection services worth $23.2 billion. Ambio is a nonprofit publication of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences that addresses the scientific, social, economic and cultural factors that influence the human environment.

The researchers compiled data on hurricane damage costs, wind speeds and wetland areas and performed statistical analyses to calculate the value of coastal wetlands. These natural assets act as horizontal levees that absorb storm energy, thereby reducing hurricane costs.

Although the value of coastal wetlands has been estimated in numerous studies, estimates of the value of hurricane protection provided by coastal wetlands are rare. The researchers say this study is particularly important because it allows others to predict the effects of location, area of remaining wetlands, proximity to built infrastructure and storm probability on these protection values. In addition, it is possible to determine the values of storm protection lost when coastal wetlands have disappeared. For example, as a result of the disappearance of coastal wetlands in Louisiana before Hurricane Katrina, additional wetlands vanished during the hurricane and the resulting lost protection of infrastructure, crops, housing, revenues, employment and stable markets was valued at $1.1 billion.
The entire study, “The Value of Coastal Wetlands for Hurricane Protection,” can be found at www.allenpress.com/pdf/AMBI-37-4-241.pdf.

HP Home | Magazine | Conference | Subscribe | Media Kit | Contact | Industry Links Copy © 2003 Hurricane Protection magazine L.C. Clark Publishing, Inc.