Research Wildfire activity is on the rise and with this comes an increased impact on buildings, including homes and businesses, in the wildland-urban interface. Residents and business owners can take steps to reduce the risk to their property located in wildfire-prone areas. Eliminating fuels from the immediate area surrounding the building, as referred to as…
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Vulnerable Populations Disaster-related loss prevention encompasses a wide range of activities that should be undertaken to increase the likelihood that homes, workplaces, and essential public buildings can survive a natural or human-induced catastrophe. Improving this capability must be a national priority, public health objective, economic imperative and humanitarian obligation. Nowhere is this more important than…
IBHS has identified the following five concepts as central to the economics of community disaster resilience: (1) the importance of “going green and building strong”; (2) residential and commercial building performance; (3) emergency preparation and response as a shared responsibility; (4) building codes as a threshold, but not end goal; and (5) the need for…
Research Garage doors or roll‐up doors on residential and commercial structures have often been damaged in hurricanes, tornadoes, and high wind events, due to impacts from flying debris; positive or suction pressures; weak tracks on the doors themselves; and inadequate attachment of the doors to the building. When it occurs, wind damage to garage and roll‐up…
Explored the dynamics of wildfire behavior and how it exploits various building vulnerabilities, leading to severe property damage.
Using data and observations gathered during field and lab research, IBHS develops tools to help risk engineering and loss control staff evaluate and reduce risks and vulnerabilities to severe weather, including field tools to evaluate commercial structures and risk engineering bulletins that address specific natural hazards. Wind Loss Control Field Tools These materials will help risk…
Research After testing many asphalt shingle products, IBHS researchers learned there are specific characteristics that help distinguish one manufacturer from another. This guide was developed to help claims adjusters and underwriters identify manufacturers of installed shingles. Guidance [Members Only] Asphalt Shingle Patterns Identification Guide
Research A core reason for developing the IBHS Research Center full-scale test facility was the development and validation of wind flow simulation capabilities. IBHS research engineers performed a series of tests to validate wind capabilities of the facility including uniform flow tests, turbulent shear flow tests, and tests during which specific time histories obtained from…
Research As part of its research effort to study and understand the vulnerabilities of buildings subjected to wildfire exposures, IBHS developed the capability of simulating ember exposures on building components and assemblies. The primary objective of this research is to reduce the likelihood of wildfire-caused building ignitions in communities located in wildfire-prone areas. 2011 Demonstration…