FORTIFIED for Safer Business™

Rem Brown- IBHS Senior Engineering Manager

Chuck Miccolis- IBHS Commercial Lines Engineer

  for Safer Living®   for Existing Homes™   for Safer Business ™

  WHY FORTIFIED  Responding to the membership interest in providing

FORTIFIED type structures  Building Codes set minimum standards  Some areas lack a building code or do not enforce it  Build stronger light commercial buildings  Reduce property damages and insurance claims  Protect business operations and livelihoods  Win-Win situation for business owners, their

customers, insurance companies, and society as a whole

  New light commercial construction  Banks  Community centers  Schools  Houses of worship  Restaurants  Movie theaters  Small shopping centers  Self-storage facilities  Office buildings  Structures less than 60 ft.  Other TBD

 Natural Catastrophe Risks  Hurricane  High Wind  Tornado and Hail  Wildfire  Severe Winter Weather  Earthquake  Flood

 Non - Natural Catastrophe Risks   Interior Fire   Burglary   Electrical Surge Protection   Building Envelope and Water/Air Mgmt.

  Identify all Nat Cat perils for the location   Building is designed by a qualified professional

meeting FORTIFIED Design Requirements   Design Checklist / Compliance Agreement-

Signed /sealed by Design Professional for each Peril

  Plans are submitted for review to ensure proper FORTIFIED Design

  QC / Site Inspections / Documentation   Final Audit by IBHS

  Design Guide Draft  Design Requirements / Technical Information  Construction Document Requirements  Guidelines for choosing a design professional   Information for Inspectors  Building upon and expanding some design criteria

based on commercial lines experiences and research

  Based on combination of:  Existing Building Codes  Various widely used and accepted test standards  Loss history  Cost considerations  Scientific research data

  International Building Code (IBC) 2009   Florida Building Code (FBC) 2009

  Similar to IBC, but typically more restrictive   2004 version with updates in 04, 06, 07 and 2009

supplement   FBC – HVHZ (High Velocity Hurricane Zone)

 Miami Dade & Broward Counties   Some occupancies in other FL counties use it  More restrictive than FBC standard version

  Texas Department of Insurance (TDI)   2006 IBC with revisions   first tier counties along the Texas coast

  California Building / Seismic Codes

  ASTM (American Society for Testing of Materials)

  ANSI (American National Standards Institute)   UL (Underwriters Laboratories)   FM Global Approval Standards   Florida Building Code / Miami Dade County

Test Protocols HVHZ– TAS (Testing Application Standards)

  Design / Installation / Construction Guidelines are based on:   ASCE 7 (American Society of Civil Engineers)   NRCA (National Roofing Contractors Association)   ANSI- Voluntary Standardization System   FM Global Data Sheets   Metal Roofing Systems Design Manual by Metal Buildings

Manufacturers Association(MBMA)   Florida Building Code / Miami Dade County HVHZ– RAS

(Roofing Application Standards)   FEMA Design Guides   SMACNA (Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning

Contractors' National Association)   NFPA Standards

  FORTIFIED Design Wind Speed increased 20 mph over ASCE 7 basic wind speed for the location

  Roof system attachments include a factor of safety of 2.0 for uplift pressure rated for FORTIFIED Design Wind Speed

  Opening protection required for all buildings with ASCE 7 wind speed of 100 mph (FORTIFIED Design Wind Speed of 120 mph) or greater

  Walls must be impact resistant (no standard EIFS)

  Similar to Hurricane with the exception of:  Opening protection is NOT required  Walls are NOT required to be impact resistant

  Impact Resistant Roof Covering required  Steep Sloped Roofs – UL 2218 Class 4 or FM 4473

Class 4  Low Sloped Roofs – FM 4470 rating Class 1-SH

  Wildfire Risk Assessment Checklist   Determine Hazard Level

 Low  Moderate  High  Extreme

  Design requirements based on the Hazard Level

  Fire Protection Engineer must design the fire protection system

  The fire protection system must be designed in accordance with NFPA 13 – Standard for Installation of Sprinkler Systems

  FORTIFIED compliance process combined with the FORTIFIED technical / design requirements equals “Code Plus.”

  Design Guide operational for end users   Online infrastructure for FFSB Applicants, Plan

Reviews, Site Inspections, Forms  Utilize processes and infrastructure already created

by FORTIFIED for Safer Living and Existing Homes

  Pilot Project

  Plan Review Process  Train plan reviewers and create the online

infrastructure  Provide plan submittal checklists for efficient

communication with construction groups  Provide a “thorough” Summary Plan Review Letter

  Site Inspections / Construction Quality Control  Train inspectors and create the online infrastructure  Provide simple checklists for items that can be

simply checked off and do not require a site visit   Include requirements for providing information with

supporting photos   In depth checklists for site visits  Ensure efficient communication with construction

groups  Provide a “thorough”

Project Follow Up Letter

  We will use our FORTIFIED sister program – Fortified for Safer Living as a model for our program

  Solicitation of Pilot Projects   Commercial Lines Committee or the Fortified

for Safer Business Task Force

  Code Plus Construction   Design Guide   Compliance   Plan Review   QC /Site Inspections for construction   Final Audit   FORTIFIED Designation

Thank You