Uh-Oh: Gustav May Test Houston's Poor Building Codes
While some coastal communities have stepped up their building standards, the changes haven’t been adopted by nearby inland communities which also run a high risk for wind damage during storms.
IBHS Chief Engineer and Senior Vice President of Research Tim Reinhold says, “Houston pops up as a prime example of this risky proposition. While the Texas Department of Insurance high-wind standards have been implemented with varying degrees of success in coastal communities, Houston area homes and businesses have been built with little regard for hurricane winds.”
A recent survey of the Houston area by IBHS engineers found dramatic variations in the quality of coastal construction, and “very poor construction in the Houston metropolitan area.”
Well, damn.
— Olivia Flores Alvarez
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