Hurricane Michael has come and gone, leaving in its wake a path of destruction and devastation. Mexico Beach, Florida was leveled by the 155-mph winds. The few homes that remain standing have sustained crippling wind and water damage which could take months or even years to rebuild. With the exception of one. The ironically named, ‘Sand Castle’ home on Mexico Beach has sustained limited damage due to the foresight of the home’s designer. The home was built to withstand 240-250 mph winds rather than the standard 120 mph winds. Popular features such as large, ocean-facing windows and an overhanging roof were avoided in the design of the home, further protecting the house from hurricane force winds. While many of these measures are cost prohibitive for the average home builder, lessons can be learned here.
The Sand Castle house (Courtesy Sand Castle Facebook page), survived Hurricane Michael with minimal damage
Many of Florida’s Architects and Builders are contemplating what it will take to design and build a more hurricane-resistant community at an affordable cost. Brushing up on new techniques and skills as well as making sure their Architect license is renewed should be a priority among those wanting to make a difference in rebuilding Florida’s communities.
Florida Licensed Architects are required to complete 12 HSW hours of continuing education annually by December 31st. Continuing education operates on a two-year schedule, meaning, 24-hours of continuing education must be completed by December 31st of even-numbered years, including 2-hours of State Advanced Building Code (ADV). Although continuing education operates on a calendar year cycle, license renewals occur on February 28th of odd-numbered years. The December 31st deadline is fast approaching, so now is the time to consider completing your continuing education requirements sooner rather than later.
Architects Training Institute is offering a special discount of 15% on our popular “Gable End Anchoring and Framing in High-Velocity Hurricane Zones” course as well as the convenient 24 Hour and AIA 18 Hour packages. Use coupon code MIKE at checkout.
Take advantage of the savings, learn something new and get those continuing education credits out of the way before the deadline!
