Hurricane Andrew’s impact in 1992 led to a significant overhaul of building codes in Florida. The adoption of the Florida Building Code (FBC) in 2002 consolidated over 400 disparate codes, mandating hurricane-resilient features for new constructions. Lax enforcement prior to Andrew contributed to the destruction of thousands of homes.
“Andrew changed building codes and especially building code enforcement, which Andrew proved to be inadequate, incompetent, or avoidant.”
The FBC introduced high-velocity hurricane zones (HVHZ), requiring resilient products in vulnerable areas. Subsequent updates in 2015 prioritized energy efficiency and impact resistance, maintaining Florida’s leadership in hurricane-related building codes. Despite advancements, Southeast Florida remains vulnerable to flooding due to higher storm surges and torrential rainfall from modern hurricanes.
Key Takeaways:
To address evolving threats, a new hurricane testing facility, the NICHE facility at Florida International University, aims to study structures under current codes against extreme wind, surge, and wave events.