By Andrew Hunt
For some, the 2005 hurricane season that destroyed much of the Gulf Coast is an opportunity to begin again. This "fresh slate" attitude combined with alternative building materials, more stringent building codes and new home designs, could make Louisiana one of the most advanced building regions in the United States.
During a roundtable discussion in September at the Pro Dealer Conference in Farmington, Pa., builders, suppliers and government officials discussed how new building requirements and opportunities are affecting the rebuilding effort.
"Right after the storm, the first companies that came to the governor of Louisiana were alternative building sources," said Jim Landry, director of advanced materials for the state of Louisiana. "New Orleans will be the epicenter for new building technologies. As other areas of the U.S. see slowdowns, the Gulf Coast will become the next gold rush for builders. We have the hottest real estate market in the country right now because so many homes were destroyed."
Despite a rush to rebuild, insurance companies and local building officials are demanding that the new homes will withstand future storms. In December 2005, Louisiana adopted a more stringent building code for areas within the destruction path of the hurricanes. This includes wind resistance of 130 to 150 miles per hour; higher elevations for homes in non-standard flood plains; and storm-resistant building envelopes.
"Every county, or parish, in Louisiana had a different set of building codes before Katrina. We normally built to the International Building Code or the Southern Building Code, but there were variances from parish to parish," said Landry. "Starting January 1, 2007, there will be one code for everyone. Having one organized building code will make everything much easier for permitting and expedite the process."
Companies hoping to introduce new building materials the region may encounter challenges along the way. Adopting new technologies and materials is difficult for both the builder and the code officials.
"My overall assessment is that you have the bureaucrats who are afraid to make mistakes," said Landry. "So if you say you want to build a home out of polymer, they'll say no. What we are trying to do is to tell them that it's okay to make some mistakes if we are working to improve the overall design and construction of these homes."
According to Landry, overcoming these challenges could lead to another possible boon for the local economy—manufacturing new building products. "We produce 30% of resin systems in the United States, and over a third of plastic building materials are made in Louisiana. Alternative building materials are not only good for the housing economy; they are good for the manufacturing industry as well."
The world's largest building science lab?
With 220,000 homes to rebuild in Louisiana and another 70,000 in Mississippi, the Gulf Coast could turn into a gigantic laboratory for new technologies. Vic Planetta Sr., owner of Planetta Custom Homes, believes builders and homeowners will benefit from the new technologies in building products available.
"With that number of homes, we have a clean canvas for new foundation designs, interlocking block systems, concrete homes, panelized systems and steel homes. Homes need to be wind-, mold-, insect-, and fire-resistant. We have to think about what is going to happen to these homes in two generations, and start building with that mindset," said Planetta.
Mike Lyons, Gulf Coast regional vice president for 84 Lumber, pointed out that his company is one of those that will be part of the construction-manufacturing boom. He recognizes the growing need for new building materials, but he also believes lumber will continue to play a major role in housing in the South.
"99% of all our homes are stick-built, traditional homes," Lyons said. "Because [Louisiana] only had 4.5 million residents before the storm, it wasn't that attractive for companies to open truss factories, but now there is great demand. 84 Lumber is investing about $5 million to build a wall manufacturing plant because we see the need."
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