Top Highlights
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Rising Natural Disaster Costs: Urban leaders face escalating costs from severe weather events, necessitating resilient infrastructure, with roofs playing a crucial role in protection against storms.
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FORTIFIED™ Standard: Developed by IBHS, the FORTIFIED™ roofing standard enhances homes’ resilience through science-based requirements, significantly reducing risk and damage from severe weather.
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Proven Impact: FORTIFIED™ homes demonstrated 73% fewer insurance claims and significantly lower loss severity after Hurricane Sally, highlighting its effectiveness in storm preparedness.
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Workforce Development: GAF is training roofing contractors in FORTIFIED™ installation, creating a skilled workforce that enhances community resilience and sets higher roofing standards nationwide.
Building Resilience from the Top Down
Urban leaders across the U.S. face the urgent challenge of bolstering neighborhoods against severe weather. Hurricanes, hailstorms, and tornadoes occur more frequently, impacting communities financially and emotionally. Flood barriers and green roofs are useful, but strengthening home roofs plays a vital role. As communities adapt to stronger storms and higher insurance rates, resilience emerges as a key metric for smart cities. Investing in storm readiness can yield significant savings; every dollar spent on preparedness can save up to $7 during recovery.
Local governments increasingly adopt the FORTIFIED™ standard, which offers a practical framework for homeowners and municipalities. Developed by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), this approach sets rigorous performance criteria for roofing systems. A partnership between IBHS and GAF, North America’s largest roofing manufacturer, aims to make FORTIFIED™ roofs widely accessible. This collaboration focuses on science-based designs that withstand hurricane-force winds and heavy rain. As a result, homeowners can build stronger defenses against extreme weather.
Creating a Skilled Workforce for a Safer Future
A significant barrier to expanding resilience is workforce readiness. GAF’s Center for the Advancement of Roofing Excellence (CARE) trains contractors in FORTIFIED™ installations. So far, over 1,000 professionals from more than 500 companies have gained certification, forming a national network of skilled roofing experts. These efforts not only enhance community preparedness but also foster skilled trade opportunities.
States like Alabama and Louisiana incentivize FORTIFIED™ construction through grants and insurance benefits. Such initiatives demonstrate how cities can adapt policies to strengthen storm readiness. After implementing FORTIFIED™ standards, homes in Hurricane Sally’s path had 73% fewer insurance claims. When cities focus on resilient roofing, they enhance community stability, protect budgets, and ensure quicker recovery. By planning for future storms, cities become smarter and more resilient, promoting well-being for all residents.
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