Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com May 16, 2016 • Hartford Business Journal 3 CT weighs tougher building codes to combat climate change By John Stearns jstearns@HartfordBusiness.com T he homebuilding industry is taking a wait-and-see approach to Gov. Dan- nel P. Malloy's recent executive order directing state agencies to strengthen build- ing codes in response to climate change. Homebuilders aren't opposed to stron- ger codes where necessary, particularly in wind-prone areas along the coast, but want decisions based on sound research and cost- benefit analyses. Most importantly, they don't want regulations that price customers out of the market, said Bob Hanbury, a longtime builder and co-owner of Newington-based House of Hanbury Builders Inc., which does residential remodeling and additions. Hanbury is active in the industry, including serving on committees for the International Existing Building Code and on the board of the Home Builders & Remodelers Associa- tion of Connecticut Inc. "The motives are good, we just want to make sure the outcomes are as good as the motives," Hanbury said. Executive order In April, Malloy issued an executive order instructing the Department of Administrative Services, Department of Energy and Environ- mental Protection (DEEP) and the Insurance Department to work with the Office of the State Building Inspector to ensure that the next revision to the State Building Code con- tains standards that increase the resiliency of new and renovated homes and buildings. Malloy hasn't proposed anything specific, but said measures to consider include sealing seams in roof decks to guard against water infiltration if shingles blow off; stronger tie- downs of roofs to building structures; and impact-resistant glass in high-wind areas. Many measures to make buildings more resilient are relatively inexpensive, he said. He also cited research that every $1 spent on resil- iency measures can save $4 in insurance claims. The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) backed Malloy's recom- mendations. The institute released a report last year on the progress of 18 hurricane- prone coastal states along the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Coast in strengthening their residential building-code systems. Connecticut scored 88 out of a possible 100, ranking it fifth best among the 18 states, up from a score of 81 in 2012. Top-rated states have strong statewide residential building codes and regulatory processes for building officials, homebuilders and residential construction contractors, IBHS said. It evaluated 47 key data points to assess the effectiveness of states' residential-building- code programs, including code adoption and enforcement; building official training and certification; and licensing requirements for construction trades that implement building code provisions, IBHS added. IBHS cited a study conducted by Texas A&M University on hurricane-related build- ing requirements in Texas that found the ben- efits of adopting the code provisions exceed- ed the costs by a factor of 4.5 to 7. Timothy Reinhold, senior vice president, research and chief engineer at IBHS, cited a study done at the organization's South Caro- lina research center that tested a duplex in a hurricane simulation. One side of the duplex had its roof deck sealed, at a cost of about $500, the other didn't. The differences in estimated losses between the two sides were about $10,000, he said, or 20 times the cost of sealing. Hanbury would like to see homeowners get a reduction on insurance premiums for build- ing to higher standards that will save insurers in disasters. Reinhold said some insurers offer incentives, but it differs from state to state. Builders want standards that make sense and don't price customers out of the market, Hanbury said. "Will people be able to buy an affordable Continued Bob Hanbury, co-owner of House of Hanbury Builders Inc., seen here at a project his company is doing to expand a veterinary clinic in Farmington, says Connecticut builders already have a strong record of compliance with building codes, from design to construction to inspection. He supports stronger building codes that make sense for the area they're applied. H B J P H O T O | J O H N S T E A R N S www.kelsercorp.com/cybercrime www.kelsercorp.com 111 Roberts St, Suite D East Hartford, CT 06108 860 610 2200 Secure them. Students trust you with their school records.

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