Homeowners in the U.S can build and improve their homes to be more resilient to increasing climate extremes. We aim to educate homeowners about climate related risks and opportunities to reduce potential damage to homes and save lives.
In this series of blogs, we share stories of climate-resilient homes. Not only homes that were designed to be resilient, but homes that proved their resilience by withstanding extreme weather events.
The Black and White Beach House is such an example.
The residential property was designed by unabridged Architecture. It was completed in 2019 and already managed to withstand Hurricane Zeta in 2020, Hurricane Ida in 2021, and smaller tropical disturbances.
The project was designed primarily to address the climate risk of hurricanes and associated storm surge and flooding. The site is located along the northern Gulf of Mexico, on the waterfront. This is the location where Hurricane Katrina damaged many houses and claimed lives.
The project’s site sits along a sandy coastal ridge, with the beach at the front, and a bayou in the back. Both the beach and the bayou pose a risk of flooding in the event of intense rainfall or coastal surge.
In hot, humid Mississippi, another risk to keep in mind is the threat of high temperatures for prolonged periods.
unabridged Architecture
“We have been building along the Gulf Coast since 1995 and have experienced the devastating effects of hurricanes on our community. In 2005 we had just completed two new projects – a 22-room retreat center and a new house. One was completely lost while the other was just slightly damaged. Both were designed to be sustainable, but it was a wake-up call that sustainability isn’t equivalent to resilience”.
Allison and John Anderson, unabridged Architecture, see a growing market demand for climate adaptation. “Many of our clients come to us specifically looking for ways to reduce vulnerability, especially if they have been through a prior event. Communities, too, are looking for solutions, and since we work at many scales, we can show them how to build in multiple benefits for their residents and visitors”.
Climate Resilience Strategies
To address the mentioned risks in the location of the property, unabridged Architecture incorporated the following climate adaptation strategies to minimize damage to the house and to protect its occupants:
Hurricanes
Z-Clip by Simpson Strong-Tie
Floods
Floor Elevation and Permeable Surfaces
Heat Waves
The Wrap-Around Porch and Large Oak Tree Provide Shade
Climate Zone Adaptation Strategies
Shou Sugi Ban by Delta Millworks
Building Codes
The city in which the property stands has adopted the ICC building codes.
The project was designed above code for greater longevity in the following areas:
Voluntary Third Party Standards/Certifications
Allison and John Anderson were the first LEED Accredited Professionals in Louisiana and Mississippi.
They designed the Black and White Beach House to meet FORTIFIED Gold but did not go through the process of certification.
unabridged Architecture’s previous experience building FORTIFIED certified houses enlightened them on the low demand for private homes certifications in that area.
Mississippi’s insurance program doesn’t provide a standardized discount for certification.
Third-party certifications provide an additional layer of verification that the project meets its goals. Yet, with a lack of incentives, there is low motivation to go through the certification process.
Overcoming Potential Challenges
Numerous challenges typically emerge in the design and construction processes and have the potential to amplify when it comes to building for climate resilient homes. Examples are budget, communication among the different service providers and the customers, and lack of sufficient understanding of climate adaptation strategies.
In addition, a structural engineer was consulted, to define wind loads and shear walls.
Helpful Tools
The project’s site is within the Andersons’ hometown. They are familiar with how the water moves through the watersheds, they have seen the results of major hurricanes and analyzed which structures survived. Their experience is a solid foundation for designing for climate risks mitigation. Yet, they consult with additional resources and tools to complete their understanding, which they chose to share:
Data Resources
Additional Adaptation Strategies and Resources
Sharing the Climate-Resilient Design Knowledge
Alongside their demanding design commitments, Allison Anderson works diligently on sharing her climate-resilient design education and experience in various forms:
Anderson believes that sustainability and resilience should be considered and addressed before a project starts. Planning and designing should be done for the long term: “think about where you build as much as what you build, don’t design in ways that make future adaptation harder or more resistant to change (path dependence), what should be the service life in each project? will the building still perform in 100 or 200 years”?
Final Thoughts
The Black and White Beach House proves that with proper climate adaptation strategies, a structure can perform well and protect its occupants during extreme weather events.
Designing with climate risks in mind may be more complicated since new multiple threatening factors go into the equation, yet, it’s feasible.
Adapting to climate change and future extreme events can be done by acquiring existing education and information, factoring in all aspects at the beginning of the design, and making sure the goals are clear and communicable.
Fortunately, a sustainable and resilient design doesn’t necessarily increase the cost of the project and definitely doesn’t take away from its beauty.
This story demonstrates the value of local expertise. There is no substitute to working with local, skilled Architects, Designers, Engineers, and Contractors that understand the macro and microclimate, environmental risks, and solutions, an contribute to building the climate resilient economy. While building codes (mandatory) and certifications (voluntary beyond code excellence) help reach climate adaptation, trustworthy knowledgeable professionals make sure those goals are met.
In their design, the Andersons give thorough consideration to the location, the lay of the land, the environment, the structures, and the occupants. They apply their local and academic know-how, decide where to design above the code, think broadly about the future’s structure, and how to bring all stakeholders to meet the desired goals. We believe this is the way to build a resilient future.
We applaud unabridged Architecture for making the effort to share their acquired knowledge for the benefit of other homeowners in their community and the U.S. We also thank them for leading the way and showcasing their designs, proving that homes can be comfortable, beautiful, and safe, even in the face of a changing climate.
Climate Resilient Boulder
2022-04-28What is Climate Adaptation
2021-09-12Lead by Example
2022-02-09Kansas City, Path to Climate Resilience
2021-11-10Monroe County, Path to Climate Resilience
2021-12-16eampact blogs, articles, service and product references are not intended for design, planning, purchasing and construction of homes. eampact is not an architect, engineer, contractor or product manufacturer, and does not practice or provide products, design or construction services. eampact blogs, articles, services and product references are for informational purposes only and are not intended for design, planning, purchasing and construction of homes, nor are they a substitute for consulting with professionals / professional advice.
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