Building Codes and Climate Resilience

Editorial policy

Thank you for your interest in sharing a project, experience, or article with eampact. Please review our editorial policy to validate whether your story aligns with our objectives and mission. Please contact us through the contact us form if you would like to discuss with us or seek further clarifications.

eampact objectives and mission

eampact’s objective is to help people protect and improve their lives and property by conveying complex and scattered information about extreme environmental risks and associated solutions, all in a simple fashion and in one centralized location.

We aim to drive people to take action and better plan their future. It starts with bridging information gaps about how extreme events impact our homes and how to design and build against these risks by adding safety, comfort and resilience.

Focus areas and advocacy

• Climate Zones: North America has 8 different climate zones. Hot-Humid, Mixed-Humid, Hot-Dry, Mixed-Dry, Cold, Very Cold, Subarctic, Marine. Proper design and use of adequate materials can make the difference between a great investment in a resilient, energy efficient home, and a poor investment in an ongoing maintenance project. Social wisdom and community can educate, inspire and motivate people to do the right thing.

• Resilient and Green Products: when it comes to resilience, the biggest challenge with choosing the right product and / or professionals is the test of time and how the product or construction performed during and after an extreme event, and the damage it obtained. We are looking for proven, credited products and professionals that got the job done. And yes, we prefer environmentally friendly, green products and services.

• Innovation vs. Indigenous - innovation and new technologies are great, as long as they are proven and withstood the test of time and extreme events. However, don't shy away from sharing old school, indigenous wisdom that withstood the test of time, we want to hear and learn about any resilient strategy, new or old.

• Going local - sourcing local products help the environment (reduced shipping emissions) and local businesses (stronger, resilient community).

Editorial policy

“The policy”

Your voice and style matters - if you went through the challenges of figuring out the risks, finding the right solutions and professionals, and your resilient project prevailed - we want to hear it just like you experienced it. However, we do strive to provide our readers with professional information backed by data and sources of truth. Please make sure that:

• You add references to back the data and / or statements

• You add links to reputable sources

• There is no foul language, negative or tarnishment of people or companies

• You are the sole and legal owner of the content

• The said content is genuine, original and has not been shared before on competing websites / publications

Please note, that we may want to use good content and share it forward (on eampact or other media), therefore, we do ask to obtain non-exclusive, irrevocable, and royalty-free permission to use the content.

Sharing on eampact

As with our own blogs, our criteria for sharing your story is based on meeting these key objectives:

• The story educates people about environmental risks, solutions that work, products that perform well and professionals that do a great job and care about their customers

• Story is well written and targets the average reader, explains complex, professional and technical knowhow in layman terms

• Story is supported by great images, sketches or drawings of the solution

• Story is complementary to existing articles and data shared on eampact

Please note, we reserve the right to refuse a submission based on the criteria mentioned above as well as our team’s objectives and judgment. It may take us up to 30 business days to review your story and either publish it or return to you with further clarifications or revisions, however such iterations may not result in the publication of your story if it still doesn't meet or match our editorial objectives.

Recommend a product or professional policy

We list solution / product manufacturers that seem to demonstrate design and manufacturing of products that aim to protect home occupants and improve the resilience and durability of the home in respective climate zones and against extreme climate events.

In addition, we analyze and look at manufactures that:

• All or some of their products were either certified or tested with 3rd party organizations

• Strive for resilience and sustainability as a core value

• All or some of their products were processed or sourced from materials that are eco-friendly*

• Provide detailed product specifications in a transparent fashion

• Share product design, technical and environmental data

We list professionals that focus on design, planning and construction of homes that are durable and resilient against extreme environmental events, as well as aim to protect occupants and improve their safety and comfort during and after experiencing extreme environmental events.

In addition, we are looking for service providers that:

• Strive for resilience and sustainability as a core value.

• Hold a Certification / Accreditation to design and construct resilient solutions / projects and accomplished a minimum of 5 projects that constitute as “resilient”*

• Research, design, plan and construct homes or home solutions based on environmental data (as well as their client’s objectives)

• Promote and use eco-friendly products that were either certified or tested with 3rd party organizations to withstand environmental risks

*Our main aim is to find products that add resilience to homes in the face of extreme events. In addition, we believe all these products can be green / eco-friendly. However, in some cases we had to sacrifice some of our environmental aspirations and favor resilience, simply because we could not find a fully green alternative. In many cases, unless we adopt indigenous solutions, technology is still catching up to provide both resiliency and pure eco-friendly solutions at affordable costs. While new technologies and materials are great, their adoption takes time and requires caution until proven by means of certification, 3rd party testing and the test of time. In addition, products should be tested under different climate zone conditions, over time, in addition to how they perform during and after an extreme event.

Product listing policy

We list solution / product manufacturers that seem to demonstrate design and manufacturing of products that aim to protect home occupants and improve the resilience and durability of the home in respective climate zones and against extreme climate events.

In addition, we analyze and look at manufactures that:

• All or some of their products were either certified or tested with 3rd party organizations

• Strive for resilience and sustainability as a core value

• All or some of their products were processed or sourced from materials that are eco-friendly*

• Provide detailed product specifications in a transparent fashion

• Share product design, technical and environmental data

*Our main aim is to find products that add resilience to homes in the face of extreme events. In addition, we believe all these products can be green / eco-friendly. However, in some cases we had to sacrifice some of our environmental aspirations and favor resilience, simply because we could not find a fully green alternative. In many cases, unless we adopt indigenous solutions, technology is still catching up to provide both resiliency and pure eco-friendly solutions at affordable costs. While new technologies and materials are great, their adoption takes time and requires caution until proven by means of certification, 3rd party testing and the test of time. In addition, products should be tested under different climate zone conditions, over time, in addition to how they perform during and after an extreme event.

Professional listing policy

We list professionals that focus on design, planning and construction of homes that are durable and resilient against extreme environmental events, as well as aim to protect occupants and improve their safety and comfort during and after experiencing extreme environmental events.

In addition, we are looking for professionals / service providers that:

• Strive for resilience and sustainability as a core value

• Hold a Certification / Accreditation to design and construct resilient solutions / projects and accomplished a minimum of 5 projects that constitute as “resilient”*

• Research, design, plan and construct homes or home solutions based on environmental data (as well as their client’s objectives)

• Promote and use eco-friendly** products that were either certified or tested with 3rd party organizations to withstand environmental risks

*The following are top examples of what constitutes as a “resilient” project:

• Designed or constructed a house fully meeting IGCC code

• Designed or constructed a house fully meeting Miami Dade code

• Designed or constructed a house matching climate zone corresponding materials and design rules, adhering to 2018 IECC and DOE specifications code

• Designed or Installed fireproof Grade A roof

• Designed or Installed fireproof / WUI sidings, vents, windows and doors

• Designed or Installed earthquake resistant structure including bracing roof, walls, foundation with a continuous load

• Designed or Installed storm or high precipitation proof roofs, eaves, gables, sidings, windows and doors

• Designed or Elevated foundation, appliances, living spaces - flood prevention

• Designed or built a shelter room - storm or earthquake

• Designed or Installed energy backup systems for power outages

• Designed or Installed water storage or water filtration systems for water supply outages or contamination

• Designed or Installed roof, walls, foundation insulation - extreme temperatures

• Designed or Installed water catchment systems - drought

• Designed or built a green roof and / or rain garden - flood / high precipitation

• Designed or built a Certified PHI or PHIUS passive house

• Designed or built a Certified FORTIFIED house

• Designed or built a Certified LEED house with RELi rating and / or one of the above resilient features

• Designed or built a Certified REDi rating and / or one of the above resilient features
  
   

* Our main aim is to find products that add resiliency to homes in the face of extreme events, however, we prefer mentioning products that are green and eco-friendly.