Designed For Disaster: These Homes Can Withstand A Category 5 Hurricane

"As climate change fuels more intense storms, Deltec and other companies build hurricane-proof homes"

"Looking at a brochure from Deltec Homes feels like watching an episode of HGTV’s “House Hunters” — beachfront homes with ornate patios and panoramic windows overlook pristine ocean views.

It’s hard to believe that the same quaint, debonair homes are built to withstand Mother Nature’s ultimate test — a Category 5 hurricane.

It’s something they’ve done before, and will inevitably do again. And in an era marked by strengthening storms and rising seas due to climate change, Deltec Homes has made a business of building for the extreme.

Deltec is one of a number of companies that designs, builds and sells custom hurricane-proof homes. The group was born in the 1950s when two brothers — one an engineer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the other an entrepreneur — began experimenting with the idea of marketing homes designed to survive the inconceivable. Since then, Deltec has contributed to the design installation of more than 5,000 homes worldwide."

Matthew Cappucci reports for the Washington Post May 16, 2021.

Source: Washington Post, 05/17/2021