The Science Behind Hurricane-Resistant Homes

FORTIFIED is a voluntary construction and re-roofing standard developed by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), a nonprofit research organization funded by the insurance industry. Unlike building codes that focus on life safety, FORTIFIED specifically addresses property protection and rapid recovery after disasters.

FORTIFIED isn't just another building standard—it's the result of decades of research at the IBHS Research Center in South Carolina, where full-scale homes undergo Category 3 hurricane testing. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) validates these methods, while FEMA's Building Science Branch incorporates FORTIFIED into federal resilience guidelines.

Research from North Carolina State University's Department of Civil Engineering confirms FORTIFIED homes experience 73% fewer insurance claims. The University of Florida's Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure documented similar results after Hurricane Michael.

The North Carolina Department of Insurance recognizes FORTIFIED as exceeding state building codes. NOAA's National Hurricane Center recommends FORTIFIED construction in their hurricane preparedness materials.