Relationship between Residential Losses and Hurricane Winds: Role of the Florida Building Code

Abstract

The effectiveness of the Florida Building Code (FBC) against the impacts of wind speed, duration of strong winds, and wind directional change is quantified. For seven historical hurricanes that impacted Florida during 24 and 25, wind speed, duration, and directional change are significantly correlated with insured wind loss. Loss increases loglinearly with wind speed, loss has a step-function relationship with directional change, and duration effects are only important for minor hurricanes. Loss is most sensitive to major hurricane wind speeds, followed closely by minor hurricane wind speeds, and is less sensitive to duration and directional change. A multiple regression analysis finds that homes built after the implementation of a statewide FBC in the early 2s experience significantly lower losses than homes built in the previous decade, in agreement with previous literature. The total effect of the FBC in reducing losses appears to be effective against wind speed, wind duration, and wind directional change effects. Understanding the importance of different wind parameters in driving loss, combined with assessments of how building codes perform against those parameters, may inform effective building code development.