NEW ORLEANS—Many of the citizens of the Gulf Coast have one goal for their new homes—storm resistance.

Lori Cummings, a homeowner in Fort Deposit, Ala., shared that desire. In 2004, she saw the damage Hurricane Ivan did to her community and wanted her new home to withstand the next hurricane.

“As far as I was concerned, concrete was the only choice for building my new home," Cummings said.

Cummings found the resources and information she needed at www.concretehomes.com, a Web site sponsored by the Portland Cement Association. The site provides homeowners and builders access to ready-to-use plans that have been specifically designed for popular concrete building systems, contact information to find a local builder, information for regional suppliers of the systems, and resource for other concrete products.

Today, an increasing number of American homeowners are choosing concrete building systems. In 2004, one out of every six single-family homes built in the U.S. utilized exterior above-grade concrete wall systems such as insulating concrete forms (ICFs) or concrete masonry, or other cement-based systems.

“Concrete homes meet both of the criteria needed to protect occupants in a deadly storm—structural integrity and missile shielding ability,” Jim Niehoff of Portland Cement Association said. “Laboratory testing at the Wind Engineering Research Center of Texas Tech University compared the impact resistance of residential concrete wall construction to conventional wood-framed walls. The frame walls failed to stop the penetration of airborne hazards. The concrete walls successfully demonstrated their strength."

Cummings is glad she visited www.concretehomes.com during her Web research and worries less about the next storm season.

“Not only is my home beautiful, but it is safe,” she said.

About PCA
Based in Skokie, Ill., the Portland Cement Association represents cement companies in the United States and Canada. It conducts market development, engineering, research, education, and public affairs programs.