Sep 4 2010
Blu Homes, Inc. today announced that its Blu and mkDesigns homes are designed to withstand wind loads of up to 120 mph. The company has now released an extended upgrade option that will withstand 180 mph winds with its specialized reinforced steel structures.
Blu|Homes and mkDesigns products are built with safety and durability in mind, utilizing a heavy gauge steel frame that allows families living on the Gulf Coast, Caribbean, Florida, and coastal regions throughout the U.S. to feel safer in their homes during the hurricane season.
Unlike traditional stick-built wooden houses, Blu's strong and durable steel frames make them suited for many high-wind areas, including the U.S. coastline now bracing for the impact of hurricane Earl. On the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, category 1 hurricanes have sustained winds of 74 - 95 mph and are capable of producing significant damage to homes, while category 5 hurricanes have sustained winds of more than 155 mph and are "catastrophic," causing widespread destruction. Standard Blu and mkDesigns homes can currently withstand wind intensities of a category 3 hurricane, and can be engineered to withstand the devastating winds up to a category 5.
Blu's team utilizes state of the art 3D modeling to assess each individual building site to determine its loading needs based on its location and ground topography, regardless of published wind loads. For extra protection, Blu's homes can also be outfitted with high performance hurricane-resistant windows.
Blu Homes will deliver its first homes to St. Croix, in the Caribbean, in 2011, where hurricane-force wind concerns are high. Lorraine Soucy, COO of Indigo Island Homes and distributor of Blu|Homes in the Caribbean region, explains, "We were excited to discover Blu|Homes, as their heavy duty framing system creates a safer haven for families on our island. Their proprietary steel framing system also allows us to ship inexpensively to the Caribbean, making these products an obvious choice for this environment."
"Hurricanes can huff and puff but they won't blow a Blu Home down!" said Maura McCarthy, co-founder and VP of sales & marketing. "With hurricane Earl around the corner, and storms Fiona and Gaston brewing in the tropics, Blu's uniquely solid construction gives homeowners peace of mind during even the most extreme weather conditions."
Source: http://www.bluhomes.com/