Page 46 - Green Builder Magazine Jan-Feb 2018 Issue

to meet the bare bones minimum, and we’re going
to have to turn that thinking around. We cannot
continue to develop just for the bottom line. We’re
going to have to develop in smart, resilient ways.
Otherwise, Houston is going to be forever known
as the flood capital of the United States.
e360: Your center and Texas A&M at Galveston have
put forth various proposals to protect the region from
storm surge. The Texas state legislature and local
officials are now supporting the so-called coastal
spine, or “Ike Dike,” a series of floodgates along
the coast that can be closed when needed. In April,
Texas land commissioner, George P. Bush, asked
President Trump for $15 billion to build the project. CREDIT: CIRA
If that money doesn’t come through, then what?
Bedient: I hope it does. I hope that we begin to do Eye of fury. When it hit land in late August 2017, Hurricane Harvey became the most
something. It’s been nine years since Ike. We’ll see. destructive natural disaster in U.S. history, causing $199 billion in property damage.
But I’m also [not] going to be surprised to see… a competition for I’m not in any position to try to make those political decisions, but
money for inland flood defense, which is what just happened here. hopefully, the right decisions get made about how to spread the
This wasn’t a surge event. We had no surge at all. It was all inland money around appropriately to protect all of the critical facilities,
flooding. Monies are going to begin to flow, but the question is, all these neighborhoods, as well as the coastline.
what are they going to be used for? And what is their best purpose? e360: What does the SSPEED Center’s modeling tell us about a worst-

The Foam Factor

After the big one hits, here’s how to keep residential flood

and water damage to a minimum.

CROSS THE U.S.A. and Power cells
Canada, heavy rainfall and When seeking methods to reduce the risk of water
flooding have caused millions ingress, spray foam insulation is often overlooked
of dollars in damage, lost as a comprehensive solution that can help play a
revenue, damaged crops and role to keep out moisture and deter flood damage.
homes. Hurricane Harvey However, spray foam insulation can be a key
A ravaged southern Texas component in the design of building assemblies
and the nation’s fourth largest city, Houston, against future disaster-driven damage. Both
flooding vast areas of the region—and Hurricane open-cell and closed-cell spray foam insulation
Irma pounded Florida, Puerto Rico and much of can be used throughout a residential or commercial
the Caribbean with high winds and downpour. In structure to manage and minimize moisture ingress.
British Columbia, a tough spell of raging wildfires When it comes to addressing moisture, open-
over the summer made heavy rainfalls a greater cell foam is better suited for use against building
threat in fall. materials that can be damaged by water buildup.
Water ingress resulting from storm surges, When applied against these types of materials
high rainfalls and flooding can cause massive (e.g., exterior wood sheathing), particularly in hot or
damage to the typical home. When water ingress CREDIT: ICYNENE humid climates, insulation should allow just enough
occurs from extreme weather events, it becomes moisture diffusion to occur to let adjacent building
necessary to assess extent of damage and materials breathe, preventing moisture entrapment.
contamination, debris removal requirements, and The dry look. Closed-cell spray foam such Open-cell foam delivers this “breathability” and
as Icynene ProSeal can act as a water-
how to reconstruct or repair to reduce probability resistant barrier and provide additional allows building materials to dry, minimizing moisture
of similar damage in the future. “racking” strength vs. high-powered winds. buildup and related problems, such as mold.

44 GREEN BUILDER January/February 2018 www.greenbuildermedia.com

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