ST. CROIX, Virgin Islands – The USVI Department of Planning and Natural Resources and FEMA are sponsoring a meeting on Tuesday, April 24, to introduce the fourth edition of The Stronger Home Guide. Builders, contractors and other construction professionals, as well as homeowners and the general public are welcome to attend. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. at the University of the Virgin Islands on St. Croix. Similar meetings will take place in May on St. Thomas and St. John.
This is the first update of the guide since 1996. It incorporates and describes the requirements of the revised USVI Building Code. These changes reflect the latest building science research on improving the resilience of structures. Among other things, the new requirements affect how roofs, walls, and foundations are designed and built.
“This stronger homes revision has significant changes due to its incorporation of our latest building code requirements,” said DPNR Commissioner Dawn L. Henry Esq. “These are the guidelines that we are now applying for the authorization of building permits.”
The code updates will make structures safer and stronger, better able to withstand hurricane force winds and flooding. Incorporation of the latest advancements in building design and technology and application of lessons learned from prior disasters, facilitates building safer, stronger, more resilient communities.
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