Escambia County Windstorm Damage Mitigation, Training & Demonstration Center

The University of Florida / Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) / Escambia County Extension office is happy to announce that construction of the new Regional Windstorm Damage Mitigation Training and Demonstration Center was completed in March 2000. Funding for this project is courtesy of the Florida Department of Insurance. Technical support is provided by the University of Florida Energy Extension Service (FEES). Additionally, several donors contributed to this project.

The Florida Department of Insurance entered into a contract with the Shimberg Center for Affordable Housing at the University of Florida to supervise the design and construction of several "Hurricane Houses." These Hurricane Houses are located in various areas around the state.

The concept of the training and demonstration center was to construct an educational facility using materials, products and methods of construction which are available to mitigate damage, enhance survivability and protect the occupants of residential structures during high wind storms such as hurricanes. In addition, energy efficiency was built into the structure. The materials, products and methods used can be applied to new structures during construction and in retrofitting existing structures in order to mitigate damage and improve survivability and efficiency.

An exhibit area for showing products and materials, a reference/conference room for research and meetings, and print materials are located in the training and demonstration center. The information available will applies to single family residential, duplex and small commercial buildings.

A training room with a 40-person capacity is also part of the center. An exterior wall of the training room was built using three different methods, "typical" wood frame construction; "typical" concrete block construction; and an alternative, insulated, concrete-form building system. Cut-away sections covered with transparent materials can be found in these wall sections to reveal internal structural features. These transparent panels will provide visual access to connectors, fasteners, reinforcing, and other structural features that either can be added to existing structures or incorporated as part of the alternative building systems which increase wind resistance of the structure.

The anticipated audiences, to be served by the displays and the educational programs at the center, includes: designers, architects, home designers, builders, building tradesmen, inspectors, building material suppliers, real estate agents, property appraisers, insurers, mortgage lenders, home improvement contractors and the general public. Programming will be developed to serve K-12 school students, as well as adults. Users of the training and demonstration center will gain a knowledge of the products, materials and techniques available to mitigate damage from high winds and termites in new construction or by retrofitting existing structures.

The Windstorm Damage Mitigation Training and Demonstration Center serves as the Gulf Coast regional facility to disseminate information related to all aspects of enhancing the wind resistance of existing and new housing. The facility is located on the campus of the Escambia County Extension office, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment (Pensacola), Florida. For more information, contact George Rogers, Windstorm Damage Mitigation/Energy Agent at (850) 475-5230 or by e-mail.

Tours of the facility may be arranged by calling the above number.