The Dept. of Homeland Security is currently soliciting applications from builders, contractors and homeowners interested in getting involved in DHS’ Resilience STAR Home Pilot Project. The goal of the program, which focuses only on single-family houses, is to promote building design that “recognizes best practices that help make buildings more resilient” to certain natural disasters, says DHS.
The government-led, public-private initiative will allow the private sector to identify and designate Resilience STAR homes that are voluntarily built or remodeled and contain affordable and proven features to enhance resilience.
The designation, which is modeled after the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR campaign, will be given to structures that are built to withstand damage from certain disasters, utilizing the standards and third-party verification process in the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety’s FORTIFIED programs.
The first pilot project will take place in the next few months along the hurricane-prone Gulf Coast. Once the initial pilot project is completed, DHS intends to seek approval to expand the program to multifamily and commercial buildings.
