Securing Property From Potential Storm Damage

[Todd Renshaw]

I got two words for you ... pyramid homes. It's the wave of the future.

 

[Stephen Levine]

The problem with current building standards is straight, flat walls.
The other problem with current building standards is that this is the same way we have been building since time out of mind. The reason we have built this way in the past is that we were not technically nor mechanically nor mentally adept enough to build anything other than in straight lines. Or if we did produce something with a correct curve- it took a monstrous amount of difficulty in all three arenas. Today we have evolved past the technological and mechanical barrier.

Regardless, now we build this way because companies have built up entire industrial sectors surrounding the flat wall design. The problem with changing that comes down to a.laziness and b.complacency. "But that's the way we always done things by gum!" This standard building industry pr machine has attacked (sometimes ferociously) any other design- especially dome-styles- in an attempt to maintain the status quo. I have personally visited the dome home in Florida referenced by the OP. There was still debris scattered around at the time from Hurricane Ivan but the Dome was literally unscathed.
Not only that- but it is beautiful - story and pictures here: http://www.monolithic.com/stories/feature-home-doah

This home literally cost less to build than any of it's recently built neighbors- all of which were devastated by the hurricanes.

The problem comes down to this; before we can change our ways, we need to change our minds. The building industry could stop keeping people hostage to literally ancient building design and develop an entirely new sector in materials, design, acoutrements, etc and open up new manufacturing model of everything from plumbing to furniture.

Beautiful point. I especially love your last paragraph. As one who loves storms profoundly yet cringe when I see the fragile homes built/rebuilt in their path, I would like to see zoning laws enhanced to allow for Dome construction homes (and other proven storm resistant homes) in all suburbs. Besides being tornado proof up to F-5, regardless of debris from neighbors, Dome homes rate energy efficiency R-55, and are also earthquake proof, flood resistant, termite proof and wildfire resistant - one survived a California wildfire with just exterior charring. One article that I read within the last 10 years (I don't remember where) pointed out that it was structures with dome roofs that survived bombings in Europe during WWII. Also I would love to have a home like that home in Florida that you mentioned. In fact, it's on my "treasure map".