In the face of nature’s power forces, creating tough housing that can handle nature’s extremes makes sense. Green Builder Media has just launched a web site devoted to the art and science of building homes that can withstand virtually anything. 

Included are the documents, plans, articles and video guides to guide you through the process of putting up the strongest houses current technology allows. 

And we’ve gathered some of the most useful information into a handy new ebook, Super Shelter, that you can download for free.

In this book, you’ll find a wealth of information about resilient housing through case studies of eight unique homes that showcase nonconventional structural systems, demonstrating the strength, efficiency, and durability that will see them through whatever the next century holds. 

It includes detailed information on fire proofing, storm proofing, building for strength, providing energy in an emergency, and a host of products that you should consider if you are building a sustainable, durable green home. The book covers these building systems: 

• aerated autoclaved concrete
• ClayStraw
• TimberFrame
• modular
• DoubleShell Building system 
• log homes
• rammed earth 

While new technologies and building practices take center stage in the book, we haven’t forgotten that houses are put up by people. Safe job sites, realistic schedules, and being part of the new vanguard of housing is important to you tradespeople. And the having the right equipment for the job is up there in importance as well. We partnered with boot manufacturer Keen to offer you a chance to win a pair of American-made durable work boots—perfect for keeping you “resilient” while the building gets done.

Chalk it up to luck, I suppose, but a few weeks back we missed the only real snowstorm to hit our corner of the world this winter because we were traveling elsewhere on business. We received email reports from folks in the neighborhood that our hilly country lane was totally impassible due to ice and wet, deep snow plus plenty of downed trees, and their daily updates indicated that the situation remained unchanged for almost a week.

Executive Summary:

In the second half of 2012, the State was considering an update of its energy code. The Code Advisory Board (CAB) was recommending a minor step up from the 2009 IECC, while the codes and standards division was contemplating an endorsement of the 2012 IECC. Then everything changed, when Superstorm Sandy struck the Northeast, and the focus shifted to recovery. But even Sandy wasn’t strong enough to wash this decision away, and in some regards, it may have brought an even bigger problem ashore.

The State Energy Code

AFTER HITTING A REEF OFF THE ITALIAN COAST AND RUNNING ACROUND at Isolo del Giglio, Tuscany, on the night of January 13th, the luxury cruise vessel Costa Concordia partially sank, requiring the evacuation of the more than 4,000 people on board. At least thirty lives were lost and more than twice that number were injured.