According to the American Red Cross, 850,791 housing units were damaged, destroyed or left inaccessible in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. As a result, the U.S. is currently in the midst of the largest home-rebuilding effort in recent history.

Designed to raise national awareness of the need to build more disaster-resistant homes, the NextGen Demonstration Home, which was on display at the 2007 International Builders' Show allowed visitors to be the "First to the Future" of homebuilding.

Constructed to the Institute for Business & Home Safety's (IBHS) Fortified…for safer living^® program, which increases a new home's resistance to natural disaster from the ground up, the "First to the Future" Home showcased the latest technologies selected by PATH (Partnership for the Advancement of Technology in Housing). For the 2007 International Builders' Show, the 2,700-square-foot structure was erected in the parking lot of the Orlando Convention Center.  The Home was the first-ever two-story house in the NextGen program. The first floor was completely finished, showcasing some of the finest home furnishings and décor. A climb to the second floor featured a less finished appearance with various cut outs providing a comprehensive look into the home's "hidden assets" ---items like insulation that typically aren't visible in a finished home.

Build tighter, for a brighter future
Icynene^® also contributes to storm-resistant construction techniques. Applied directly to the underside of the roof deck it creates an unvented conditioned attic assembly. This minimizes the potential for wind, and the laterally-driven rainwater carried with it, to enter the attic space. By adding durability, Icynene^® helps protect the home from moisture-related storm damage to minimize the potential of mold and mildew growth.

Icynene gives NextGen some color
Adding a little “green” to the NextGen Home is easy when insulating with Icynene^®. The material is 100% water-blown and does not emit harmful gases in its cured form, whereas other insulation can continue to off-gas over time. Not only would these harmful emissions compromise indoor air quality, but they would also diminish the insulation's rated R-value. Icynene^® is guaranteed to last the life of the building, eliminating the need to re-install additional material in the future and thereby reducing the impact to the environment.

For more information on the 2007 NextGen “First to the Future” Home, click here.

To contact an Icynene Licensed Dealer in your area click here.

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