60 THE COASTAL BEND MAGAZINE • Fall 2018 TheCoastalBend.com 60 THE COASTAL BEND MAGAZINE • Fall 2018 TheCoastalBend.com In the early 1980’s, the company shifted its focus to the residential market, and with it the name was changed to Deltec Homes. Design and floorplan option expanded to include wings, attached second structures, multi-story up to three levels, plus near-limitless exterior and interior options. At the core of the Deltec Homes story as it relates to the Coastal Bend, is the company’s 99.9% (yes, that is a verified statistic) structural survivability record over its 50-year history in the residential building industry. It is an as- tonishing record of success that proved true in Rockport and Holiday Beach, Texas, which, along with the northern end of Port Aransas, were hardest hit by Category 4 Hurricane Harvey. The same durability proved true this year in Mexico Beach, Florida, which was virtually obliterated by Hurricane Michael’s 150+ m.p.h., winds. An oval, yellow, Deltec home can be seen standing amid a sea of rubble. In addition to storm survival, Deltec is ahead of the building industry in cre- ating designs that achieve maximum energy efficiency in both cold and hot conditions. Each home is built with an airtight structural shell, from framing to finish, that is paired with efficiency options like highly insulated walls and floors, double-paned windows, and passive solar features. Deltec homes achieve“Net-Zero”energy usage when equipped with solar panels, fewer of which are required due to the structure’s airtight design— this means that many Deltec owners have eliminated heating and cooling bills entirely, and others are enjoying the lowest bills in the neighborhood. Structural components for each Deltec home are produced at the com- pany’s manufacturing facility, and shipped as kits to local builders who specialize in assembling Deltec structures. These homes can be built-out in any way you can imagine, from a simple cottage to a circular mansion. 1.Wind can’t build up enough pressure on any side to cause a structural failure. 2. Optimum roof pitch (6/12) for wind deflection and reduced lift. 3. Circular structure transfers envi- ronmental loads most efficiently. 4. Radial floor & roof trusses work like spokes on a wheel. 5. Energy from wind is dispersed instead of building up in a single area. 6. Machine rated 2400 psi framing lumber used in trusses and walls is twice as strong as typical framing material. 7. Five Ply 5/8”plywood sheathing used instead of OSB on exterior walls, roof and floor strengthens the home and prevents flying de- bris from penetrating the structure 8. Reinforced windows with im- pact glass prevent wind and water from entering the home 9. Oversized truss hangers keep roof system anchored to walls 10.Walls have multiple construc- tion ties to the floor system for structural stability and to transfer shear forces. 11. Continuous metal strapping from roof trusses to foundation helps maintain structural stability 12. Solar water heater provides uninterrupted hot water 13. Enhanced insulation main- tains a balanced temperature inside the home l Reflective metal roof helps reduce radiant heat gain in the home 14. Passive solar design helps heat and cool the building through appropriate window placement The engineering behind Deltec survivability