28/09/2019
After Hurricane Fabian, a Cat 3 storm that hit Bermuda in September 2003, Munich Re, one of the largest reinsurance companies in the world went in to carry out an assessment. Here are some of the things they said:
"Stringent building codes, good code enforcement, and sound construction practices in Bermuda significantly reduced wind damage to all classes of buildings."
Residential Buildings:
"........the style of roof construction in Bermuda is probably the biggest reason why residential damage was minor."
"Bermuda roofs, designed to catch rainwater for consumption, are usually hip roofs, one of the more wind-resistant roof styles."
General Discussion:
"Bermuda forms of construction and roofing held up to the winds of a major hurricane. Buildings with wood and asphalt roofs fared much worse, and the resulting damage and water pe*******on was extensive. Had this type of roofing been more common, a storm of Fabian’s magnitude could have inflicted more extensive damage."
For the record, having been born and raised in Bermuda, I am only aware of a few buildings that do not have Bermuda Roofs and my understanding is that these were allowed only under special permission and circumstances.
