Key Takeaways
- Robert Balzebre applied post-Hurricane Andrew construction principles from South Florida to build a fire-resistant home in the Hollywood Hills.
- Hurricane- and fire-resistant construction share core ideas such as sealed envelopes, impact-resistant openings, non-combustible materials, and continuous load paths.
- Material choices like steel framing, tempered glass, fiber cement siding, and fire-rated stucco reduce both wildfire and storm-related failure risks.
- Insurance markets in both Florida and California increasingly reward resilient construction through lower premiums and better insurability.
- Building beyond minimum code requirements significantly improves survival rates and long-term property value in disaster-prone regions.
Hurricane Andrew destroyed 63,000 homes and damaged 100,000 more when it struck South Florida in 1992, triggering a complete overhaul of Florida’s building codes. Structures built to post-Andrew standards show up to 80% less damage during storms, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management. Miami-based developer Robert Balzebre, who experienced seven or eight hurricanes in South Florida, applied those construction methods to a Hollywood Hills property he purchased in 2014.
South Florida’s Post-Andrew Building Code Overhaul
Before 1992, more than 400 different building codes existed across Florida, with inconsistent enforcement. Staples instead of nails attached roofs to homes. Particle board and low-grade plywood were standard materials. Andrew’s 175 mph winds exposed these deficiencies.
“It happened organically, coming from South Florida and having been through at least seven or eight different hurricanes,” Balzebre said.
Florida’s post-Andrew codes mandated impact-resistant windows, hurricane straps connecting roofs to walls and walls to foundations, reinforced concrete construction, and elimination of materials like particle board. Miami-Dade and Broward counties established High-Velocity Hurricane Zones requiring lab-tested wind resistance for a building’s entire envelope. The first statewide Florida Building Code took effect in 2002.
National Association of Home Builders analysis of 1,100 Florida homes after Hurricanes Harvey and Irma found that structures built after 1994 sustained significantly lower damage levels to roof and wall coverings than older homes.
Seasonal Construction Planning
“We were always building in South Florida to be prepared for disaster, to be prepared for hurricane season,” Balzebre said. “Similarly in California, they have wildfire season.”
Hurricane season runs from June through November. California wildfire season typically spans late summer through fall, intensifying during Santa Ana wind events. Florida developers build assuming hurricanes will occur within a defined annual window; Balzebre applied the same framework to California wildfires.
“I saw that these wildfires were creeping up more and more, and so while we were in the process of building the home, working with my architect, we decided to implement the best techniques we could to prevent those types of disasters.”
Shared Principles Between Hurricane and Fire Resistance
Hurricane-resistant and fire-resistant construction addresses different physical forces but shares core requirements: sealed building envelopes, impact-resistant glass, non-combustible materials, and elimination of entry points.
Hurricane construction prevents wind from entering and pressurizing structures. When windows break or roof sheathing fails, internal pressure can lift roofs. Florida codes require impact-resistant glass capable of withstanding debris at hurricane speeds. Roofs connect mechanically through walls to foundations using hurricane straps.
Fire-resistant construction prevents ember intrusion. Embers penetrate through vents, gaps in roof lines, and standard windows. The Hollywood Hills renovation eliminated traditional roof overhangs, sealed potential entry points, and installed tempered glass rated to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Common requirements include:
- Sealed Envelope: Complete barrier against wind/pressure or embers/flame
- Impact-Resistant Openings: Windows and doors rated for projectile strikes or extreme heat
- Non-Combustible Structure: Steel, concrete, or fire-rated materials replacing wood
- Continuous Load Path: Mechanical connections preventing component separation
Steel framing withstands both high winds and flames. Concrete block resists lateral hurricane forces and provides fire resistance. Fiber cement siding rated for 200 mph winds is also fireproof.
Material Specifications
Balzebre’s Hollywood Hills property used steel staircases and railings instead of wood. Ipe hardwood decking, with fire resistance ratings equivalent to concrete, replaced standard lumber. Fleetwood aluminum window frames replaced wood.
Florida’s post-Andrew codes established performance standards for each building component. Roofing materials must resist uplift forces. Windows must withstand impacts from 2×4 lumber at specified velocities. Wall assemblies must maintain integrity under sustained wind loads. Balzebre selected materials meeting equivalent fire-resistance performance criteria.
Designer Abeer Sweis implemented a rubberized asphalt roof membrane sealed to exterior stucco, creating a continuous envelope. Class A fire-resistant stucco extended to the wall bottoms and was flashed underneath. Traditional vents were removed. Each specification addressed a documented failure mode from wildfire research, paralleling how Florida codes addressed failures observed during Andrew.
Insurance Market Patterns
Hurricane Andrew caused $16 billion in insured losses (1992 dollars). Florida insurers increased premiums and tightened underwriting. Companies that wrote policies without regard to construction quality failed or withdrew.
California’s post-wildfire insurance market follows the same pattern. Insurers have stopped writing new policies in high-risk zones. Premiums increase by an average of 33% after wildfire events. Fire-resistant construction receives premium reductions up to 30%.
Balzebre’s fire-resistant materials cost more upfront: 20% premium for tempered glass, double the cost for fire-rated wood. Florida developers made similar calculations when impact windows cost more than standard glazing. Both markets show that construction upgrades offset initial premiums through insurance savings and avoided repair costs.
Comparative Survival Data
Hurricane Ian struck Florida in 2022. Post-storm assessments documented different outcomes based on the construction era. One Fort Myers Beach aerial photograph showed a single 2020-built home intact among 18 leveled structures built before 1981. CoreLogic data showed wind-related losses doubled for structures built before 1996.
Balzebre’s Hollywood Hills property faced testing during the January 2025 wildfires. His home sat geographically between Palisades Fire to the west and Eaton Fire to the east, with Sunset Fire near Runyon Canyon. An earlier Malibu-area fire around 2018 or 2019 required evacuating his hillside.
Florida data shows survival rates of 18% for pre-code homes versus 51% for code-compliant structures during major hurricanes. California Camp Fire data shows 38.5% survival for post-code homes versus 11.5% for pre-1997 construction.
Cross-Market Application
Balzebre’s portfolio includes properties in Miami (hurricanes), New Orleans (hurricanes and flooding), and Los Angeles (wildfires), with additional holdings in Texas and Illinois.
Michael Rimoldi, senior vice president at the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, has noted that places without up-to-date building codes “are often where you see the most impacts from even the most minor storms.”
California’s Chapter 7A wildfire codes, enacted in 2008, established standards similar to Florida’s post-Andrew requirements: performance criteria for exterior materials, vents, and structural connections. The 2014-2018 renovation exceeded these minimums using construction logic developed through South Florida’s hurricane experience
Building Beyond Code Minimums
The gap between minimum building codes and disaster-resistant construction remains significant in both Florida and California. Florida’s post-Andrew reforms took a decade to implement statewide. California’s Chapter 7A requirements apply only to designated wildfire zones and address exterior materials rather than full structural systems.
Balzebre’s approach treats code compliance as a baseline rather than a target. The Hollywood Hills renovation incorporated hurricane-tested construction logic into a fire-resistant framework before California mandated similar standards. Sealed envelopes, mechanical connections, and impact-resistant openings addressed documented failure modes from both hurricane and wildfire research.
“The minimum code requirement is not enough,” Balzebre said. “The writing’s on the wall. You see it when you look at all these different disasters that happen.”
Insurance markets increasingly reflect this calculation. Premium reductions for resilient construction, combined with avoided repair costs and lower deductibles, offset higher upfront material expenses over a typical ownership period. Developers building to survive rather than simply to code position properties for long-term value in markets where disaster risk shapes both insurability and resale potential.
The construction methods proven effective against 175 mph winds in South Florida translate directly to fire zones where ember intrusion and radiant heat destroy structures built to outdated standards. Seven hurricanes provided the data. California wildfires confirmed the application.
FAQs
Who is Robert Balzebre and why is his approach unique?
Robert Balzebre is a Miami-based developer who experienced multiple hurricanes in South Florida and applied those lessons to wildfire-resistant construction in California. His approach is unique because he transfers proven hurricane-building logic directly into fire-zone design.
How are hurricane-resistant and fire-resistant construction principles similar?
Both focus on creating a sealed building envelope, using impact-resistant or heat-resistant openings, and eliminating weak points where damage can start. The goal in each case is to prevent pressure, embers, or flames from entering and causing structural failure.
What specific materials were used in the Hollywood Hills home?
The home uses steel framing, tempered glass, fiber cement siding, fire-rated stucco, aluminum window frames, and fire-resistant decking materials. Each of these choices replaces more vulnerable traditional wood-based components.
Does building this way really improve survival rates?
Data from both Florida hurricanes and California wildfires shows that code-compliant and upgraded homes survive at much higher rates than older construction. The Hollywood Hills home itself was tested during the January 2025 fires and remained intact.
Is building beyond code worth the extra cost?
While upfront costs are higher, insurance savings, reduced repair risk, and better long-term property value often offset the investment. In high-risk regions, resilient construction also improves insurability and resale potential.