VSI Staff Help Steer Fair Recognition of Polymeric Cladding Performance in new HUD Natural Hazards Guides

Over the last year, VSI Vice President Matt Dobson and Senior Director, Technical and Certification Sara Krompholz participated as work group members in the development of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) now published “Designing for Natural Hazards.”

These actionable guidelines focus on improving residential resiliency as it relates to wind, water, fire and earthquake. The main areas of focus for VSI were on the wind, water and fire volumes. The volumes help promote design pressure ratings of vinyl siding through the ASTM standards and offer viable options for use of polymeric cladding in wildfire zones up to certain risk categories.

They also promote the fact that polymeric cladding is an excellent choice for flood prone areas. In the past, polymeric cladding was sometimes not even considered with these types of resources.

Copies of these newly published guides can be found here: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/publications/Designing-for-Natural-Hazards-Series.html