As the rebuilding efforts continue in Breezy Point, one design firm is thinking outside of the box to build homes that can withstand whatever Mother Nature has in store. NY1's Clodagh McGowan filed the following report.
Four years have passed since Hurricane Sandy hit and the construction isn't showing any signs of slowing down in Breezy Point.
But one design firm is changing the landscape when it comes to sustainable rebuilding.
"Most of our homeowners are really looking for a more resilient, sustainable house, they know what happened and they're looking to build back some insurance per se," said James Willmer, the owner of Leeward Living.
For the past three years, Wilmer’s firm has been working to rebuild homes from the ground up that can withstand hurricane force winds and storm surges. From a distance, each structure could pass as a typical beach house. But this home is made entirely of concrete, while this home has a heavy gauge steel foundation.
"That has a higher wind code, more hurricane bracing as well as its resistance to mold or mildew that you have on the coastal environment," said Stephen Sorak, the Director of Design and Construction for Leeward Living.
While it costs on average 10 percent more to build a concrete or steel home, they say it slashes utility bills almost in half. Leeward Living also builds all of the homes three feet above FEMA's base flood elevation, which means a lower flood insurance rate.
"As well as kind of that peace of mind that this house, when the storm surge hits it, is going to allow that water to come in and out," said Willmer.
This is one of four homes Leeward Living is building through the Build it Back program. Two are on the Rockaway peninsula, one is in Brooklyn and the other is on Staten Island.
"We're taking elements that we've learned in our private home building and in Florida and other markets and translating that into some of the most resilient housing, we believe, in the build it back program," said Willmer.
Wilmer and his team hope to continue working with Build it Back and set a new standard for rebuilding in coastal communities.
"Because we're not talking about the next 10, we should be talking about the next 50, 70 years," said Sorak.
Next up, the firm is working with the University of Miami to test out new designs to keep up with whatever Mother Nature has in store.