RaisedFloorLiving.com and Contractor Toni Wendel, Owner of Old World Builders and Remodelers, LLC have been working in conjunction with the Southern Pine Council to build Home XE (eXtreme Environment) in New Orleans’ Lakeview area. HomeXE is a two-story residence raised eight feet above grade on a wood-frame foundation. It’s designed to resist natural forces common to Coastal living such as high winds, flooding and termite infestation. “The area beneath the first floor serves as the garage and storage. The living area is elevated well above flood level protecting the living space and saving the homeowner up to 50% on flood insurance premiums”, states Wendel.

Cox Industries, one of 18 sponsors for the HomeXE project, supplied DuraPine Pilings, LifePine Shingles, and DuraPine Laminated Columns. Each of these products lends a testament to success. During a recent follow up we learned HomeXE is ‘weathering the storm’ in every sense of the word. The project, still under construction, recently withstood more than 90 mile per hour winds during both Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike. The home’s elevated foundation handled floods with no adverse effects and not one shingle of the LifePine roof was blown out of place.

DuraPine Pilings, which count for one-third of the pilings used in the build (along with pilings from two competitors), were used in all exposed applications - a compliment to product quality. DuraPine Laminated Columns provide superior structural support with classic Southern architectural appearance preferred by locals. As for LifePine Shingles, they say a picture is worth a thousand words. The roof is in pristine condition even after a busy hurricane season on the Gulf Coast.

Wendel is using HomeXE to educate architects and engineers on raised floor constructions and to encourage them to spec this type of house along the East and Gulf Coasts. The benefit of raised floor design is affordable protection from high winds and flooding. In addition, use of pressure-treated wood throughout framing provides optimum protection against termites, rot and fungal decay. “The wood-framed raised floor home is right for the environment and a wise choice for sustainable community development”, says Digges Morgan, President,  Southern Forest Products Association. “Southern Pine is renewable, harvested from certified lands and locally sourced.”