By:
Chuck WSource(s):
Barbra Larson bcl@ifas.ufl.edu, (352) 392-1831, Ext. 330
Angela Polo apolo@scgov.net, (941) 861-9809 (cell 941-232-4
PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — Storm-resistant landscaping will be demonstrated Friday (Sept. 16) when home improvement guru Bob Vila and University of Florida extension environmental horticulture agents help dedicate a new residence built in Charlotte County a year after Hurricane Charley devastated the area.
The hurricane-resistant home includes landscape plants and principles recommended by Florida Yards and Neighborhoods, or FYN, a statewide extension education program offered by UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Vila, who graduated from UF in 1969, will feature the house and landscaping on his “Home Again” television program in November 2005.
Angela Polo, a UF extension agent who works with builders and developers in Charlotte, Manatee and Sarasota counties to promote storm-resistant landscaping around new homes, helped Vila develop the landscaping segment for the television program.
She said the home demonstration project in Punta Gorda uses nine environmentally sustainable landscape principles recommended by FYN, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Florida Friendly Landscape Program and other participating organizations. These include putting the right plant in the right place, installing efficient irrigation, applying mulch, recycling yard waste, proper fertilization, responsible management of yard pests, reducing storm water runoff, attracting wildlife and protecting the waterfront.
Barbra Larson, statewide coordinator of the FYN program in the UF environmental horticulture department in Gainesville, said the educational effort helps homeowners, builders/developers and landscape professionals play a key role in conserving water and protecting wildlife habitat as well as reducing storm water runoff from residential landscapes. These practices conserve natural resources while protecting the environment.
During the dedication ceremonies, Teresa Foglina and Jim Minardi will take official ownership of the new hurricane-resistant house at 197 Gulfview Road, replacing their home that was destroyed by the August 2004 hurricane. The dedication ceremony will be followed by a tour of the house for guests and members of the media.
In addition to storm- resistant landscaping, the new home incorporates the latest hurricane-resistant technologies, including a superior roof system with enhanced metal connectors. It also features cast-in- place concrete walls, an elevated foundation, impact-resistant windows and garage door and outward- opening entry doors to impede pressure. A built-in generator will protect against power outage, while a whole-house surge protection system will guard against lightning and power surges.
FYN is a UF extension education program that receives financial support from the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s 319 Program through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. It also receives financial support from the Southwest Florida Water Management District, other water management districts and local governments.
The demonstration home was built with help from the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, or FLASH, a nonprofit agency committed to strengthening homes, safeguarding families and protecting economic well-being by promoting disaster preparedness and mitigation. The Punta Gorda residence was constructed by Mercedes Homes in Melbourne, Fla. The company engages in research with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the University of Florida to test and incorporate advanced construction methodologies into residential home building.
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