ABSTRACT
Single and multi-family housing in the United States of America typically consists of timber or cold-formed steel (CFS) framed structures on reinforced concrete foundations with a design life of 40-50 years. Often these houses outlive that period but require considerable maintenance and repair to extend much beyond the design life. This is particularly true for coastal communities exposed to high humidity, airborne salts and termites. Building on 30 years of experience in durability research and design of residential structures in Hawaii, this paper presents some of the best practices for enhancing durability, building performance, reducing maintenance and repair costs, and significantly increasing the life expectancy of residential construction. With a relatively low premium on the initial capital investment, these measures greatly reduce the life-cycle costs and carbon footprint of residential construction in harsh coastal environments.
