The Institute for Business & Home Safety told attendees at a recent conference that it has strengthened its recommendations for construction standards to withstand hurricane winds in the Gulf Coast region – a change that accompanies a discussion of concrete building materials as a possible solution in meeting the standards.

The IBHS, an insurance industry trade association, issues the guidelines under its Fortified . . . For Safer Living program, which is designed to provide insurance professionals with safety information to pass on to their clients.

“Concrete, because of its durability and the way concrete can withstand wind rows, makes an ideal type of construction material for homes to meet these kinds of requirements,” says Chuck Vance, Fortified Program Manager for IBHS.

More than 200 insurance professionals attended the workshops.

At the same time, IBHS has relaxed some of its recommendations with respect to flood risks and wind danger in other parts of the country, based on recent data indicating the standards may have been more stringent than were necessary.