According to Hawaii Building Code requirements, what is the minimum design wind speed for residential construction in Wind Zone 1 areas?
Correct Answer
D) 150 mph
Hawaii Building Code specifies 150 mph as the minimum design wind speed for Wind Zone 1, which covers most residential areas in Hawaii.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
150 mph is the Hawaii Building Code minimum design wind speed for Wind Zone 1, which covers most of the residential areas in Hawaii. Hawaii's geographic location in the Central Pacific, combined with vulnerability to tropical cyclones (hurricanes), necessitates higher design wind speeds than continental US standards. The 150 mph threshold reflects the 3-second gust speed used in ASCE 7-based wind load calculations adapted for Hawaii.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A: 130 mph
130 mph is below Hawaii's minimum requirement. While 130 mph applies in some US hurricane-prone coastal regions on the mainland, Hawaii's code is more stringent due to its direct Pacific hurricane exposure and island geography with no surrounding landmass to reduce wind speed.
Option B: 105 mph
105 mph is the basic design wind speed for many inland and low-risk areas in the continental US (ASCE 7 Risk Category II). This is far below Hawaii's requirement and would be dangerously inadequate for Hawaiian residential construction given the state's hurricane risk.
Option C: 180 mph
180 mph is the design wind speed for the most extreme exposure zones in Hawaii — typically the highest-risk areas on exposed ridges or outer islands — not the baseline Wind Zone 1 minimum. It applies to higher risk categories or specific high-exposure locations, not standard residential construction statewide.
Memory Technique
Remember '150 for Hawaii' — Hawaii is 150% more serious about wind than the mainland baseline. Alternatively: Hawaii = 50th state → 150 mph design wind. The number 150 is the foundation of all Hawaii wind design calculations.
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