Under Hawaii's hurricane building standards, what is the minimum design wind speed for residential construction in Hurricane Zone 1?
Correct Answer
B) 130 mph
Hawaii Hurricane Zone 1 requires residential structures to be designed for minimum 130 mph wind speeds to withstand tropical cyclones.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
The correct answer is 130 mph. Hawaii's hurricane building standards require residential construction in Hurricane Zone 1 to be designed for a minimum wind speed of 130 mph. This accounts for the sustained tropical cyclone winds that Hawaii experiences, ensuring structural integrity during major storm events.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A: 120 mph
120 mph is a common threshold in other U.S. coastal regions (such as parts of the Gulf Coast or Atlantic seaboard) but is below Hawaii's Hurricane Zone 1 requirement. Using 120 mph would result in an under-designed structure unable to resist Hawaii's more intense storm conditions.
Option C: 105 mph
105 mph is insufficient for Hawaii's hurricane zone exposure. This value might apply to lower-wind-exposure regions or non-hurricane-prone areas. Residential buildings designed only for 105 mph would face significant structural risk during a major Hawaiian hurricane.
Option D: 150 mph
150 mph exceeds the Hurricane Zone 1 requirement, though higher values may apply in specific exposed locations or higher hurricane zones. Designing to 150 mph is conservative and more costly than the code minimum requires for Zone 1.
Memory Technique
Remember '130 for Zone 1': the number 1 in Zone 1 links to the '1' in 130. Hawaii is also the 50th state, and 50 + 80 = 130 — an easy arithmetic anchor.
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