And the answers are…
1. In which state is a specific wildfire event considered the costliest catastrophe in that state’s history?
New Mexico. ISO’s Property Claim Services® (PCS®) unit — an internationally recognized authority on insured property losses from catastrophes in the United States — has been collecting catastrophe-related data since 1950. According to PCS, the Cerro Grande Fire in May 2000 caused $140 million in estimated insured losses.
The map shows the progression of the wildfires over a two-week period.
2. What percentage of land slated for rural residential development in the Sierra Nevada has very high or extreme fire hazard?
Research by the Sierra Nevada Alliance finds that the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) classifies 94 percent of the land as very high or extreme fire hazard. That percentage puts large numbers of people and homes at great risk of catastrophic wildfire. The Sierra is the third-fastest-growing region of California, and by 2040, experts predict its population to triple. At the same time, the wildland-urban interface (WUI) is growing quickly. As more people move into high fire-threat areas, the size of the WUI will increase, and so will the risk of wildfire.
The map illustrates the extent of lands slated for development in high and
very high
fire-threat areas in three Sierra counties.
3. For what percentage of buildings in the United States can LOCATION® PPCTM Service determine the availability of a hydrant or other water source?
LOCATION has data on water from hydrants and other workable water sources for 90 percent of the buildings in the country. LOCATION is the only product of its kind that has water information of this magnitude, including information on both recognized and unrecognized water sources.
4. Only four Community Rating System (CRS) communities in the United States have earned a Class 4 or better. Can you name them and the premium discounts policyholders receive on flood insurance?
McClure Park after the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, added
flood channels
and detention storage.
The four best-rated communities in the nation are:
• Roseville, California — Class 1 (45 percent premium discount)
• Tulsa, Oklahoma — Class 2 (40 percent premium discount)
• King County, Washington — Class 3 (35 percent premium discount)
• Fort Collins, Colorado — Class 4 (30 percent premium discount)
Roseville, California, the only CRS Class 1 community in the United States, has implemented millions of dollars worth of improvements,
including many flood-protection activities.
5. Only two communities in the United States currently maintain a Class 1 BCEGS® designation for residential and commercial construction. Can you name them?
The two communities that currently have a Class 1 BCEGS designation are:
• Orem, Utah
• Bellevue, Nebraska
A community’s classification depends on the administrative support in the jurisdiction for code enforcement, review of building plans, and field inspections.
Communities can take a number of steps to improve their grading, such as:
• building and maintaining well-qualified inspection and construction staffs
• offering comprehensive and continuous building-code training
• offering public-awareness programs
• performing detailed and well-documented field inspections
• conducting high-quality review of building plans
The city of Orem received a BCEGS Class 1 both for one- and two-family residential
property and for commercial and industrial property.
6. Beyond the fact that materials and labor costs vary among markets, why does the same property in Minnesota (a very cold climate) cost more to build than in Georgia (a temperate climate)?
A Minnesota property would cost more to build because, in cold climates, insulation requirements are higher (more insulation requires thicker walls), foundations are deeper, and roof structures are stronger to support snow load.
The map below shows the climate zones in the United States, with zone 1 the warmest. Minnesota is in zone 7, the coldest climate zone in the lower 48 states. Properties constructed in that area have an approximate foundation depth of 40” (with basement foundations) and 2” x 6” framing for all exterior walls. Georgia on the other hand, is in zone 2. Properties there have an approximate foundation depth of 8” (with slab on grade foundations).
Xactware uses the climate zone map provided by the U.S. Department of Energy to calculate foundation,
framing, and insulation costs properly. 
