09/02/2026
Hurricane season brings strong winds, heavy rain, and flying debris that can put your home—and especially your roof—to the test.
Prepare early. Inspect before the storm. Stay safe during the storm. Check your roof after the storm.
Huber and Associates was asked to provide a private owner with a Japanese-style roof featuring copper roofing - the answer was an immediate “yes,” and the design process began. Located in the British Virgin Islands, these islands are known to be frequented by strong hurricanes. The owner envisioned an “S”-shaped copper tile complemented by other Japanese-inspired copper accents. While aesthetics were clearly a primary consideration, the roof’s ability to withstand high winds in a hurricane-prone region was equally critical to the design.
The design therefore required more than simply securing the copper tiles firmly to the roof decking; it also required a system that would allow the individual tiles to interlock, creating a durable, watertight connection between adjacent tiles.
The result was a design approach that balanced the distinctive visual character of a Japanese-style copper roof with the structural integrity, weather resistance, and long-term durability required for a demanding coastal environment.
A true measure of success for Huber and Associates’ roofing system came when Hurricane Irma brought its eye directly to an island in the British Virgin Islands. This private residence's roof was put to the ultimate test. On September 5, 2017, Irma intensified to extraordinary strength, reaching sustained winds well beyond the threshold for a Category 5 hurricane and becoming one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded in the open Atlantic. At 5:00 a.m., the National Hurricane Center reported maximum sustained winds of 185 mph, with even higher gusts.
By the time Irma reached the British Virgin Islands, the storm had intensified to such an extent that its seismic energy was detected by seismometers designed to monitor earthquakes.
The photograph, taken immediately after Hurricane Irma, shows areas where entire sections of the building envelope were blown away. Despite the extreme conditions, the majority of the copper roofing tiles remained intact, validating the system’s durability while preserving the home’s architectural character.
Following the storm, the owners selected Huber and Associates to lead the rebuilding and roof restoration. Over the next six months, Huber and Associates repaired the property and upgraded structural connections, ultimately restoring the home to a condition stronger than its original construction.
