" We're in front of 113 Calhoun street here in Charleston. A house that's -- 125 years old and which was heavily damaged a decade ago when hurricane Hugo swept over Charleston now in the last five years the house has been. Reconstructed and reconfigured and really rebuilt as a demonstration house to let people and builders understand better ways of mitigating the effects of flood and high winds and even earthquakes in this part of the country. Beth judge is an associate at Clemson University who's an expert in all these different areas and she's gonna help us understand some of the features of the house. -- Tell me a little bit about the collaboration here is a number of different groups involved in creating this threat."

" That's right Bob we've got the South Carolina sea grant consortium Clemson University. The city of Charleston donated the house Charleston county. They emergency management agency here in South Carolina and we've also had substantial funding from FEMA great."

" So it's a long term educational tool that you've created here what are some of these objectives."

" Well Bob -- have been that not only can mean from that these hazard resistant building techniques to builders and architects engineers come on -- But even half of the lab. We are pretty handsome technologies that aren't quite tested we're gonna see how they perform here in downtown Charleston and the constant of sustainability can become a bit about that. Well Bob sustainability really means that we of this generation meet our needs while ensuring that doesn't future generations to meet their thirties that so that means using certain materials judiciously and bringing in new materials that."

" Looking at the house -- it looks like something out of the mid nineteenth century -- Beautiful double porches and the columns."

" What kind of changes have been made here."

" I'm above. Down here what we've done is we actually elevated the house during the construction progress. And we mean. Rebuilt the foundation. Here we've got a seismic events so we've got a poured concrete buddy. Concrete block reinforced it's all bolt it together exit the house -- with a brick veneer is just hiding a concrete."

" Here that."

" Supports the house that's exactly right -- this sort of interesting entering what about the level of the house well you know that's an that's about a foot higher than was originally. When the masters degree students at Clemson one doesn't -- yes. She had a lot -- insects and -- that. BM. By just elevating a near seven -- we could eliminate 60% of the flooding events near downtown Charleston and that of course is the source of a lot of damage and a lot of."

" Billions of dollars -- absolutely."

" There's no question about."

" And what about some of the materials that we're looking at here is an all wood."

" Well most evidently because our -- of architecture you like to stick to the original material in the historic business practice except nuts at the Cyprus citing. We've also got a hardy plank. Back here on the back part of house announces some existence material. Now we're using on the back part we've also got here these are sort of fiberglass and it makes it look like was this is actually really wood right. And -- in here where we're of course tying everything together you can see this right here so that many years the house you've left."

" Items exposed that show us. How everything gets tied together that's exactly right Bob can we look at some sort."

" Bob here in the house we've used a blown cellulose insulation that's basically recycled newspapers -- But down here -- we've got a flood -- and so what we're using as a rental home insulation. --"

" That's a very good tips so that you don't have to totally re insulate the entire house he should have some partial flooding -- that writes what about structural things that you can do to make the house stronger."

" Ever hear Bob we've got a lot of different things being used we've used some metal strapping to reinforce an adult let me. And occasionally we have had to sister the older floor joists with some newer ones we've also used an epoxy. And it will strengthen the old line where air power rotting problems so that you can preserve some of the antique elements of the house and still make construction problem."

" That's right and the windows they get strapped in."

" When are also strapped in -- went to the building's frame now that this is all fine and in good. In new construction but what do you do here retrofitting. You know Bob there -- some retrofit products that. That's on this particular one we're demonstrating here and then -- best at Clemson. Student and his professor. -- the highway retrofit bracket works. Well what's he is actually kind of candidate ever who ever here. Sheet rock you actually lag screw it institute. The upper story floor noise and year wall studs here and then you can just take some crown molding and dress it up."

" Exactly right that's a good way of doing things that this is all very edifying."