Significant announcements regarding the immediate future of residential construction in the United States and the growing need for residential and community tornado safe rooms will be made at the upcoming 2015 International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas, Nev.

Representatives from the Portland Cement Association (PCA), the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will share insights into developments in the industry ahead of hosting a tornado safe room showcase for builders, developers, contractors, and homeowners.

PCA Chief Economist and Group Vice President Edward Sullivan will deliver his residential forecast which indicates that the United States housing market will accelerate in the upcoming year. In addition to sustained growth in multi-family construction, single family construction is expected to strengthen on the back of robust job creation, wage gains, lending standard easement and favorable interest rates.

Updated data from the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., indicates that many Americans have experienced severe weather watches, and will on an annual basis. Tornado safe rooms are growing in popularity, and not just in the traditional tornado alley areas of the country like Oklahoma, Texas and the Deep South. Tornado safe rooms save lives, and also provide peace of mind for families if they expect to be impacted or feel threatened.  They can increase a home’s real estate value in many areas of the United States.

FEMA has provided technical guidance on tornado protection since 1980. They have recently updated FEMA P-320,Taking Shelter from the Storm: Building a Safe Room for Your Home or Small Business, which includes safe room designs that homeowners, builders, and contractors can use to construct safe rooms in homes or small businesses. FEMA and their Building Science Branch are focused on life safety protection through long-term investment in high wind safe room guidance. FEMA and their emergency management partners have distributed more than 1,000,000 copies of Taking Shelter from the Storm.