Hurricane Ian Proved Eco-Friendly Communities Have Better Protection

Hurricane Ian hit the country last week, of which Fort Myers and Naples in Florida suffered the most damages, and left many homeowners emotionally distraught. Yet in contrast, Babcock Ranch, a nearby community that broke ground in 2015 as an ecology-friendly and energy conscious town, saw only uprooted trees and some cases of torn roof shingles.

While more than 2.6 million Floridians lost electrical power and water supply as aftermath of Ian’s havoc, Babcock Ranch residents continued to have solar energy power, water supply and Internet connection even as the hurricane raged on. To many BR residents, Hurricane Ian was proof an ecologically-engineered environment that fully relied on solar power can avoid devastations wrought by worsening climate hazards.

What started out as a storm became a near Category 5 hurricane when it went across Fort Myers. That being the case, roofers in Texas continue to urge residents to improve existing frisco roofing with solar shingles. Apparently, Florida’s Babcock Ranch has proven that eco-friendly material seemed to have attracted less natural forces.

What Makes Babcock Ranch Eco-Friendly and Energy-Efficient

Babcock Ranch’s most notable difference is the array of 700 solar panels built and operated by Florida Power and Light since 2018. Dubbed as the”Hometown of Tomorrow,” more than 2,000 Floridians today have since made Babcock Ranch their home. The development of the real estate property purchased from the Babcock family was spearheaded by former professional football player Syd Kitson.

The street roads were designed in a way that will allow flood water to flow into vegetation as the land is originally agricultural. The water pipes and the Internet cables are buried underground, to protect them from the might of high winds. That is why, the ranch residents experienced the passing in and out of Hurricane Ian and at the same time watched footage of the devastation happening in other areas.

The plan is to support Babcock Ranch residents with about 20,000 permanent jobs provided by light industries such as retail, commerce and office spaces,business parks, hospital care centers, lodges, entertainment hubs and restaurants.

Babcock Ranch’s development reminds us of Frisco’s own rise to history as one of the fastest growing suburbs in Texas in the Dallas Fort Worth area. Frisco was just a small farm town that later became a residential commuter town after the St. Louis- San Francisco rail travel became operational.