May 5 marked the release of Hulu’s new home renovation show “Designed to Last.” Consisting of designers, contractors and architects, the show follows three teams as they face challenges against brutal environmental threats for the top prize of $100,000.
American Family Insurance sponsors the show, with the goal to meet consumers in a format that is recognizable to them. Replications of different weather threats highlight the real dangers that homebuyers face during natural disasters. As environmental disasters appear more regularly in our current age, the future of home ownership may be geared towards the survival of the fittest home.
The Foundation
The show follows three teams through four different design challenges following weather disasters: wind, water, fire and ice/snow. Each team comprises of three members who each bring their own special expertise to their group. For every round, each team has 10 hours to renovate a tiny home with exact sizing specifications to face the weather hazard the judges throw at them. Hosting the show is Maria Menounos, with judges Eric Eremita (a contractor) and Wendell Holland (a designer). Together, Menounos, Eremita and Holland score the homes based on the innovation, design and scalability of the projects, as well as the overall damage each home develops after the challenge is over.
The team names align with the colors for American Family Insurance, red, blue and the combination of the two, purple.
Red team includes builder Courtney Dober, designer Kendra Mays and inventor Marcus Hunt. The only team with an inventor, their edge includes bringing automation efforts into their designs.
Blue team includes: contractor and company owner Erica Anenberg; designer and professor of architecture for 22 years Scott Singeisen; and builder and police officer Russell Holmes. A police officer on the team helps to bring in the citizens’ perspective, as he has been on site during many natural disasters.
“If I can come up with something to help mitigate loss, I’m in,” Holmes said in the first episode.
Purple team consists of architect Satoshi Teshima, designer Davon Johnson, and contractor and company owner Nancy Rodriguez.
The Challenges
Each challenge was produced by crew members to replicate similar obstacles faced due to natural or manmade disasters. The wind challenge was produced by large industrial fans, that were later brought back in other challenges in collaboration with other elements. Gallons of water collected and dropped to simulate mass rainfall, while controlled fires lit for the fire challenges.
Wind
Menounos introduced in the first episode that one of the leading causes of home property damage across the country is wind. With information provided from American Family Insurance, wind damage accounts for almost half of all home insurance claims.
The first challenge was to protect the home against strong gusts and what is brought with it, like varying debris. Phase one included 55 mph wind, sweeping up mulch and dirt up to the house. The following phase ramped up to 70 mph winds, blowing sticks and gravel against the sides of the house. The final phase indicated hurricane winds, large debris and roof pressure, which impacted each of the tiny homes.
Snow and Ice
The teams took what they learned about time management and how damage ensued during the first round. Each tiny home’s structural damage was professionally repaired by crew on-set. However, the teams still needed to repair cosmetic damage during the next challenge.
Menounos stated that the following event, winter weather, puts tens of millions of homes at risk every year. American Family Insurance provided the statistic that more than 60% of homes are affected by winter weather.
After the 10 hours of redesigning the homes, the first phase of testing was what the judges called a “thundersnow” — strong winds that push snow in all directions. This included 55 mph wind and snow. The following phase included hailstones on top of the wind and snow. The final phase was a record-breaking snowfall dropped onto the roof. While not entirely realistic of the pressure, it served as a strong reminder of how powerful these storms can be.
Water
The third challenge faced heightened weight as this challenges’ scores would determine the teams’ placements right before the final round. Similar to the previous challenge, the crew professionally repaired the structural damage, but the teams had the task for all cosmetic issues.
Menounos stated that water, the third challenge, is so destructive that it accounts for a quarter of all property damage.
“Water is a very invasive element,” Rodriguez said in this third episode.
In order to address water issues, the homes had to mitigate floods and leaks from both inside and outside. Phase one faced 100 pounds per square inch water pressure, which resembled the pressure of a fire hydrant. The second phase turned inward with a burst sink pipe. The final stage resembled hurricane rain, with 60 mph wind and a torrential downpour of seven inches of rainfall.
Fire
The show had a fiery finale with what Menounos described as one of the most unpredictable threats. Smoke inhalation was stated to be the No. 1 killer in fires. The crew structurally fixed the homes for this final round.
For the final challenge, the first phase faced a breaker box fire, where power surges account for over 50,000 house fires every year. The next two phases centered around a cook-out fire, with the second phase including an air fryer explosion at the front of the house. The final phase was a propane explosion just outside the home with the cookout grill.
An Important Conversation on Climate Change
As the planet continues to see shifts through global warming, the frequency of stronger and more powerful storms increases. The warmth seen by the global shift creates more fuel for these storms. Strong storms that were once infrequent occur more regularly as the years continue. Nearly 10,000 storms were the cause of more than 832,000 lives lost over the past three decades, an increase from decades prior.
Each episode showed the power of the storms and the disastrous effects that homeowners face in all areas of the world. As these storms ramp up, it is possible that homeowners must aim to adjust to these conditions and make homes truly designed to last.
