Drexel Metals Participates in Marianne Cusato Concept Home

Drexel Metals is proud to be part of an innovative concept home that was unveiled last week on the National Mall at the 2023 Innovative Housing Showcase presented by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) in Washington D.C.

The visionary behind the project is acclaimed Katrina Cottage designer Marianne Cusato, who hopes the concept home sparks a national conversation on access to permanent, affordable and quality disaster relief housing. Metal roofing, which has become synonymous with sought-after qualities like weather resistance and a lower total cost of ownership, is uniquely suited to deliver lasting performance in disaster relief applications.

Displayed on the National Mall during the second weekend of June, the concept home is a 540-square-foot Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU). In alignment with the HUD’s interest in building technologies that expand accessible housing options for disaster recovery, the ADU features a continuous interlocking engineered metal roof system from Drexel Metals that is tested to withstand gale to hurricane-force winds, hail, fire and wind-driven rain. A proven building solution for tough environments, a metal roof will last approximately three times longer than other roofs and will retain its impact resistance over the course of its service life. The system’s concealed fastener and clip application supports a quick installation and does not require mechanical seaming to ensure weathertight integrity. An energy-efficient solution, metal roofing can help regulate the temperature inside the ADU and is solar-ready, which means solar panels can be mounted directly on top of roof seams without penetrating the roof system. The result is a high-performance roof that can help offset the ADU’s energy costs.

“Drexel Metals is excited and honored to be a part of this visionary concept house,” said Brian Partyka, Vice President of Carlisle Architectural Metals. “This isn’t any ordinary project—we are showcasing a proven solution to a critical housing (and human) issue, paving the way forward. Drexel Metals has a long history of providing metal roofing systems of exceptional quality, energy efficiency and performance; so, we are positioned to meet this moment.”

The team behind the concept home is Cypress Community Development Corp., a nonprofit housing development company specializing in forward-thinking solutions for disaster recovery and workforce housing. The organization’s partner, Marianne Cusato, rose to national media acclaim when she introduced the “Katrina Cottage” nearly two decades ago: a permanent, safer housing alternative to the temporary FEMA trailers used to host survivors of Hurricane Katrina. In September of 2006, President Bush signed a revision to the Stafford Act, giving FEMA the ability to build permanent structures modeled on the Katrina Cottage. With her latest concept home displayed at this year’s 2023 Innovative Housing Showcase, Marianne Cusato hopes to inspire continued conversations at the national level on critical housing solutions.