Today The Kolter Group hosted the Materials Girls in a tour of their apartment building construction site in Boynton Beach, FL. They walked us through the site, showing us the plans for the future of the building. Most importantly they talked about the materials necessary for the build, highlighting their main material: concrete.

East Coast vs. West Coast

On Florida’s east and west coasts, apartment construction reflects climate demands. Along the east coast, where hurricanes and high winds pose greater risks, concrete blocks and reinforced concrete structures are far more common because they provide strength, durability, and resistance to storm damage. In contrast, many west coast developments (particularly smaller, low-rise apartments) often rely on wood framing, which is less costly and quicker to build but more vulnerable to moisture, termites, and wind.

Florida’s east and west coasts experience different wind patterns that influence building design. On the east coast, strong Atlantic trade winds and frequent exposure to tropical storms and hurricanes bring higher wind speeds, so apartment buildings are often constructed with reinforced concrete to withstand the pressure and flying debris. The west coast, facing the calmer Gulf of Mexico, generally experiences lighter winds and fewer direct hurricane impacts, allowing more developments to use wood framing. These regional wind differences explain why concrete is mainly used on the east coast while wood structures remain more common on the west.