One year after launching an alliance with the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), roofing manufacturer GAF said it has trained more than 1,100 roofing professionals to install roofs that meet the group’s FORTIFIED standard.

The training was conducted through GAF’s Center for the Advancement of Roofing Excellence program. The company said individuals from more than 600 GAF Master Elite contractors have become FORTIFIED certified.

In 2025, about one-third of newly designated FORTIFIED homes used GAF shingles, according to the company.

“With more communities facing extreme weather each year, expanding access to FORTIFIED roofs is essential,” said Mike Thomas, director of external learning and development for storm restoration at GAF. He said the milestone reflects growing demand for resilient roofing and continued investment in contractor education.

The FORTIFIED program, developed by IBHS, is a voluntary construction and reroofing standard designed to reduce damage from high winds, heavy rain and hail by strengthening roof systems and critical connections.

“The continued growth of the FORTIFIED program highlights that more homeowners are prioritizing homes that are better prepared to withstand today’s weather risks,” said Fred Malik, managing director of the FORTIFIED program at IBHS. He said GAF has helped expand access to the standard through contractor training and compliant roofing systems.

Independent research following severe weather events has found that homes built to the FORTIFIED standard experience less damage than conventional construction, according to IBHS. Roof damage remains a leading cause of post-storm repairs and insurance claims.

Homeowners who install a FORTIFIED roof may qualify for insurance discounts, grants, or other incentives in some states, including Texas, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Mississippi.

In 2025, the GAF Community Contractor Program prioritized key FORTIFIED roof projects to support long-term recovery in areas impacted by extreme weather. Following the devastation of Hurricane Helene, GAF and Team Rubicon partnered with local GAF Master Elite contractor J&J Roofing and Construction to repair dozens of roofs in the Valdosta, Ga., community. This initiative equipped more than 20 homes, including those of service members and first responders, with new FORTIFIED roofs to help protect against future severe weather.

GAF has also partnered with IBHS and local GAF Master Elite contractors in Texas to build more resilient communities, including a partnership with Trinity Habitat for Humanity to roof six homes in a single day in Fort Worth, Texas. GAF and Rebuilding Together New Orleans have partnered together for more than five years working to reroof hundreds of homes to the FORTIFIED standard across Louisiana that were devastated by extreme weather like Hurricanes Katrina and Ida.