- In flood-risk discussion, some policymakers, researchers and industry observers have turned toward mitigation strategies that reduce the risk of damage in the first place.
- Xeriant’s NEXBOARD is a patent-pending composite panel engineered to outperform traditional building materials in multiple stress conditions, including floods.
- NEXBOARD’s water resistance isn’t incidental; it reflects a deliberate emphasis on durability under challenging environmental conditions.
Lawmakers in Washington are discussing the future of flood insurance and whether the federal government or private insurers should shoulder the risk. As the discussion continues, attention is also turning to how communities can actually reduce flood damage rather than simply reallocate who pays for it. This discussion mirrors broader questions about resilience, infrastructure and risk mitigation in a world with increasingly frequent and severe flooding events. These questions are creating opportunities for companies focused on developing more durable, water-resistant building materials. Among those innovators, Xeriant (OTCQB: XERI) is advancing composite panel technology designed to withstand water exposure and other environmental stressors that can exacerbate flood losses.
Flood insurance in the United States has long centered around the National Flood Insurance Program (“NFIP”). Created in 1968, this federal program enables property owners in participating communities to purchase flood protection, while also encouraging floodplain management measures to reduce future damage. The program is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) and has provided coverage for millions of homes across the country. However, it has also faced criticism for structural issues, including debt accumulation and a mismatch between mandated coverage and actual risk, as highlighted by recent flooding events in states like Washington.
The recent spate of flooding in Washington state has thrown these structural issues into sharp relief. Historic floods caused rivers to overtop levees and inundate areas not traditionally designated as high flood risk under current regulatory maps, leaving many homeowners without coverage or adequate protection. Federal research cited in a January 2026 press release notes that participation in flood insurance outside federally designated high-risk areas is substantially lower because of current mandate structures, contributing to uninsured losses in these X Zones.
This situation underscores one of the core debates in Washington: Should government continue to play the central role in providing affordable flood insurance, or should private markets expand their footprint? Proponents of expanding private flood insurance argue that advances in risk modeling and analytics now make it more commercially viable for private insurers to underwrite flood risk, potentially offering broader choices and more price-accurate coverage for homeowners. At the same time, critics emphasize that private insurers alone may not be able to sustain coverage for all high-risk properties at affordable rates without federal backstops or incentives.
Another dimension of the debate is that insurance, whether public or private, only compensates after damage has occurred; it doesn’t prevent water from entering homes or mitigate structural vulnerability to flooding. This distinction has turned the focus of some policymakers, researchers and industry observers toward mitigation strategies that reduce the actual risk of damage in the first place. Building materials and design standards that improve resilience can decrease the magnitude of losses when floodwaters arrive, potentially lowering claims and insurance costs over time while making properties safer and more durable.
This is where companies such as Xeriant enter the conversation with a different type of solution. Xeriant is a technology development company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing advanced materials that address performance challenges across markets including construction, infrastructure and industrial applications. Its most visible product in this space is NEXBOARD(TM), a patent-pending composite panel engineered to outperform traditional building materials in multiple stress conditions.
NEXBOARD is made from recycled plastics and cellulose fibers and is designed to be fire, water, mold and insect resistant while providing insulation and structural integrity. The board’s resistance to water in particular can contribute to reduced long-term maintenance and repair costs in environments prone to moisture and flooding, a feature that is increasingly relevant as communities contend with more extreme weather and surface water events.
NEXBOARD’s water resistance isn’t incidental; it reflects a deliberate emphasis on durability under challenging environmental conditions. Traditional drywall and many wood-based materials absorb moisture readily, which can lead to structural degradation, mold growth and significantly higher repair costs after flood events. By contrast, materials that resist water absorption, such as NEXBOARD, are less likely to sustain catastrophic damage from even moderate flooding, offering a built-in mitigation strategy that can complement insurance coverage.
According to Xeriant, progress toward commercial readiness for NEXBOARD has advanced over the past year, including limited production runs that initiated formal certification processes and engagement with prospective builders and industry partners. A September 2025 production run documented quality control procedures and provided samples for evaluation as part of the path toward broader adoption, moves that signal that the technology is maturing toward market deployment.
The potential impact of water-resistant materials extends beyond individual homes. Infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, transportation hubs and commercial buildings also suffer severe consequences from flooding, often requiring billions in repairs and leading to prolonged service disruptions. If advanced materials can reduce the extent of water damage in these structures, they may play a role in lowering overall economic losses tied to flood events and reshaping how communities approach resilience planning.
In addition, durable materials that resist water infiltration align with shifting regulatory and sustainability priorities. As building codes evolve to incorporate resilience against climate-driven hazards, materials that offer enhanced performance under moisture and flood stress may increasingly be specified by architects, contractors and policymakers seeking both safety and long-term value.
Ultimately, changes to flood insurance policy, whether expanding private participation or reforming existing federal programs, are only one piece of a broader resilience puzzle. Reducing flood risk effectively requires both financial protection through insurance and physical mitigation through technology and design. Companies such as Xeriant illustrate how innovation in building materials can contribute to this broader strategy by offering solutions that help structures better withstand water exposure and potentially reducing the scale of insurance claims and improving outcomes for homeowners and communities alike.
For more information, visit www.Xeriant.com.
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