Designing for Resiliency – The Path to a More Sustainable Future

Designing the built environment to withstand the impacts of climate change and natural disasters is critical to our future survival, and We may not get a second chance to get it right!

That was the key message by William Larson, Chair of the Building Resilience Coalition, in his opening remarks to a plenary session on Designing for Resiliency at the 2023 Summit of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) in Boise, Idaho.

We cannot lose sight of the impact climate-related or man-made disasters will have on our infrastructure, he noted to the over 550 legislators, business leaders, academics, and policymakers that came together to discuss and improve regional economic best practices and trade concerns.

He added that current building codes are minimum standards, and as evidenced by recent forest fires, floods, and extreme heat waves worldwide, they are inadequate to prevent huge losses of lives and property damage.

He noted that the cost of damage caused by extreme weather events is too high. That is why we must adopt more resilient design criteria to guide the construction and renovation of our buildings and the infrastructure vital to our economy.

He noted that reducing the risks of catastrophic losses also brings us closer to carbon neutrality. The rising use of low-carbon fuels and building materials by the concrete, masonry, and steel industries is making a huge difference in reaching our net-zero goals by 2050.

Larson’s message was reinforced by presentations by three of the world’s top experts on climate resiliency and disaster mitigation.

Eric Holdeman is an internationally known emergency manager and Director for PNWER’s Center for Regional Disaster Resilience and the author of a recently published book, Disaster Management and Information Technology: Professional Response and Recovery Management in the Age of Disasters. He spoke of his work in disaster response planning and coordination challenges between national, state and local agencies and the media.

Aris Papadopoulos, the Founding Chair of the Resilience Action Fund advancing resilience in the built environment and author of the book Resilience–The Ultimate Sustainability, gave a stirring presentation on the urgent need to integrate resiliency principles in the design and construction of buildings.

Drawing upon his experience in the United Nations Disaster UNDRR Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies, he noted that the world’s rapidly expanding urban areas are extremely vulnerable to climate-related disasters, and both private sector organizations and governments must work together to reduce the risks of catastrophic losses. To aid in this process, he outlined work underway to develop a Building Resilience Index to guide designs and investments.

Glen Woodbury, Director of Homeland Defense & Security Naval Postgraduate School, stressed the importance of coordination between Homeland Security and Defense agencies as well as local, state, tribal and other federal agencies in the planning and delivery of disaster response services.

Paula Hammond, Multimodal National Market Leader, WSP, spoke about defining the essential elements of risk and assessing the economic and social impacts on people that decision-makers must understand when formulating resiliency policies and programs.

The Building Resilience Coalition’s relationship with PNWER has been particularly beneficial, noted Larson, in that it provides unparalleled opportunities to meet one-on-one with state, local, and national government leaders, leading to relationship building and positive action. The groundwork for several discussions with legislators across the Pacific Northwest resulted from the four-day gathering in Boise.

He stated that the Pacific Northwest Economic Region is an outstanding model of multi-jurisdictional collaboration between Canada and the United States. We are proud of and grateful for the opportunity to work with its many dedicated members.

“In today’s increasingly complex world, meetings such as this allow us to forge partnerships and collaborations that become the binder that unites us to build a better future”, he said.

Videos and transcripts of the Building Resilience Coalitions session presentations will be available presently for Coalition members and the general public access.