Overview of the Roundtable
The MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub hosted the Resilience Executive Roundtable on April 22, bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders, including industry leaders, policymakers, insurers, code officials, designers, first responders, researchers, and community advocates.
Moderated by Bill Larson, Chair of the Pacific Northwest Building Resilience Coalition, the panel focused on identifying barriers to resilient construction. Other members of the panel included: Jennifer Goupil (American Society of Civil Engineers, Structural Engineering Institute), Butch Browning (National Association of State Fire Marshals), Gary Brock (Sustainability Leader at HMFH Architects), Buddy Hughes (National Association of Home Builders) and Alan Hoffman (Hoffman Homes).
Barriers to Resilient Construction
The event aimed to address the urgent challenge of building more resilient communities by focusing on two key questions: why resilient construction is not more prevalent and what incentives or market changes could promote it.
Research and real-world evidence indicate that current building layouts and urban designs can exacerbate the impacts of wind and flooding, revealing significant gaps in design codes that underestimate structural vulnerabilities.
Resilience-based design not only minimizes physical damage but also reduces costs, carbon emissions, and social disruptions from repairs and displacement. Additionally, the increasing fire risks associated with modern synthetic materials underscore the need for layered fire protection strategies and consistent building codes.
The Roundtable identified several barriers to resilient construction, with upfront costs often overstated as the main obstacle. More significant challenges include outdated codes, fragmented accountability, and limited awareness among decision-makers.
Code enforcement is inconsistent, and critical safety measures are frequently amended or ignored. Builders open to resilient practices often face resistance from investors and project owners.
Key takeaways from the Roundtable include the need for a standard resilience rating to clarify market expectations, improved data for insurers to measure risk reduction, and financial incentives such as tax credits and expedited permitting to encourage resilient construction.
Equity is crucial, as vulnerable communities face the highest risks with the fewest resources. Resilient design and construction offer long-term benefits by reducing costs, emissions, and disruptions.
MIT is positioned to lead efforts in advancing resilient construction through modelling, tools, training, and neutral guidance. The Roundtable emphasized the importance of continuing momentum with a white paper and a national summit to drive action.
Proven resilient materials, such as insulated concrete forms, are underutilized due to a lack of demand or familiarity. Advancing resilience requires a shift toward multi-hazard planning frameworks and a transformation in construction decision-making.
Financial and Policy Levers
Financial and policy levers are essential for supporting resilient construction, including aligned insurance, mortgage, and public funding systems. A standardized, credible rating system is necessary to make resilience visible and actionable in the market.
Insurance providers require validated risk reduction data to offer premium incentives; however, current codes and practices often fail to meet this requirement. Mortgage underwriting also overlooks resilience, missing opportunities to reward safer, longer-lasting buildings.
Financial incentives, such as tax credits, HUD-backed loans, and permitting advantages, are crucial for the widespread adoption of resilient construction. Ensuring equitable access to these measures is vital, as at-risk communities are often least equipped to invest in resilience.
MIT’s Role in Advancing Resilient Construction
MIT’s role in advancing resilient construction includes serving as a technical convener and source of credible, data-driven solutions.
Its research should expand to cover a broader range of hazards through scalable modelling tools. Open-access platforms for risk mapping and retrofit strategies are crucial in supporting informed decision-making by cities, insurers, and developers.
MIT is well-positioned to lead the creation of standardized resilience rating systems and deliver targeted training programs for professionals across the built environment sector. By integrating technical insight with social equity and cost-benefit analysis, MIT can help shape policy and accelerate the real-world implementation of resilient construction practices.
Action Items and Next Steps
Action items and next steps include developing a white paper that synthesizes the Roundtable’s insights, with participants encouraged to collaborate across organizations to ensure that recommendations lead to tangible change.
Plans for an upcoming Resilience Summit, organized by the Concrete Masonry Checkoff in partnership with the Department of Commerce, aim to maintain momentum.
Practical tools should be created to support decision-making by insurers, developers, and local governments. In parallel, targeted education and training programs should equip professionals in design, engineering, and public service with the knowledge needed to implement resilient construction strategies.
With the right partnerships, innovation, and determination, the group left energized to accelerate the shift toward resilient and forward-looking construction nationwide.
MIT thanks the Steering committee that helped to sponsor the Roundtable: the National Association of State Fire Marshals, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, U.S. Resiliency Council, MIT Humanitarian Supply Chain Lab, National Institute of Building Sciences, American Cement Association, Build With Strength, Smart Home America, Building Resilience Coalition, Concrete Advancement Foundation, and MIT Center for Real Estate. The Full Sunnary Report is available here.
