Per ClimateCentral.org, an independent organization of leading scientists and journalists, atmospheric CO2 levels have surpassed 400 PPM for the first time in human history. As a result, planetary temperatures are now averaging 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, which is approaching a level that will set off runaway climate destabilization.
The effects are already being felt globally. Countries poor and rich alike have been plagued with more frequent hurricanes and storms due to excess moisture generated by global warming, causing some island nations to literally drown. Additionally, record droughts, wildfires, snowstorms and cold snaps are affecting the world’s food supplies.
As the realities of climate change have become more apparent, many in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industries are looking for new ways to make our buildings and infrastructure more ecologically sustainable, thus reducing the greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted into the air. Others are implementing more resilient construction practices.
As you may know, the objective of resilient design is to protect against the impact of extreme weather such as flooding, overheating, and power outages. The ultimate goal is to enable livable conditions through deteriorating or even devastating circumstances.
An example of deploying resiliency measures is the Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston, which is built 30 inches above the 500-year flood elevation, and which uses bio-swales and a granite berm to prevent flooding.