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GUEST COMMENT
The massive costs associated with
man-made and natural disasters
highlight the pressing need to
change the conversation about
so-called green construction to
focus on resilient construction.
As part of their priorities for
the 2018, US Congress and local
governments should push for
more durable and resilient construction guidelines that
will not only save lives, but also taxpayer dollars. Resilient
construction is an increasingly pressing requirement, as
the country is buffeted by the need to rebuild after such
catastrophic events, including fires and storms.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO), the
investigative arm of Congress, underscores the costly
predicament. It found that extreme weather and fire events
have cost the federal government – and US taxpayers – over
US$350 billion in just the last decade, with the price tag
expected to rise as the climate changes. The National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration declared 2017 the single
costliest year on record for weather and climate disasters.
It is only going to get worse. The GAO cited one
particularly troubling projection in the scientific literature:
for the years 2020 through 2039, GAO said that the US
could sustain between “US$4 billion and US$6 billion in
annual coastal property damages from sea level rise and
more frequent and intense storms.” The same projection
identifies the southeastern US as bearing the brunt of
coastal property damages.
Addressing this clear and present danger
A good place to start is a wholesale recalibration of the
definition of what is often labelled as ‘green construction’.
The emphasis over the last several years has been to
promote construction of LEED-certified buildings as the
pinnacle of sustainability.
But in light of extreme weather trends and their
sweeping impact, this is myopic. It hardly benefits the
environment, and it hardly should be considered ‘green’,
if a LEED building, damaged in a disaster, requires major
reconstruction and, as a result, the release of more CO
2
to
produce more materials.
Rather, the recalibrated view should be that the greenest
building is the energy-efficient building left standing, the
one reinforced by better materials, such as concrete, and
the one that does not require additional carbon release to
produce additional materials necessary for repair.
Modernising the definition of green will require a
national dialogue about the need for specialised resilient
construction techniques, certainly for disaster-prone areas
in which hurricanes and other extreme weather occurs.
These construction techniques – for new and existing
structures – can help ensure that infrastructure continues
to work following a disruptive event.
Of all construction materials for buildings and other
infrastructure, concrete is by far the most disaster resilient.
Concrete can be incorporated in several key aspects to
make projects more durable and disaster resistant. For
example, concrete wall, floor, and roof systems offer an
unsurpassed combination of structural strength and wind
resistance. In addition, hardened exterior finishes for
walls and roofs of a home or business provide the best
combination of strength and security.
The investment in resilient construction pays off for
taxpayers, insurance companies, and anyone else footing
the bill. According to the National Institutes of Building
Sciences, for every dollar spent on resilient construction
techniques, six times that amount is saved in recovery costs
after a disaster strikes.
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology’s Concrete Sustainability Hub have studied
construction cost trends in areas prone to disasters. What
they found is well worth underlining. They concluded
that hazard-related maintenance costs “can be significant
over the lifetime of a building. In fact, the costs of
hazard-related repairs can exceed the initial building
cost.” Their case studies demonstrate that investing in
greater hazard-resistant residential construction in certain
locations is very cost effective.
While there is a need for this discussion, individual
states are moving legislation that would actually limit the
use of stronger materials. These legislative efforts – for
example, in Washington state and Oregon – run counter
to good common sense and public safety.
Building resilient communities
Leaders need to recognise that green, resilient
communities start with comprehensive planning, including
stricter building codes that produce robust structures
with long service lives. More durable buildings with
high-performance features that incorporate concrete and
cement promote community continuity. They are the new
‘green’ buildings, making cities and towns stronger and
better able to successfully manage any disaster challenge.
About the author
Allen Hamblen is President and CEO of CalPortland Co. He is also
Chairman of the Portland Cement Association, which represents
US cement manufacturers.
IT’S TIME TO TALK RESILIENCY
ALLEN HAMBLEN, CEO, CALPORTLAND CO.