U.S. Green Building Council and Green Business Certification Inc. have bolstered their programs and resources to drive resilience-enhancing strategies to help businesses and governments mitigate climate risks.
“Resilient design, construction, and operations verified through green building and infrastructure certifications can help reduce risk and vulnerability,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO of USGBC and GBCI. “USGBC and GBCI’s resources serve as a roadmap for resilience that has the ability to save companies money and improve the standard of living for all.”
USGBC is working with Coastal Risk Consulting to deliver a RiskFootprint for buildings, communities, and cities that provides a climate risk analysis. The service will integrate with LEED, Arc, and GBCI rating systems to help assess a project’s vulnerability.
USGBC offers courses from experts working on resilience. GBCI is developing a new RELi professional credential expected to be ready in 2021.
Over the last two years, reportedly more than 16 million people globally, including an estimated 1.2 million Americans, were displaced because of climate events.
Related Stories
| Mar 22, 2012
Bill would reintroduce “opt-out” provision in lead paint law
The Lead Exposure Reduction Amendments Act of 2012 (S2148) would restore the "Opt-Out" provision removed from the Environmental Protection Agency's Lead Renovate, Repair and Painting (LRRP) rule in April 2010.
| Mar 15, 2012
New Florida building code establishes flood and storm surge provisions
The new 2010 code establishes minimum design and construction requirements to protect buildings from wind, rain, floods, and storm surges.
| Mar 15, 2012
Illinois city rejects international code due to home sprinkler requirement
Macomb, Illinois aldermen voted to recommend that the city not adopt 2012 international building and residential code standards requiring the installation of overhead sprinkler systems in newly constructed one-family and two-family homes.
| Mar 15, 2012
Tenant advocates propose licensing landlords in New York City
With thousands of New York City rental units posing potential dangers to tenants, city advocates are proposing measures to make landlords improve building safety.
| Mar 15, 2012
Construction industry a big winner in federal small disadvantaged business procurement
Last year, only 5% of federal contract dollars went to small disadvantaged businesses. Construction and facilities support firms were the biggest beneficiaries.
| Mar 15, 2012
ANSI approves new fall protection standards
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has approved two American Society of Safety Engineers' (ASSE) standards addressing fall protection.
| Mar 8, 2012
Engineering innovation provides new option for meeting seismic codes in skyscrapers
Two University of Toronto engineers have developed “viscoelastic-energy-dissipating dampers” to replace many of the heavy concrete beams used in tall structures.
| Mar 8, 2012
CSI webinar on building code compliance March 22
A March 22 webinar will provide an overview of a 28-step process during the design of a building to ensure compliance with building codes.