The way the federal government analyzes intense rain events isn’t keeping up with the reality of climate change, and that has serious implications for infrastructure projects and the availability of, and rising cost of, flood insurance.
Severe rainstorms, sometimes described as “atmospheric rivers” or “torrential thunderstorms,” are making the concept of a “1-in-100-year flood event” obsolete, according to a report from First Street Foundation, an organization focused on weather risk research.
These events are occurring more frequently due to the impact of climate change, but federal rainfall analysis, managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, isn’t keeping up with the new weather conditions, First Street says.
Half the people in the U.S. live in a county where a 1-in-100-year flood is at least twice as likely now as it had been in the past, coming once every 50 years instead of every 100 years. In some areas, a so-called “1-in-100-year” rainfall could now happen far more frequently—as often as every 5 to 10 years.
The outdated analysis has serious implications for the way infrastructure projects are initiated and designed. And, because FEMA’s federal flood insurance program greatly underrepresents the number of people that could fall into FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Areas, millions of Americans may be unaware of their current flood risk.
Inaccurate flood risk data due to underestimating the impact of rainfall also impacts the cost and availability of flood insurance—this is especially true for property that isn’t close to the ocean or inland bodies of water.
The government is working to remedy the situation, though. NOAA, as reported by CNN, says it is working on a revamped approach to its rainfall analysis that is expected to be completed in 2027.
Related Stories
Transit Facilities | Jul 10, 2024
Historic Fresno train depot to be renovated for California high speed rail station project
A long-shuttered rail station in Fresno, Calif., will be renovated to serve as the city’s high speed rail (HSR) station as part of the California High-Speed Rail Authority system, the nation’s first high speed rail project. California’s HSR system will eventually link more than 800 miles of rail, served by up to 24 stations.
Contractors | Jul 9, 2024
The average U.S. contractor has 8.4 months worth of construction work in the pipeline, as of June 2024
Associated Builders and Contractors reported today that its Construction Backlog Indicator increased to 8.4 months in June, according to an ABC member survey conducted June 20 to July 3. The reading is down 0.5 months from June 2023.
Government Buildings | Jul 8, 2024
GSA adopts new accessibility guidelines for federal properties
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) adopted a new rule with new accessibility guidelines for federal buildings. The rule establishes that pedestrian facilities in the public right-of-way are readily accessible to and usable by people with disabilities.
Office Buildings | Jul 8, 2024
Office vacancy peak of 22% to 28% forecasted for 2026
The work from home trend will continue to put pressure on the office real estate market, with peak vacancy of between 22% and 28% in 2026, according to a forecast by Moody’s.
Virtual Reality | Jul 8, 2024
Can a VR-enabled AEC firm transform your project?
With the aid of virtual reality and three-dimensional visualization technologies, designers, consultants, and their clients can envision a place as though the project were in a later stage.
Green | Jul 8, 2024
Global green building alliance releases guide for $35 trillion investment to achieve net zero, meet global energy transition goals
The international alliance of UK-based Building Research Establishment (BRE), the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC), the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the Alliance HQE-GBC France developed the guide, Financing Transformation: A Guide to Green Building for Green Bonds and Green Loans, to strengthen global cooperation between the finance and real estate sectors.
Codes and Standards | Jul 8, 2024
New York State building code update would ban fossil fuels in new buildings
New York’s Building Code Council is set to include the All-Electric Buildings Act in its 2025 code update. The Act would ban natural gas and other fossil fuels in new buildings.
AEC Tech Innovation | Jul 4, 2024
Caution competes with inevitability at conference exploring artificial intelligence for design and construction
Hosted by PSMJ, AEC Innovate in Boston found an AEC industry anxiously at the threshold of change.
Building Team | Jul 3, 2024
So you want to get published: What’s next?
In the AEC industry, securing media attention is no longer a niche endeavor but an essential component of a holistic marketing strategy.
MFPRO+ New Projects | Jul 2, 2024
Miami residential condo tower provides a deeded office unit for every buyer
A new Miami residential condo office tower sweetens the deal for buyers by providing an individual, deeded and furnished office with each condo unit purchased. One Twenty Brickell Residences, a 34-story, 240-unit tower, also offers more than 60,000 sf of exclusive residential amenities.
