Resilience Is Key to Concrete Building Advocacy

Leaders from broad interest groups gathered at the State of Resilience Leadership Forum in Washington, DC, earlier this summer. Attention from Federal agency officials, mayors and private sector leaders is at an all-time high in implementing resilience initiatives and maximizing benefits of resilience efforts. NRMCA has also seen a shift in the green building industry, including recent efforts by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) to offer credits that promote resilient measures in design, construction and operation. LEED v4 now has Pilot Credits that specifically address resilience, including:

 

• Assessment and Planning for Resilience 

• Design for Enhanced Resilience

• Passive Survivability and Functionality During Emergencies

 

After a three-year advocacy effort by NRMCA, these new credits were adopted last year and now encourage designers, planners, building owners and operators to mitigate for the potential impacts of natural disasters as well as long-term issues such as climate change. Concrete is the material of choice for disaster resilience, mitigating the disastrous effects of floods, seismic events and high winds. The Build with Strength campaign provides resources to help members and state affiliates advocate for resilient construction, including model legislation, talking points, public relations and other key strategies.