Since the frequency and intensity of floods, wildfires and heat waves has increased due to climate change, the U.S. housing market has become steadily more volatile.
Billions of dollars’ worth of damages have already piled up from these disasters, and they will only increase unless we drastically shift how we build. To make matters worse, climate disasters disproportionately affect vulnerable populations due to their proximity to areas most susceptible to hazardous climate conditions and the poorly constructed buildings.
Despite the scope and precarity of housing issues in the era of climate change, the Climate-Resilient Housing Initiative has put forth plans to build affordable, sustainable and resilient homes for 10 million people by 2030. Many types of model homes have been developed and built to demonstrate how housing could be adapted to handle natural disasters. For example, homes that will be built in areas prone to flooding could either be elevated on stilts or designed to be buoyant in anticipation of rising water levels.
Other examples of climate-resilient housing include homes designed for rising temperatures and drought conditions, including features like reflective surfaces, green spaces, solar panels and good insulation. Architects have found plenty of affordable ways to produce climate resilient housing as well by building well-insulated, wind-resistant houses with locally sourced clay, or designing wooden buildings that can easily be taken apart and moved to higher ground in the event of a flood. Other housing allows for an easy exit in the event of a fire, or the ability to safely adjust airflows to provide ventilation during windstorms.
In light of the impending dangers to our housing, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has released a report outlining recommended resiliency strategies for buildings. Also, companies like Green Builder Media are putting resources into learning how to make climate-resilient housing. And since natural disasters are bringing down the value of houses so rapidly, realtors are being encouraged to implement proper climate-resiliency standards into their homes in order to keep them marketable.
The vast majority of U.S. housing was built decades ago, long before climate change was a threat. As such, millions of homes are completely unprepared for the natural disasters that are coming their way. We still have a long way to go before we’re fully prepared, but the technology, scientific knowledge and financial incentives are all there for us to begin building more resilient communities.
CONTACTS: How To Make Housing More Resilient Against Natural Disasters, www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/5-ways-make-buildings-climate-change-resilient; How Climate Change Contributes To Issues Within The Modern Housing Market, www.theverge.com/23951223/housing-climate-change-zoning-nimby-sustainable-design
EarthTalk® is produced by Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss for the 501(c)3 nonprofit EarthTalk. See more at emagazine.com. To donate, visit earthtalk.org. Send questions to: [email protected].
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