The greenest building is the one still standing after a disaster
A ‘green’ building has to last for its intentionally small carbon footprint to pay off. That includes surviving flood, storm or wildfire damage.
When Hurricane Michael struck the Florida Panhandle in 2018, the Sand Palace beach house withstood the storm while over half of the surrounding buildings were destroyed. The owners had constructed it to endure roughly double the wind speed required by Florida's code, using reinforced concrete walls on 40-foot pilings. This added cost of 15% to 20% resulted in a higher carbon footprint, but the owners believed in building a house capable of surviving hurricanes.
Designers evaluate a building's "greenness" based on its carbon footprint, including the greenhouse gases released during production, transportation, and operation. However, a resilient building that stands despite a disaster may have a larger carbon footprint due to extensive repairs, ballooning its environmental impact over time.
As climate change drives more frequent and intense storms, it becomes crucial to consider the full life cycle of buildings and their long-term costs. Insurance companies are driving this shift towards sustainability, offering discounts for home fortifications. These discounts, ranging from 15% to 30% off hurricane coverage, encourage builders to reinforce homes with impact-resistant windows and roofing that meet independently verified wind standards.
Studies have shown that resilient designs can prevent substantial carbon emissions, with a return on investment achieved within two years. To fully account for durability in construction decisions, researchers propose including the costs of keeping buildings operational during and after disasters, as well as the expenses associated with adapting and upgrading damaged structures.
These factors, including temporary shelter, emergency generators, and the replacement of damaged utilities, are currently overlooked in environmental assessments. By integrating these benefits into green-building and infrastructure evaluations, the true costs of resilient designs can be revealed, leading to more sustainable building practices.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
