Resilient Design
Resilience is the ability of a building to respond to and bounce back from a disaster.
Resilient design involves the use of passive systems, energy production and storage, and other strategies to help ensure a building can (literally) weather the storm. It is increasingly important as our climate changes but also can help buildings respond to other risks such as earthquakes and cyberattacks.
Resilient Design
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
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Mitigating Disasters: Invest Now, Spend Less Later
Feature Short
Mitigation saves money, buildings, and lives, according to a FEMA-funded National Institute of Building Sciences study.
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Improving Resilience in Affordable Housing
Feature Short
A Q&A with Laurie Schoeman, director of resilience and disaster recovery, Enterprise Community Partners
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Checking for Resilience in Multifamily Housing
Feature Short
Washington, D.C. is developing a tool to assess affordable multifamily housing for resilience to climate change.
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‘Build Higher’: HUD’s Rules After Harvey, Irma, Maria
Feature Short
HUD’s new rules for disaster recovery funds reinstate floodplain building standards established by Obama and revoked by Trump.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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SIREWALL: The Next Generation of Earthen Walls
Product Review
Made from local earth, rebar, and polyiso, SIREWALL rammed earth walls are beautiful, durable, and are stronger than concrete with less portland cement.
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DC Power Supply Integrates AC and Renewables
Product Review
Nextek PhD provides AC-to-DC power at the building scale, integrates renewable energy, and can even save on first costs.
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BuildingGreen Announces Top 10 Products for 2024
Product Review
BuildingGreen’s Top 10 industry-transforming products this year include innovative heat-pump energy storage, electric construction equipment, PFAS-free textiles, healthier lighting, PV circularity, and more.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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Insurers Ill-Prepared for Climate Change, Survey Finds
News Analysis
Despite another historic year of extreme weather, most insurance companies still aren't facing climate risks.
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Landmark Obama Climate Speech Calls for Less Carbon, More Resilience
News Analysis
The president's new climate plan addresses power plants, efficiency regulations, and risk from floods, droughts, and wildfires.
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To Become Resilient, NYC Looks to Its Buildings
News Analysis
Resilient design at the building level figures heavily in Mayor Bloomberg's $20 billion plan to protect New York from climate change.
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AIA Prioritizes Resilient Design, Product Transparency
News Analysis
New statements on resilience and healthy materials expand the AIA’s environmental advocacy.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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Introducing the Resilient Design Institute
Op-Ed
BuildingGreen announces the formation of the Resilient Design Institute.
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Bouncing Forward from Disasters
Op-Ed
Finding opportunities in the spate of recent devastating natural disasters.
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How to Help Ukraine Now … and in the Future
Op-Ed
What can the green building and resilience communities do to help the people of Ukraine?
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A Tribute to Robin Guenther, Green Healthcare Pioneer
Op-Ed
Robin Guenther advanced new standards for hospitals that were adopted by the larger green building community and integrated into leading rating systems.
Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
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Design for Adaptation: Living in a Climate-Changing World
Feature
Even if we stopped emitting greenhouse gases tomorrow, rising global temperatures would still bring major changes to the climate system and our way of life. This article offers solutions for designing buildings that not only mitigate our impact on the global climate, but also adapt to the changes that are coming-and those that are already here.
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Resilient Design-Smarter Building for a Turbulent Future
Feature
Resilience is the new green. With decades of green building experience, we are ready to face climate change.
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An Advocate’s Guide to Resilience Regulations
Feature
Resilience is finding its place in city zoning and building codes. Here are some ideas to bring to your local government.
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Assessing Climate Hazards: The First Step in Resilient Design
Feature
The tools for conducting a multi-hazard exposure analysis are available if you know where to look.
Just For Fun
Something weird happens every April at BuildingGreen...
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Bewitching Designs Snag Coveted Resilience Awards
April Fools
Self-propulsion wins the night at this year’s Rizzies, but a controversy brews.
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Resilient Design Is a Big Load of Crap
April Fools
Why are you taking survival advice from a bunch of pencil jockeys? It’s time to start listening to the pros.
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Passive Survivability Standard Modified for Post-Pandemic Office Buildings
April Fools
The LEED Passive Survivability pilot credit just got a lot easier for office buildings in the post-pandemic era.
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Hurricane Tests Resilient Design—and Family Dynamics
April Fools
A building project brings brothers back together, but a fast-moving storm challenges the project and the family.
