Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment Monika Serrano; Jessica Mederson

Jessica Mederson and Monika Serrano close the first season speaking with Dr. Anne Cope, Chief Engineer at IBHS, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, a nonprofit supported by property insurers, reinsurers, and affiliated companies. Anne leads the engineering team, researching the performance of homes and businesses in hurricanes, wildfires, severe thunderstorms, and hailstorms. We talk  about her role at the National Institute of BUilding Sciences, building codes, affordability, return on investment from resilience, the role of insurers in adaptation and more.
Resources:
IBHS - https://ibhs.org/
IBHS Understanding Building Codes - https://ibhs.org/building-codes/
NIBS Mitigation Saves study - https://www.nibs.org/projects/natural-hazard-mitigation-saves-2019-report
NIBS Multi-Hazard Mitigation Council - https://www.nibs.org/mmc
 

Mónika and Jessica interview Professor Michael Gerrard, founder and director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School. We discuss issues such as building codes and FEMA flood maps, government regulations that could be used to improve resiliency in the built environment but only if communities use the latest versions of these regulations, which are beginning to incorporate future climate modeling--not just historical climate date. We also discuss potential liability for parties to a construction project, particularly design professionals. And we come back to one of our favorite topics--extreme heat.
Resources and stories discussed include:
Sabin Center for Climate Change Law: Sabin Center for Climate Change Law (columbia.edu)
Legal pathways for deep decarbonization: https://lpdd.org/
FEMA's BRIC program: https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/building-resilient-infrastructure-communities
Renewable energy legal defense initiative: https://climate.law.columbia.edu/content/renewable-energy-legal-defense-initiative
Skanska's Hurricane Sally lawsuit: https://www.enr.com/articles/53351-skanska-found-negligent-for-damages-from-breakaway-barges
Texas's efforts to ban protecting workers from extreme heat: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/23/greg-abbott-texas-governor-bill-water-breaks-heatwave
Arizona renter's right to air conditioning: https://landlordtenantresource.com/arizona-renters-rights-air-conditioning/#google_vignette
 
 
 

Jessica and Monika speak with Dr. Cassandra Smith and David Keller, from the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, US Department of State. Their Climate Security and Resilience program works to understand and generate awareness of outposts' vulnerability to natural hazards and to enhance their resilience in preparation for potential natural hazards. We learn how they analyze and act on climate hazards that may affect diplomats outposts, how these assets have been affected, what the future outlook looks like, and more. 
US Department of State Magazine: Climate Security and Resilience Program
Check out the ADAPT: Climate Change and the Built Environment podcast website here.
 

Mónika and Jessica discuss living in New Orleans with Ashley Robinson, a construction lawyer with a civil engineering degree who lives and works in New Orleans. We discuss living in New Orleans post Katrina – from work being done to prepare for future hurricanes to the multiple rounds of litigation after a major disaster. Ashley addresses the problems with getting home insurance in the face of increasing extreme weather issues and the roles building standards, green infrastructure, and individuals need to play to ensure that New Orleans can be a resilient, insurable city going forward.
Resources and links discussed include:
ASCE Report Post-Katrina: https://sp360.asce.org/PersonifyEbusiness/Merchandise/Product-Details/productId/263882635
Ongoing litigation over Brad Pitt’s Make it Right Project: https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2023/04/17/make-it-right-lawsuit-payout-brad-pitt-foundation-new-orleans-hurricane-katrina
New Orleans’ Green Infrastructure:  https://ready.nola.gov/green-infrastructure/
From the Ground Up: From the Ground Up: Local Efforts to Create Resilient Cities - Kindle edition by Sant, Alison. Arts & Photography Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
 

Mónika and Jessica interview Jason Glaser, CEO of La Isla network, an occupational health research organization and consultancy dedicated to protecting workers in a warming world. La Isla Network studies the effects of heat on workers and advices organizations on how to adapt to extreme heat while protecting workers health and staying productive. We talk about the risk that extreme heat poses to the construction workforce, and the industry as a whole, and what can be done about it. 
Resources and links discussed include: 
Temperature conversion:  26 celsius = 78.8 farenheit
Documentary - HEAT-SHIELD Film Showing the Effect of Climate Change on Manual Laborers: https://laislanetwork.org/release-of-heat-shield-film-showing-the-effect-of-climate-change-on-manual-laborers/
Time Article - Chronic Kidney Disease Is Poised to Become the Black Lung of Climate Change: https://time.com/6303020/chronic-kidney-disease-climate-change/ 
The Guardian Article - France investigates deaths of four Champagne workers in heatwave: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/14/france-investigates-deaths-of-champagne-workers-in-heatwave
Vice Article - The Silent Epidemic Behind Nicaragua's Rum: https://www.vice.com/en/article/qkxv7v/the-silent-epidemic-behind-nicaraguas-rum

Mónika and Jessica interview Susanne DesRoches, Vice President, Clean and Resilient Buildings, at New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), about how New York is modernizing its building stock to be both sustainable and resilient in the face of climate change. This work involves not just new builds, but also updating existing buildings and communities to prepare for our future climate. Susanne describes three specific projects NYSERDA is focusing on to address resilience in the built environment.
Resources and links discussed include: 
New York State Climate Impacts Assessment: New York State Climate Impacts Assessment – Understanding and Preparing for Our Changing Climate (nysclimateimpacts.org)
NYSERDA Buildings of Excellence: Buildings of Excellence Competition - NYSERDA
NYSERDA IRA: Inflation Reduction Act - NYSERDA
Book Recommendation: Not Too Late (nottoolateclimate.com)