Climate Changed: What Will You Do When Your Project Floods?
About this course
In light of the catastrophic flooding which occurred throughout the Northeast region in 2023, we must challenge ourselves to confront the increased likelihood of extreme weather events and diminished water resilience that our projects now face.
Resilience can only be achieved if we embrace the reality of new weather patterns and adjust both design and funding strategies accordingly.
Speakers will delve into the critical intersections between water, resilience, decarbonization, and preservation to emphasize that this is an all-hands-on-deck challenge which extends beyond the boundaries of our project sites and across their broader watersheds.
Learning Objectives
- Describe the main factors contributing to increased flooding and other climate related threats to buildings.
- Take a holistic approach to resilient design that incorporates the perspectives of civil and mechanical engineering, architecture, and planning.
- Expand the concept of resilience beyond individual building sites to encompass whole communities and watersheds.
- Take concrete steps to make buildings more resilient to extreme weather, drawing on lessons learned from case studies.
This course is included in this bundle
Course outline
Welcome • 1 assignments
Orientation Materials
- Welcome to the course!
Module 1 • 7 assignments
Live Keynote Presentation
- Introduction and Importance of Water (03:05 minutes)
- Impact of Development on the Water Cycle (09:44 minutes)
- Case Study: Waterbury Restoration Project (06:14 minutes)
- Climate Challenges in Washington, D.C. (01:57 minutes)
- Innovative Water Management Solutions (04:13 minutes)
- Cambridge's Collaborative Water Resilience (10:08 minutes)
- Presentation Slides (.pdf)
Conclusion • 2 assignments
Feedback and Additional Resources
- Feedback: 2-minute Exit Survey
- Certificate of Completion: Request a Certificate (members only)
Authors
Elaine Hoffman
During the last class of an art history course she took during her freshman year of college, Elaine learned about contemporary sustainable buildings. She decided then and there to devote her career to this work. Today, Elaine advances her goal of designing buildings that have a net positive impact on the environment. Elaine works on a range of tasks at Goody Clancy,...
Jennifer Johnson
Jenn was primarily drawn to the field of civil and water resources engineering for its ability to directly benefit communities via forward-thinking, inclusive, and resilient projects. In her 19 years of experience, Jenn has provided civil engineering, stormwater, and watershed planning and design for institutional, municipal, and commercial projects. She specializes in...
Patrick Murphy
As Director of Sustainable Design for Vanderweil Engineers, Patrick is translating his experience and passion for sustainability into integrated and innovative designs while leading the Vanderweil Building Performance Group. Patrick is eager to work collaboratively with architects and engineers to develop innovative and sustainable solutions for each client, and to lead...
