Breaking News

Design and Construction Organizations Urge Congress to Support Stronger, Safer Built Environment

Image courtesy of The American Institute of Architects.

Leading design and construction organizations called on Congress yesterday to include funding in the infrastructure bill that would significantly enhance the resilience of the nation’s buildings.

“Buildings are a critical part of our nation’s infrastructure,” said AIA EVP/Chief Executive Officer Robert Ivy, FAIA. “Not just airports, train stations and utility facilities, but also the schools where our children learn; the civic centers and hospitals where we receive essential services; and the homes where we live. The vast majority of these places are far more vulnerable to natural and manmade disasters than is acceptable. We must take urgent action to fix these problems, and be visionary about how we design and build new construction to withstand threats for decades to come. As we’re seeing already, climate change is expected to fuel another above-average year for wildfires, droughts, hurricanes and other severe weather. The time to act is now.”

In a letter issued yesterday to Congress, the signatories emphasized that disaster costs are both staggering and preventable. According to the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, between 2014 and 2019, major weather- and climate-related disasters alone killed nearly 4,000 people and caused more than $550 billion in damage. Yet with new investments to support forward-thinking planning, design and construction, the building industry can be a leader in saving lives and reducing costs.

Organizations co-signing the letter have also released the Resilience Building Coalition’s progress report, “Preparing to Thrive,” which outlines concrete steps the organizations have taken in research, education, planning, advocacy, and disaster response since signing the Building Industry Statement on Resilience. These activities have bolstered community resilience before, during and after disasters, and emphasize the critical need to do so across all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic divisions.

Signatories to the industry letter include: