Disaster-Resilient Buildings: Challenges And Opportunities – Forbes

Report on the Growing Necessity of Disaster-Resilient Construction for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Climate Change and the Urgency for Resilient Infrastructure

A recent surge in catastrophic natural disasters, exacerbated by climate change, has underscored the critical need for a paradigm shift in the construction industry. Events such as the Southern California wildfires, which destroyed over 18,000 structures, and Hurricane Harvey, which inflicted $125 billion in damages, highlight the vulnerability of modern communities. This trend directly threatens the progress of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those focused on safety, economic stability, and environmental sustainability. In response, a movement towards disaster-resilient construction is gaining momentum, aligning industry practices with the global objectives for a sustainable future.

Impact of Disasters on Sustainable Development Progress

Threats to Human Safety, Economic Stability, and Urban Sustainability

The increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters pose a significant challenge to the achievement of the SDGs. Recent events in the United States provide a stark illustration of this impact:

• Wildfires: Southern California fires resulted in the loss of up to 440 lives and the destruction of thousands of homes.
• Tornadoes: Midwest tornadoes caused an estimated $6 billion in damage to buildings and infrastructure.
• Hurricanes: Storms in Florida and the Carolinas from 2022-2024 severely damaged essential power and water infrastructure.
• Flooding: Hurricane Harvey’s floods in 2017 caused catastrophic economic losses in Houston.

These events directly undermine key development targets:

1. SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): Disasters destroy housing, critical infrastructure, and cultural heritage, directly contravening Target 11.5, which aims to reduce the economic and human losses from such events.
2. SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): The loss of life and the destruction of health facilities during disasters represent a major setback for public health objectives.
3. SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): The immense financial costs of rebuilding disrupt local economies and impede sustainable economic growth.

The Construction Sector’s Pivot Towards Resilience and Sustainability

Aligning Building Practices with SDG 13: Climate Action

The development community is increasingly recognizing that resilience is no longer a niche specialty but a fundamental necessity. This shift is driven by a proactive approach to climate adaptation, a core component of SDG 13 (Climate Action). The goal is to create buildings that are not merely compliant with minimum codes but are inherently durable and adaptable to the realities of a changing climate. This requires a cultural shift within the design and architecture fields, prioritizing resilience as highly as aesthetics and integrating it from the earliest stages of a project.

Fostering Innovation for SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Achieving true resilience necessitates a departure from traditional construction materials and methods in favor of innovative solutions that support SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure). This goal calls for building resilient infrastructure that can withstand environmental shocks.

Case Study: Advanced Building Systems

Companies like RSG 3-D are pioneering new technologies to meet this demand. Their building system, which utilizes a fire-retardant foam core within a reinforced concrete structure, offers a sustainable and resilient alternative. The benefits of such systems directly contribute to SDG targets:

• Enhanced Safety: Superior resistance to fire, hurricanes, and other disasters protects lives and property, supporting SDG 11.
• Sustainability: Factoring in long-term energy savings, reduced maintenance, and lower insurance premiums makes these systems economically viable and environmentally sound.
• Durability: The creation of tough, unyielding structures ensures the longevity of infrastructure, a key tenet of SDG 9.

Educating the construction industry about the availability, proven effectiveness, and long-term cost benefits of these technologies is essential for their widespread adoption. As climate volatility grows, the transition to disaster-resilient building practices is no longer a question of if, but when, and it is fundamental to securing a sustainable and safe future for all.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure: The article’s core theme is the need for disaster-resilient construction and the use of innovative materials and technologies to build more durable infrastructure. It discusses a shift in the construction industry towards creating buildings that can withstand natural disasters.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The article directly addresses the impact of natural disasters like wildfires, hurricanes, and floods on cities and communities, specifically mentioning Los Angeles, San Diego, and Houston. It highlights the destruction of homes and the need to build safe, resilient settlements.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: The article explicitly links the increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters to “a changing climate” and “climate volatility.” The entire discussion on building resilience is framed as a necessary response to climate-related hazards.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure. The article’s focus on “disaster-resilient construction” and creating “inherently durable, safe and adaptable” buildings directly supports this target. The mention of new building systems, like the panels from RSG 3-D, is an example of developing such infrastructure.
2. Target 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations. The article provides specific data on the devastating impacts of disasters, including the number of deaths (31 to 440), homes destroyed (18,000), and massive economic losses ($6 billion and $125 billion), which are the exact metrics this target aims to reduce.
3. Target 11.b: By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels. The article advocates for a “wholesale shift in favor of proactive design that integrates resilience from the very first drawing” and the drive to “build-back better,” which are key components of implementing policies for disaster resilience and risk management.
4. Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. The central argument of the article is the necessity of adapting to a “changing climate” by strengthening the resilience of the built environment. The shift from treating resilient construction as a “specialty” to a “necessity” is a direct reflection of efforts to build adaptive capacity to climate-related disasters like wildfires and hurricanes.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For Target 11.5: The article provides direct examples of data that align with official indicators for this target.
  • Number of deaths caused by disaster: The article states that wildfires in Southern California killed “at least 31 and possibly as many as 440 people.” This is a direct measure for Indicator 11.5.1.
  • Number of people affected by disaster: The destruction of “more than 18,000 homes and structures” implies a large number of people were affected through the loss of their homes and property.
  • Direct economic loss from disasters: The article quantifies the financial impact, citing “$6 billion in damage” from tornadoes and “$125 billion in damage” from Hurricane Harvey. This is a direct measure for Indicator 11.5.1.
• For Target 13.1: The article implies an indicator related to the adoption of disaster risk reduction strategies.
  • Adoption of local disaster risk reduction strategies: The call for a “cultural shift prioritizing resilience as highly as aesthetics within design values” and making “resilience-minded building… the norm” implies a move towards adopting and implementing local strategies for disaster risk reduction, which aligns with Indicator 13.1.2. The article suggests this is moving from “aspiration to necessity.”

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: forbes.com