Disaster Resilience - Infrastructure to Combat Climate ChangeCreating Disaster-Resilient Communities

ICC Hong Kong, May 30th, 2007

What’s an Arup?

Drivers of Change

•Climate

•Energy

•Water

•Waste

•Demographics

•Urbanization

Definition

• Disaster Aversion: mitigating disasters we are causing or causing to accelerate

• Disaster-Resistance: designing systems to withstand events (typically through single-system approaches)

• Disaster-Resilience: designing flexible, adaptive and redundant systems, typically through an integrated approach

At what scale should we be addressing these issues?

Increasing dependence on large-scale grids/distribution systems = increased vulnerability to climate

change/disasters

(mega-farms, national energy grids, telecoms, etc)

Vulnerable Communities (metropolitan areas)

• Growing urban populations stressing existing resources/systems

• Poorly articulated growth strategies promote consumption of natural buffers/critical areas

• Distributed governance responsibility = difficult coordination / slow reaction

• Corporate resilience heavily linked to resilience of public infrastructure = threat to competitiveness in global economy

Characteristics of Disaster-Resilience Communities

• Link prevention strategies with buildings/infrastructure (critical facilities)

• Buildings fail gently at specific points

• Energy, water, communications strategies can function detached from local / regional / national grids

• Industrial / food strategies, warehousing

• Performance-based regulatory schemes encourage innovation

Examples

• Non-bonded braces (seismic zones)

• Energy independence – wind, sun, biofuels

• Fuel cell powered buses (Dongtan) and ferries (Treasure Island) double as back up power for critical facilities

• Integrated design approach to high density compact development = energy efficiency, more open space, reduced infrastructure costs

• Recycling 100% water to live within community’s water budget

Conclusion

• A sustainable (integrated design) approach is the most rational pathway to long term value creation and competitive advantage

• The most robust of all risk management strategies: depth, breadth, at intersections and over time.

• Without an economic lever customary belief is difficult to dislodge

• To optimize conditions for human development over time a city must be environmentally, socially, economically and culturally sustainable

Thank You