As climate-driven hazards accelerate, a dangerous structural misalignment has emerged: What building codes deem legally permissible to construct is increasingly at odds with what catastrophic risk models deem financially viable to insure.
As long as building codes lag behind climate realities, private insurance markets will continue to dictate local safety standards by default. Resiliency Codes offer a clear, actionable strategy to change this dynamic.
Unexpected disasters are causing damage in unlikely places, forcing decision-makers in the public and private sectors to prepare for the most common disasters in their region as well as the rare, once-in-a-hundred-year ones. But strategies exist to help decision-makers prepare for the unexpected.
Across the U.S., the average annual total costs of earthquakes is $14.7 billion, with the average earthquake costing between $1.5 to $3 billion. Adopting the latest seismic resilience codes can make buildings more earthquake-resistant and financial instruments can help communities rebuild quickly.
The Epicenter defines infrastructure as the physical, economic, and social systems central to the functioning of an economy and a society. Resiliency in critical infrastructure is about the ability to withstand extreme climate impacts and recover from them quickly.
If $1 invested in disaster prep saves $13, then its clear investing in preparedness produces a higher ROI than recovery. But what does that preparation look like? An interview with Nanotech Materials offers an example of resiliency in the category of fortified roofing and building materials.
If each $1 invested in disaster preparation saves $13 in economic costs, damages, and cleanup, then it's clear that investing in the preparation for climate-related catastrophes produces a higher ROI than just focusing on recovery alone. But what, exactly, does that preparation look like?
There are no silver bullet solutions for the private sector to adopt to dramatically reduce the costs of winter storms. The biggest lever to bring costs down exists in modernizing and winterizing the grid—an endeavor that will require substantial technological, mechanical, and financial investments.
Extreme weather events wreak havoc on grids not designed to endure their frequency and intensity, but there are solutions to build resiliency. 1. Modernize grid infrastructure; 2. Install more microgrids; 3. Roll out more renewable energy to reduce fossil-fuel dependence.
In just a few hours, a severe storm can cause billions worth of damage. Three levers offer opportunities to enhance resiliency and reduce the costs of severe storms: 1) Invest in more resilient roofing; 2) Adopt more resilient construction practices; 3) Invest in new innovations and technologies.
California has high standards for wildfire, but even with policy changes, adoption is slow. The LA Fires will likely drive up rent prices, fueling displacement in the region. The fires are straining an already imbalanced CA insurance market.
In 2024, the U.S. experienced 24 climate disaster events where losses exceeded $1 billion. As The Epicenter team reflects on themes from 2024, five questions are top of mind. The Epicenter asked resiliency practitioners to reflect on the past year and share their thoughts on what's to come in 2025.
Investors can reduce the costs and dangers of extreme heat by: Fortifying the electrical grid and built environment; Advancing alternative cooling innovations; Developing public-private partnerships in cooling infrastructure; Investing in blended finance tools; Scaling insurance innovations.
Of all the natural disasters that hit the U.S. each year, extreme heat waves are by far the deadliest. Extreme heat also slows workers down and reduces agricultural productivity.
