As the world continues to withstand increasingly frequent and severe weather-related hazards, coupled with devastating impacts of seismic activity and urban fires, we are constantly reminded that buildings need to be more thoughtfully designed to survive disasters, providing protection to people.

The global average annual losses related to buildings and infrastructure due to multiple geophysical and hydrometeorological hazards exceed $700 billion, or approximately 14 percent of the annual global GDP growth (CDRI,2023). Hence, it is important to understand how buildings, cities and infrastructure are designed today to withstand current and future disasters and adverse climate impacts without increasing environmental burdens or jeopardising economic feasibility.

Resilience and adaptation should not be at odds with either affordability or energy efficiency. Solutions exist that employ passive and active building and urban design strategies to strengthen resilience to extreme heat, floods, high wind events, wildfires, while also fortifying buildings in highly seismic areas and incorporating appropriate active and passive fire protection solutions. The key is to recognize the importance of context-responsive design, tailoring resilient solutions to local climate and hazard conditions, site characteristics, resource availability,  and socio-economic contexts. All of these considerations should drive – not be driven by – building and zoning regulations, material selection and use, passive and mechanical cooling and heating, and nature-based solutions.

The session will employ case studies to explore practical approaches that have worked, as well as those that have not, to connect resilience, resource efficiency and affordability in both new construction and existing buildings.

This workshop will begin with a fireside chat followed by Breakout groups discussing case studies around a set of defined guiding questions