Climate change is increasing billion-dollar disasters, many of them from intensifying hurricanes. Some housing developers are building homes with an eye toward making them more resilient to such extreme weather, and friendlier to the environment at the same time.
Some housing developers are building homes with an eye toward making them more resilient to extreme weather, and friendlier to the environment at the same time. Devastation from Hurricane Michael is visible including the area around Bonny Paulson’s home, center top, in Mexico Beach, Fla., Friday, Oct. 12, 2018.
“The real magic here is that we’re doing both,” chief executive Steve Linton. “I think a lot of times resilience is sort of the afterthought when you talk about sustainable construction, where it’s just kind of this is a feature on a list ... we believe that resilience is really a fundamental part of sustainability.”
To reduce vulnerability to flooding, home sites are raised 3 feet above code. Roads are raised, too, and designed to direct accumulating rainfall away and onto ground where it may be absorbed. Steel roofs with seams allow solar panels to be attached so closely it’s difficult for high winds to get under them, and the homes have batteries that kick in when power is knocked out.
“I don’t really feel that the population is taking into effect the environmental catastrophes, and adjusting for it,” she said. “We’re building the same old stuff that got blown away.” In 2022 Hurricane Ian churned over Babcock Ranch as a Category 4 storm. It left little to no damage, Kitson said.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
CalPERS to double climate investments, consider asset salesCalPERS to double climate investments, consider asset sales
Read more »
Biden expected to skip COP climate summit, trip to AfricaThe White House had prepared for a trip to Dubai, and a promised stop in Africa, but the president will likely stay stateside for the remainder of 2023.
Read more »
Alpine skiing World Cup faces questions from climate activists over racing on glaciers in OctoberThe Austrian resort of Soelden has hosted the first event of the Alpine skiing World Cup season for the 30th time giant slalom races in late October. But ski racing on glaciers has come under increased scrutiny from environmentalists, especially at this time of year.
Read more »
Internal emails show SEC coordinated climate disclosure rules with AI firm set to financially benefitEXCLUSIVE: Newly-uncovered information and internal communications show a firm that makes software to report climate data was involved in crafting relevant federal regulations.
Read more »
How salt from the Caribbean affects our climateThe distribution of salt by ocean currents plays a crucial role in regulating the global climate.
Read more »
Saplings reveal how changing climate may undermine forestsAs climate scientist Don Falk was hiking through a forest, the old, green pines stretched overhead. But he had the feeling that something was missing. Then his eyes found it: a seedling, brittle and brown, overlooked because of its lifelessness. Once Falk's eyes found one, the others quickly fell into his awareness.
Read more »