In the wake of extreme weather events in a warming climate, builders and developers are taking new measures to future-proof residential structures in at-risk regions across the country. Seaside developments like Lendlease’s planned 1 Java St. in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint enclave and its Clippership Wharf in Boston both include “living shorelines” with natural barriers for rising sea levels.
New residential construction projects are also moving onto landscapes at greater elevations than those required by city codes, Forbes reports. From submerged shorelines to temperature extremes, new building codes and innovative resiliency strategies are vital to protecting and preserving existing buildings in a more volatile and threatening environment.
Cognizant of rising Lake Michigan water levels, Evanston, Ill.-based architecture and interior design firm Morgante Wilson Architects (MWA) has added future-proof features in homes it has designed along the shores of the third-largest Great Lake.
While designing protective features to blend with aesthetically-pleasing home designs, MWA has also consulted with firms focusing on engineering concrete reinforcements and retaining walls for the Great Lakes. As well, it has often exceeded township and state requirements for structures built along the lake in the Chicago area, Indiana and Michigan.
Advertisement
Related Stories
Sustainability
Fortera Takes Concrete Steps to Reduce the Climate Impact of Cement
Clean-tech company Fortera, which uses technology to capture carbon emissions form cement manufacturing, will open its first commercial-scale operation on April 12, 2024, in California
Lighting
4 Dark Skies-Friendly Outdoor Light Fixtures
As awareness of light pollution grows, there's more interest in dark-sky-friendly lighting. These outdoor lights have a seal of approval from the International Dark-Sky Association
Business Management
WOTUS Rulings Cause Confusion for Home Builders
NAHB Housing Policy Briefing: Lack of clarity for land developers and builders regarding waters of the United States; construction labor market update