In Boston, two recent reports, one on the impact of climate change, and the other on planning for future development, provoked a hard look at the wisdom of building in increasingly flood-prone areas.
The planning report, “Imagine Boston 2030,” identifies five priority growth areas in the metro area. Four of the five growth areas, including the booming Seaport District in South Boston, are extremely vulnerable to flooding according to the other report, “Climate Ready Boston.”
Stephen Gray, assistant professor of urban design at Harvard Graduate School of Design, and a cochairman for Boston’s 100 Resilient Cities Resilience Collaborative, points out the contradiction in an opinion column in the Boston Globe. He asks: “How and where we decide to grow will have immeasurable economic and social consequences, so why would we intentionally grow in parts of the city that we know to be extremely vulnerable to flooding?”
He points out that in the Seaport construction permits “continue to be approved so long as buildings have floodable first floors and utilities on the roof. By this measure, the city maintains that floodable buildings are a viable solution, even if the streets around them could eventually be ankle deep in mud and water depending on the tide.” Coastal cities around the world are faced with similar dilemmas concerning where best to encourage new development in the face of rising sea levels induced by climate change, and where best to invest in flood mitigation infrastructure.
Related Stories
| Dec 11, 2014
Outdated building code hampering recruitment of high-tech businesses in New York State
New York State’s building code is outdated and is hampering the recruitment of high-tech employers, according to a coalition of construction, fire safety, and insurance industry groups.
| Dec 11, 2014
Defense Authorization Act rejects BRAC for 2017
The House of Representatives has passed the $584.2 billion Defense Authorization Act.
| Dec 4, 2014
New airports raising green standards to new heights
Recent airport designs are bigger and much more efficient, based on a look at recent projects in Mexico City, London, and China.
| Dec 4, 2014
Rock Hill, S.C., puts moratorium on multifamily construction
City officials say the flurry of apartment construction over the past year has strained resources, including public services and infrastructure.
| Dec 4, 2014
Ontario contractors renew push for prompt payment legislation
A new coalition of Ontario contractors, construction associations, suppliers and trade unions will push for a revival of prompt payment legislation late this year.
| Dec 4, 2014
Roofing material manufacturers extend research project on sustainable roofing
A coalition of trade groups is sponsoring continued analysis of a reroofing project at the Onondaga County Correctional Facility in Jamesville, New York.
| Nov 26, 2014
Colorado must fix construction defects law, Denver Post says
Colorado's “vexing construction defects law” has hampered the building of new condominiums in the state, according to an editorial in the Denver Post.
| Nov 26, 2014
Cheyenne, Wyoming City Council kills downtown design standards proposal
The Cheyenne, Wyoming City Council voted down a measure that would have implemented design standards for new construction and building additions downtown.
| Nov 26, 2014
ASTM International develops first product category rules for asphalt roofing industry
The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) and ASTM International have developed Product Category Rules (PCR) for asphalt roofing in North America.
| Nov 26, 2014
International Green Construction Code will include option for outcome-based approach
The outcome-based approach requires the building owner to provide the building’s utility bills for a 12-month period within three years.
