A new report by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) pinpoints portions of the U.S. at greatest risk of declining residential and commercial property values, and diminished city and county tax revenue due to flooding attributed to sea level rise.
The areas impacted face worse high tide flooding due to the effects of climate change, UCS says. The findings are the result of peer-reviewed analysis that used ZIP-code-by-ZIP-code data from Zillow Property Data.
The states found to be most at risk of flooding from rising seas are: Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. As much as 70% of some municipalities’ property tax bases could be at risk.
The analysis also provides risk assessment according to:
— Number of homes and commercial properties (by state and zip code).
— Current values of properties.
— The amount of money the properties contribute in annual property taxes, which fund schools, roads, and emergency services.
— How many properties could be spared if warming is limited to below 2 degrees Celsius.
— Near- and long-term impact projections, including within the next 30 years.
— Identification of areas where coastal property owners might experience recurring flooding so severe it limits their ability to live or work in these properties.
Related Stories
| Jul 5, 2012
New Joplin, Mo. hospital being built to withstand tornado that destroyed predecessor
After the May 22, 2011, EF-5 tornado destroyed St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin, Mo., architects and engineers analyzed how the nine-story structure reacted to the storm.
| Jul 5, 2012
Continued tax breaks necessary for widespread adoption of net zero buildings
Tax breaks passed by the U.S. government to encourage construction of green buildings are set to expire in 2012 and 2013.
| Jun 28, 2012
Six buildings now recognized under Living Building Challenge
The Living Building Challenge (LBC), a green ratings system for design and construction that judges a building based on its actual performance, not just its projected performance at the design stage, has recognized six buildings to date.
| Jun 28, 2012
Label for building products will have ‘global warming number’
The director of the 2030 Challenge for Products says that the organization is aiming to place a label on building products that will list what’s in it, and how much embodied carbon each product represents.
| Jun 28, 2012
Top building material executive urges building resilience in sustainability standards
A meeting of 1,000 business executives at the recent Rio+20 environmental conference featured a passionate plea to include building resilience in efforts to boost sustainability.
| Jun 28, 2012
Following spate of skyscraper balcony glass panel breakages, Ontario adopts code change
Ontario's housing minister announced new building code rules to help prevent glass panels from breaking off high-rise balconies during hot weather.
| Jun 28, 2012
Factory worker deaths in Italy raise questions on building codes after earthquakes
Italian officials are questioning seismic building standards and inspection procedures in the aftermath of two damaging earthquakes.
| Jun 21, 2012
Brazilian engineering/construction firm Odebrecht sues Florida over ban on companies doing business in Cuba
Odebrecht Construction Inc., a Brazilian engineering and construction company, is suing the State of Florida over a new law that bans governments from hiring companies with business ties to Cuba.