Three Texas cities lead YardiMatrix’s list of U.S. metro areas with the most environmental risk.
Houston, Austin, and Dallas all received low scores in the firm’s recent ESG report, in the categories of “natural disasters” and “government response.” The analysis included the February 2021 winter storms that claimed 150 lives statewide, and yielded power, food, and water shortages, affecting more than 4.5 million residents. Property damages exceeded $20 billion because of the freakish winter weather.
After the three Texas cities, Tampa and Los Angeles were next on the list of the riskiest U.S. metros. Four cities had the least environmental risk: Boston, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and Portland. The least risky cities were in states that are taking environmental risk seriously.
Concerns about financial firms’ ability to assess environmental risk has spawned a new industry of consultants that analyze environmental data examine the impact on markets and individual buildings. This field will acquire better data and metrics as it matures, the report says.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Dec 5, 2021
New standard for Phase I environmental reports requires more research work on many sites
Update affects around 250,000 commercial real estate transactions a year.
Codes and Standards | Nov 30, 2021
Dept. of Energy publishes RFP for technical assistance on supporting better building codes
Addresses advanced standards to reduce energy consumption and GHG emissions.
Codes and Standards | Nov 29, 2021
Ithaca, N.Y., votes to electrify, decarbonize all its buildings
First initiative of its kind in U.S.
Codes and Standards | Nov 29, 2021
FAA seeking design of air traffic control towers of the future
Call for design submissions for safe, efficient structures.
Codes and Standards | Nov 28, 2021
Efficient electric water heaters in multifamily buildings significantly reduce carbon emissions
In buildings with 5+ units, water heating uses more energy than space heating, cooling, or lighting.
Codes and Standards | Nov 23, 2021
New York’s Labor Law Section 240 and how it affects general contractors
The ‘Scaffold Law’ was first enacted by the New York State Legislature in 1885 and is one of the single most-used laws in construction accident cases.
Codes and Standards | Nov 22, 2021
ABC’s Construction Technology Report finds focus on solving operational problems
More than half rely on project management software.
Codes and Standards | Nov 22, 2021
Contractors say 811 utility location system has significant flaws
More than half of firms in survey report damages, near misses because lines were unmarked or marked incorrectly.
Codes and Standards | Nov 19, 2021
Creating net-zero/net-positive buildings is top priority in Green Building Trends 2021 report
Findings also demonstrate compelling business case for building green.
Codes and Standards | Nov 19, 2021
Construction Startup Competition 2021 awards highlight tech innovations
AI-powered software to identify and explain critical issues in construction contracts takes top prize.
