Category: Engineering

Bluelining

06/03/21

“How will the impact of increased flood risk on insurance further perpetuate segregation?”

In the middle of the 20th century, the U.S government forbade residents of certain neighborhoods (Specifically ones that Black Folk were forced to live in) to apply for a home mortgage. While this was later declared constitutionally illegal, the confluence of climate change and the private insurance markets may bring it back in an insidious new form. When updated floodmaps predict that new neighborhoods will become unsaveable, they may deny homeowners in those regions from receiving insurance coverage. This will turn the homes in this area into stranded assets that will be extremely difficult to sell and pose extreme financial liability. This new phenomena of Bluelining will only serve as a compounding factor for people living in flood-prone regions, which are already disproportionately made up of lower systemic caste communities. Flood risk prediction and insurance designers will need to take into consideration how their work will possibly harm the same people they should be seeking to serve.

How Governments Can Use Housing Swaps to Enable Managed Retreat

How Governments Can Use Housing Swaps to Enable Managed Retreat

How Governments Can Use Housing Swaps to Enable Managed Retreat

06/02/21

“How can governments use housing swaps to enable climate migration?”

The advent of climate change is going to make many areas of the world uninhabitable, making managed retreat necessary. However, people who have to move are going to face difficulty in finding a new place to live. Governments can make this process easier by compensating all individuals who have to move with a new place to live of equal worth. This will make people much more open to move in response to climate change. This is How Governments Can Use Housing Swaps to Enable Managed Retreat.

Water Storage Tanks

Water Storage Tanks

Water Storage Tanks

06/01/21

“How can we store water in a mechanical vessel?”

Water is one of the most important foundations of life on this planet. The industrialized world functions based on easy access to it, whether it be for drinking throughout the day or powering our factories. However, a natural source of water may not be nearby. So how can we provide a place to store it nearby? Well, we know that water can be easily placed in a metal container. So what if we were to build giant metal containers connected to pipes that we could easily draw and withdraw from? This is the idea behind Water Storage Tanks and is one of the most prevalent pieces of infrastructure in the world.

Inter-City Climate Adaptation Partnerships

Inter-City Climate Adaptation Partnerships

Inter-City Climate Adaptation Partnerships

05/30/21

“How can cities across the world partner up for climate adaptation work?”

Cities can be in completely different parts of the globe but have very similar climates and climate adaptation risks. These places can build climate adaptation capacity together more strongly if they were to work together and form Inter-City Climate Adaptation Partnerships. Whether it be between Dhaka and Rio, San Francisco and Sydney, or New York and London, great potential lies ahead.

Why COVID Can Be an Opportunity to Reimagine Our Cities

Why COVID Can Be an Opportunity to Reimagine Our Cities

Why COVID Can Be an Opportunity to Reimagine Our Cities

05/29/21

“How can COVID be an opportunity to reimagine our cities?”

Before COVID, many cities were designed to thrust people from their homes in the outer reaches to their workplaces in the center. But with the advent of the global pandemic, many began to understand the importance of local connection and having activities near their place of residence. Empty office spaces can be turned into government-subsidized housing. We can work to add more greenery, bring justice to systematically-excluded communities, and make our cities more people-focused. This is Why COVID Can Be an Opportunity to Reimagine Our Cities.

Why Will Utilities Have to Factor in Future Climate Impacts Into Their Cost Predictions

Why Will Utilities Have to Factor in Future Climate Impacts Into Their Cost Predictions

Why Will Utilities Have to Factor in Future Climate Impacts Into Their Cost Predictions

05/28/21

“Why will utilities have to factor future climate impacts into their cost predictions?”

The ascent of climate change is going to drive strong impacts all over the world. Utilities are going to bear much of the runt of these impacts given their upholding of critical infrastructure systems. To make sure that they can prepare for these events, utilities will have to plan how their financing mechanisms will incorporate these problems. This is Why Will Utilities Have to Factor in Future Climate Impacts Into Their Cost Predictions.

Climate Risk Trade-Off Analysis

Climate Risk Trade-Off Analysis

Climate Risk Trade-Off Analysis

05/27/21

“How can we do a cost-benefit analysis with infrastructure investment and future climate impact trade-offs?”

Infrastructure stakeholders have limited financial capacity and may not wish to invest right away into climate adaptation measures. However, if they perform Climate Risk Trade-Off Analysis and look how costly future damages might be, then they may realize that early investment may work out after all. This can be accomplished using quantitative statistical methods, case studies, and site visits.

Why Urban Planning Students Need to Study Climate Adaptation

Why Urban Planning Students Need to Study Climate Adaptation

Why Urban Planning Students Need to Study Climate Adaptation

05/25/21

“Why do urban planning students need to study climate adaptation?”

Urban planning students study the fundamentals of urban systems and everything that impacts them. Given that climate change is going to cause the largest disruption and reordering of global settlement, it would only be logical for urban planners to learn about it. Whether it be understanding how to realign cities in accordance with novel flooding measures or look into how to reduce reliance on automobile transportation, there are countless reasons Why Urban Planning Students Need to Study Climate Adaptation.

How Mixed-Income Subsidized Housing Can Be a Paradigm Shifting Tool for Climate Adaptation

How Mixed-Income Subsidized Housing Can Be a Paradigm Shifting Tool for Climate Adaptation

How Mixed-Income Subsidized Housing Can Be a Paradigm Shifting Tool for Climate Adaptation

05/20/21

“How can mixed-income subsidized housing greatly enhance climate adaptation efforts?”

Government subsidized housing can be incredibly difficult to finance and build. Making matters worse, the advent of climate change is going to displace millions around the world, making the need for socially supportive housing all the more necessary. However, one tool that can solve some of these problems would be to build mixed-income subsidized housing. This way, the more well-off residents can subsidize the rent of the less well-off and lead to the mass proliferation of new housing. This is How Mixed-Income Subsidized Housing Can Be a Paradigm Shifting Tool for Climate Adaptation.