October 2013
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
    1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31    
             

Browse Full Calendar


Buy Tickets

Designing for Disaster: Partnering to Mitigate the Impact of Natural Disasters

Insights Drawn from the Industry Council for the Built Environment

 

On May 12, 2010, the National Building Museum’s Industry Council for the Built Environment convened on Capitol Hill for its second annual meeting to discuss disaster preparedness, ahead of a major exhibition opening fall 2012, Designing for Disaster.  Corporate, association, nonprofit, and government leaders tackled tough questions about how the private and public sectors can best mitigate the effects of natural disasters.

ICBE
National Building Museum President and Executive Director thanks participants and gives closing remarks at the second annual meeting of the Industry Council for the Built Environment.
Photo by Kevin Allen

In order to share the conclusions of the Council, the Museum has issued its first white paper, entitled, “Designing for Disaster: Partnering to Mitigate the Impact of Natural Disasters.”  The paper offers recommendations on three central themes:

  • Creating awareness of the true cost and impact of natural disasters, which include tragic human and dramatic financial losses;
  • Improving communications, coordination and creative partnerships between federal, state and local governments, and the private sector; and
  • Making buildings and communities more resilient when natural disasters strike through planning, policy, and building technology.
ICBE
From left to right: Frederick Tombar, senior advisor for Disaster Programs, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; Mike Russell, senior counsel, Homeland Security Committee, U.S. House of Representatives; Harriet Tregoning, director, D.C. Office of Planning; and Robin Keegan, executive director, Louisiana Recovery Authority participate in a panel discussion exploring how federal, state, and local government can work with the private sector to develop an effective response to the planning and reaction to a natural disaster.
Photo by Kevin Allen

The white paper recommendations target four groups: Congress; federal agencies and the White House; state and local governments; and the private sector.

We invite you to read the full white paper (PDF).

The Museum is especially grateful to staff of McGraw Hill Construction for their critical assistance in producing this white paper.