Building Safety and Disaster-Resistant Design
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Overview of Disaster Resilience
Disaster-resilient design integrates hazard awareness, modern building codes, and proactive maintenance to protect lives and property from natural and human-caused threats. Recent events, such as deadly earthquakes in Venezuela and wildfires in Los Angeles, have highlighted the critical need for rigorous code enforcement, engineering oversight, and public building audits.
Resilience extends beyond individual structures to lifeline infrastructure, such as power substations and bridges, which must be hardened to ensure community recovery after extreme events.
Seismic and Earthquake Safety
Seismic safety focuses on both new construction and the retrofitting of existing vulnerable structures.
- Performance-Based Design: Modern engineering, such as that used in Levi’s Stadium, employs advanced features like buckling-restrained braces to withstand significant shaking. Methodology like FEMA P-58 helps estimate performance in terms of casualties and repair costs.
- Retrofitting Programs: Programs like "Earthquake Brace and Bolt" and "Soft Story Retrofit" target older homes and multifamily buildings with weak lower levels to reduce displacement and loss.
- Evaluation Tools: Rapid Visual Screening (FEMA P-154) and post-earthquake safety evaluations (ATC-20) allow officials to prioritize repairs and determine building occupancy safety after an event.
- Lifeline Systems: Because buildings depend on utilities and transportation, resilient design must account for the interdependence of these lifeline systems.
Wildfire-Resistant Construction
Wildfire resilience involves "home hardening" and land-use planning, particularly in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI).
- Structure Hardening: Key measures include using Class A roofing, ignition-resistant siding, ember-resistant vents, and noncombustible zones within the first five feet of a structure.
- Neighborhood-Scale Action: Since homes built closely together can ignite one another, resilience must be addressed at the block level through shared mitigation strategies.
- Land Use and Siting: Zoning and subdivision design, including road access for emergency vehicles, are essential components of wildfire risk reduction.
Flood, Coastal, and Stormwater Resilience
Strategies for flood resilience range from individual property protection to large-scale nature-based solutions.
- Building Techniques: Standard practices include elevating structures, using flood-damage-resistant materials, and installing proper flood openings in foundation walls.
- Floodproofing: Non-residential buildings may utilize dry floodproofing (keeping water out) or wet floodproofing (allowing water to enter and exit with minimal damage).
- Infrastructure: Bridges are increasingly at risk from scour (soil erosion around foundations) and climate-driven changes in hydrology, necessitating more frequent and thorough inspections.
- Nature-Based Solutions: Utilizing wetlands, dunes, and green infrastructure can reduce hazard impacts by lowering flood depths and wave energy.
Wind, Tornado, and Severe Weather
Protection against high winds, tornadoes, and hurricanes relies on structural integrity and the availability of safe refuge.
- Safe Rooms: FEMA provides criteria (P-361) for safe rooms designed to provide "near-absolute protection" from extreme winds and wind-borne debris.
- Building Envelopes: Strengthening roof-to-wall connections, protecting openings (windows/doors), and ensuring continuous load paths are vital for wind resistance.
- Winter Weather: Resilience also includes protecting buildings from frozen pipes and excessive snow loads that can threaten roof stability.
Critical Facilities: Schools and Hospitals
Schools and hospitals require higher performance standards because they provide essential care and often serve as community shelters during disasters.
- Incremental Retrofits: FEMA guides (P-395, P-396) help these facilities phase seismic and hazard upgrades over time to fit within budget constraints while maintaining operations.
- Continuous Functionality: For hospitals, resilience means not just structural survival but the continuity of utilities and care systems during and after an event.
Building Codes and Standards
The adoption and enforcement of modern building codes are considered the most effective ways to reduce future disaster damage.
- Model Codes: The International Building Code (IBC) and International Residential Code (IRC) provide the foundation for structural, fire, and hazard resistance.
- Standard Engineering Criteria: ASCE 7 defines the minimum design loads for wind, seismic, snow, and flood forces used by engineers globally.
- Economic Impact: Research by the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) consistently shows that mitigation investments save money by significantly reducing future disaster losses.
.
Recent News and Research
Engineers Urge Venezuela to Audit State Housing After Deadly Quake
| Reuters | Reuters | June 29, 2026
Engineers called for urgent inspections of public housing after deadly earthquake damage exposed concerns about weak code enforcement, rushed construction, and unsafe buildings. The story shows why seismic design, engineering oversight, and public building audits are essential parts of disaster safety.
Resilient Substation Design for 500 Year Storm Events
| Chinmay Shetty and Soham Ghosh | arXiv | June 23, 2026
This paper examines how floodplain substations can be elevated, armored, drained, and redesigned for extreme storm events. It connects building safety with lifeline infrastructure, showing why power systems must be hardened alongside homes and public buildings.
Climate-Resilient Housing Models Slow to Gain Ground in Disaster-Prone Bangladesh
| Mongabay | Mongabay | March 16, 2026
This article looks at disaster-resilient housing models in Bangladesh and why they have not scaled quickly enough. It highlights practical designs meant to reduce deaths, injuries, property loss, and displacement in flood- and cyclone-prone regions.
Latest California Building Codes for 2026
| Vulcan Vents | Vulcan Vents | February 26, 2026
This guide summarizes wildfire-related building-code updates, including fire-resistant decking, vent protection, flashing, and ember-resistant construction details. It is useful for understanding how WUI building codes translate into safer homes.
Preparing for Earthquakes: Understanding the Risks and Taking Action in 2026
| Optimum Seismic | Optimum Seismic | February 19, 2026
This article explains why soft-story buildings, older apartments, and vulnerable commercial structures need seismic assessment and retrofit planning. It focuses on California earthquake risk and the practical steps building owners can take before a disaster.
Urban Spatio-Temporal Foundation Models for Climate-Resilient Housing
| Olaf Yunus Laitinen Imanov, Derya Umut Kulali, and Taner Yilmaz | arXiv | February 5, 2026
Researchers describe a data-driven model for predicting building-level climate risks and emergency-access disruptions. The work shows how maps, building attributes, hazard layers, and transportation networks can guide safer housing and evacuation planning.
Experts Explain Earthquake Risk for Levi's Stadium Amid Nearby Swarms
| SFGATE | SFGATE | February 2026
Engineers explain how Levi’s Stadium was designed with advanced seismic features, including buckling-restrained braces. The article shows how modern performance-based engineering can help large public venues withstand shaking.
Multi-stage Bridge Inspection System: Integrating Foundation Models with Location Anonymization
| Takato Yasuno | arXiv | January 24, 2026
This research presents an AI-assisted system for detecting bridge damage while protecting location privacy. It shows how computer vision can help identify cracks, corrosion, and exposed rebar so infrastructure agencies can prioritize repairs before failures occur.
The Los Angeles Wildfires Were the Perfect Storm
| The Guardian | The Guardian | January 7, 2026
This reporting examines rebuilding after destructive Los Angeles fires and asks whether communities are ready for the next disaster. It highlights fire-resistant rebuilding, evacuation failures, smoke damage, insurance problems, and the need for neighborhood-scale resilience.
Advances in Bridge Maintenance, Safety, Management and Resilience
| J.S. Jensen | Taylor & Francis | 2026
This research review covers progress in bridge safety, maintenance, management, digitalization, life-cycle planning, and resilience. It shows how inspection and asset management can reduce failure risk.
S.F. Fears Nearly 4,000 Buildings Could Be at Risk in an Earthquake
| San Francisco Chronicle | San Francisco Chronicle | 2025
This article covers San Francisco’s effort to identify vulnerable concrete buildings before a major earthquake. It shows how inventories, screening ordinances, and retrofit standards can guide seismic risk reduction.
Safe Rooms, Shelters, and Refuge Areas
Safer Public Buildings Through Hazard Mitigation Planning
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA explains hazard mitigation planning for state, local, tribal, and territorial governments. These plans can identify vulnerable public buildings, schools, bridges, shelters, and infrastructure before disasters occur.
Tsunami Vertical Evacuation Structures
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA P-646 provides guidance for designing structures that allow people to evacuate upward during tsunamis. It is important where high ground is too far away for timely evacuation.
National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program
| NIST | NIST | Accessed June 29, 2026
This program supports research and coordination to reduce windstorm losses. It is relevant to tornado-safe rooms, hurricane-resistant construction, roof performance, and stronger building standards.
Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grants
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA’s mitigation grants can fund projects that reduce future disaster losses. Eligible work may include elevations, retrofits, safe rooms, flood-control measures, and resilient infrastructure upgrades.
Protect Your Property from Tornadoes
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA explains tornado mitigation measures including safe rooms, roof connections, garage-door bracing, and opening protection. It helps homeowners understand how to reduce damage and protect lives.
Safer, Stronger, Smarter: A Guide to Improving School Natural Hazard Safety
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA’s school safety guide helps communities evaluate and reduce natural-hazard risks in school buildings. It supports safer classrooms, gyms, shelters, and campuses exposed to earthquakes, floods, wind, and other hazards.
FEMA Benefit-Cost Analysis
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA’s benefit-cost analysis tools help evaluate whether mitigation projects are cost-effective. These tools support decisions about elevation, retrofits, safe rooms, drainage, and infrastructure hardening.
ASCE Infrastructure Report Card: Public Parks and Recreation
| American Society of Civil Engineers | ASCE | Accessed June 29, 2026
This infrastructure category is relevant because parks, recreation centers, and public facilities often serve as cooling centers, shelters, or recovery spaces. Resilient community buildings depend on maintenance and hazard-informed upgrades.
Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves
| National Institute of Building Sciences | NIBS | Accessed June 29, 2026
This project summarizes research showing that mitigation investments can save money and reduce losses. It supports the case for stronger codes, retrofits, safe rooms, flood protection, and resilient infrastructure.
Tornado Protection: Selecting Refuge Areas in Buildings
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA P-431 explains how to choose the safest available refuge areas inside existing buildings when tornado shelters are not available. It is useful for schools, workplaces, and public facilities.
Design Guidance for Shelters and Safe Rooms
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This FEMA guide explains design considerations for shelters and safe rooms in public, workplace, and community settings. It addresses how building layout, structure, access, and hazard exposure affect refuge planning.
Taking Shelter from the Storm
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA P-320 gives homeowners and small-building owners guidance on residential safe rooms. It includes design concepts that help people create protected spaces for tornadoes and hurricanes.
Safe Rooms
FEMA explains safe room design, construction guidance, standards, and building-code development for tornado and hurricane protection. The page is useful for schools, public buildings, businesses, and homeowners planning stronger refuge spaces.
Safe Room Publications and Resources
| FEMA | FEMA | January 8, 2026
This FEMA resource page collects safe-room publications, design drawings, and technical guidance. It helps communities and builders understand how to construct rooms that provide strong protection during extreme wind events.
Severe Weather Safety Social Media Toolkit
| Ready.gov | Ready.gov | November 12, 2025
This toolkit provides public-safety messages for severe weather preparedness. It can support schools, local governments, and emergency managers who need clear public communication about sheltering, storms, and safer buildings.
Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes
FEMA P-361 provides design and construction criteria for safe rooms intended to offer strong protection from extreme winds and wind-borne debris. It is a key reference for community shelters, school safe rooms, and residential protection.
Be Prepared for Any Hazard
This hazard information suite gives practical guidance for multiple disasters, including where to shelter and how to reduce risk. It is useful for schools, public agencies, and community buildings developing safety plans.
Frequently Asked Questions About Building Science
| FEMA | FEMA | November 19, 2021
This FEMA FAQ explains building-science concepts such as hazard mitigation, safe rooms, flood loads, and resilient construction. It helps translate technical standards into practical design and planning questions.
Are You Ready? An In-Depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness
| Ready.gov | Ready.gov | November 2021
This preparedness guide covers disaster planning, sheltering, safe rooms, earthquakes, floods, fires, and severe weather. It connects individual preparedness with safer buildings and community resilience.
Ready Business Hurricane Toolkit
| Ready.gov | Ready.gov | April 2020
This toolkit helps businesses plan for hurricanes, including safer shelter areas, flood exposure, building protection, and continuity planning. It shows how commercial building safety supports community recovery.
Best Available Refuge Area Checklist
| Ready.gov | Ready.gov | April 2020
This checklist helps identify the safest available refuge areas inside existing buildings. It considers wind, flood, seismic, and general building conditions when a purpose-built safe room is not available.
Earthquake and Seismic Safety
Earthquake Performance of Lifeline Systems
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This resource explains how earthquakes affect utilities, transportation, communications, and other lifeline systems. Buildings depend on lifelines, so resilient design must account for infrastructure interdependence.
Earthquake Risk Reduction in Buildings and Infrastructure
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA’s earthquake risk page links to guidance, tools, and programs for reducing seismic losses. It supports safer buildings, nonstructural mitigation, public awareness, and resilient communities.
Model Building Codes for Earthquakes
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA explains how earthquake building codes reduce risk in new construction and retrofits. The resource connects seismic hazard maps, engineering standards, and local code adoption.
Earthquake Safety Checklist
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA’s earthquake checklist helps households and building users identify safety steps before, during, and after earthquakes. It connects preparedness with structural and nonstructural mitigation.
National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program
| NEHRP | National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program | Accessed June 29, 2026
NEHRP coordinates federal earthquake-risk reduction through research, monitoring, implementation, and education. The program supports safer buildings, seismic codes, engineering guidance, and public preparedness.
Protect Your Property from Earthquakes
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This FEMA guide gives homeowners practical earthquake mitigation steps. It focuses on securing foundations, utilities, appliances, furniture, and other hazards that can cause injuries or building damage.
MyHazards
| California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services | Cal OES | Accessed June 29, 2026
MyHazards lets Californians identify local risks from earthquakes, floods, fires, and tsunamis. Hazard awareness is the first step toward safer building choices, retrofits, and emergency planning.
California Seismic Safety Commission
| California Seismic Safety Commission | State of California | Accessed June 29, 2026
The California Seismic Safety Commission provides reports and recommendations on earthquake risk reduction. Its work supports safer buildings, lifeline infrastructure, schools, hospitals, and public policy.
Soft Story Retrofit Program
| California Earthquake Authority | CEA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This resource explains soft-story seismic risk in multifamily buildings and homes with weak lower levels. It highlights retrofits that strengthen open or garage-level stories before major earthquakes.
Earthquake Brace and Bolt
| California Residential Mitigation Program | CRMP | Accessed June 29, 2026
Earthquake Brace and Bolt helps homeowners retrofit vulnerable houses with foundation bolting and cripple-wall bracing. The program shows how targeted upgrades can reduce earthquake losses.
California Earthquake Authority: Retrofit Your House
| California Earthquake Authority | CEA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This resource explains brace-and-bolt seismic retrofits for older California homes. It focuses on strengthening cripple walls and foundation connections to reduce earthquake damage.
Applied Technology Council Seismic Performance Assessment
| Applied Technology Council | ATC | Accessed June 29, 2026
ATC-58 supports performance-based seismic assessment of buildings. It helps estimate damage, repair costs, downtime, and safety consequences so owners can make better retrofit and design decisions.
ATC-20 Postearthquake Safety Evaluation of Buildings
| Applied Technology Council | ATC | Accessed June 29, 2026
ATC-20 provides procedures for evaluating buildings after earthquakes and determining whether they are safe to occupy. It is essential for emergency response, building tagging, and recovery decisions.
Earthquake-Resistant Construction and the Building America Solution Center
| U.S. Department of Energy | Building America Solution Center | Accessed June 29, 2026
This guide summarizes earthquake-resistant construction details for homes. It helps builders and homeowners understand foundations, bracing, load paths, and anchoring.
Hazus
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
Hazus estimates potential losses from earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and tsunamis. Communities can use it to understand vulnerable buildings and prioritize mitigation before disasters happen.
ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System
| U.S. Geological Survey | USGS | Accessed June 29, 2026
ShakeAlert can provide seconds of warning before strong shaking arrives. While it does not replace seismic design, it can trigger protective actions in schools, transit systems, utilities, and public buildings.
USGS National Seismic Hazard Model
| U.S. Geological Survey | USGS | Accessed June 29, 2026
The National Seismic Hazard Model estimates earthquake shaking potential across the United States. It informs building codes, seismic design maps, retrofits, insurance, and public safety planning.
USGS Earthquake Hazards Program
| U.S. Geological Survey | USGS | Accessed June 29, 2026
USGS provides earthquake monitoring, maps, hazard science, and seismic-risk information. Building safety depends on accurate hazard data so engineers and communities can design for expected shaking.
ASCE 7 Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures
| American Society of Civil Engineers | ASCE | Accessed June 29, 2026
ASCE 7 provides design loads for hazards such as wind, seismic forces, snow, rain, flood, and tsunami. It is one of the most important engineering standards behind disaster-resistant building design.
International Residential Code
| International Code Council | ICC | Accessed June 29, 2026
The International Residential Code governs one- and two-family homes and townhouses. It affects everyday disaster resistance through requirements for framing, roofs, foundations, fire safety, wind, seismic, and flood provisions.
Whole Building Design Guide: Seismic Design Principles
| Whole Building Design Guide | WBDG | Accessed June 29, 2026
This resource explains seismic design concepts for buildings, including structural systems, ductility, load paths, and nonstructural protection. It helps connect earthquake engineering principles to practical building design.
Whole Building Design Guide: Natural Hazards Mitigation
| Whole Building Design Guide | WBDG | Accessed June 29, 2026
This resource explains how buildings can be designed for hazards such as earthquakes, floods, wind, fire, and blast. It is useful for architects, engineers, owners, and public agencies planning resilient facilities.
Earthquake-Resistant Design Concepts
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA P-749 introduces core earthquake engineering concepts for buildings. It is useful for students, officials, and community members who want to understand seismic design without advanced technical training.
Seismic Considerations for Steel Storage Racks Located in Areas Accessible to the Public
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA explains seismic risks from steel storage racks in retail, warehouse, and public spaces. The guide highlights how non-building structures inside buildings can create major earthquake hazards.
Seismic Rehabilitation of Existing Buildings
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA 356 provides prestandard guidance and commentary for seismic rehabilitation. It is important for engineers working on older buildings that were not designed to modern earthquake standards.
Next-Generation Performance-Based Seismic Design Guidelines
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA P-58 provides a methodology for estimating seismic performance in terms of casualties, repair costs, downtime, and unsafe placarding. It helps move earthquake design beyond simple code compliance.
Techniques for the Seismic Rehabilitation of Existing Buildings
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA 547 describes retrofit techniques for many building types and structural systems. It is a technical resource for engineers evaluating how to strengthen existing buildings.
Homebuilders’ Guide to Earthquake-Resistant Design and Construction
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This guide explains earthquake-resistant design principles for home construction. It covers foundations, framing, connections, cripple walls, and other features that help houses perform better during shaking.
Earthquake Safety at Home
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This FEMA booklet explains household earthquake hazards and practical fixes such as securing furniture, water heaters, appliances, and heavy objects. It shows that building safety includes contents and interior hazards.
Reducing the Risks of Nonstructural Earthquake Damage
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA E-74 explains how ceilings, partitions, equipment, pipes, furniture, and contents can injure people or shut down buildings during earthquakes. Nonstructural mitigation is essential for schools, hospitals, offices, and homes.
Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of Existing Buildings
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This FEMA resource points building owners and officials toward methods for evaluating and retrofitting existing buildings. It supports safer reuse of older structures in earthquake-prone areas.
Incremental Seismic Rehabilitation of Multifamily Apartment Buildings
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This guide focuses on earthquake risk in multifamily housing. It explains how apartment owners can plan staged seismic improvements that protect tenants and reduce displacement.
Incremental Seismic Rehabilitation of Office Buildings
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA explains how office-building owners can incorporate seismic improvements into normal capital projects. The guide is useful for reducing risk in older commercial buildings without a single massive retrofit.
Incremental Seismic Rehabilitation of Hospital Buildings
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This guide shows how hospitals can plan seismic upgrades while maintaining operations. It emphasizes that hospitals must survive earthquakes not only as buildings but as essential care systems.
Incremental Seismic Rehabilitation of School Buildings
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA explains how schools can phase seismic improvements over time instead of waiting for one large retrofit project. This approach helps districts reduce earthquake risk within real budget constraints.
Design Guide for Improving School Safety in Earthquakes, Floods, and High Winds
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This FEMA school guide addresses natural hazards that threaten students, staff, and facilities. It helps school districts plan safer buildings through site selection, design, retrofits, and mitigation.
Design Guide for Improving Hospital Safety in Earthquakes, Floods, and High Winds
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA provides guidance for making hospitals safer during earthquakes, floods, and high winds. The guide emphasizes continuity of care, nonstructural protection, utilities, and structural performance.
Engineering Issues and Safety of Schools
| World Bank | World Bank | Accessed June 29, 2026
This school safety presentation discusses engineering issues, seismic retrofits, capital repairs, and school-building vulnerability. It is useful for understanding how structural assessment supports safer education facilities.
School Building Safety
This page describes Italy’s seismic retrofitting program for schools and high-risk school buildings. It shows how public investment can focus on protecting children and reducing earthquake vulnerability.
School Earthquake Safety Resources
| Earthquake Engineering Research Institute | EERI | Accessed June 29, 2026
EERI collects resources on school vulnerability, seismic construction, and policies for safer schools. The page is useful for communities that want to reduce earthquake risk in educational buildings.
Disaster-Resilient Buildings, Infrastructure, and Communities
| NIST | NIST | Accessed June 29, 2026
NIST describes research needs for disaster-resilient buildings, infrastructure, and communities. The program focuses on measurement science, codes, standards, aging infrastructure, earthquakes, fires, floods, wind, and extreme conditions.
Building Science Resource Library
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA’s Building Science Resource Library collects publications on hazard-resistant construction, flood design, wind safety, seismic safety, and disaster-resistant communities. It is a central source for technical building-safety guidance.
Earthquakes
| Ready.gov | Ready.gov | April 29, 2026
Ready.gov explains earthquake preparedness, structural hazards, and the importance of strengthening buildings before a major quake. It includes practical advice for households, schools, and workplaces in seismic regions.
Article 22: Retrofitting Buildings Against Earthquake
| Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake | Natural Hazards Commission | October 24, 2025
This educational article explains seismic retrofitting as a way to improve unsafe buildings before earthquakes strike. It emphasizes that strengthening existing structures is often one of the most important life-safety investments in earthquake-prone communities.
Building Codes Save: A Nationwide Study
FEMA’s study estimates losses avoided by adopting modern building codes. It shows that stronger codes reduce future damage from floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and other hazards.
Earthquake Preparedness: What Every Child Care Provider Needs to Know
| Ready.gov | Ready.gov | March 2020
This guide explains earthquake safety for child care providers in homes and larger facilities. It focuses on protecting children by securing spaces, reducing falling hazards, and preparing buildings for shaking.
CERT Hazard Annexes Participant Manual
| Ready.gov | Ready.gov | 2019
This manual gives community emergency teams background on hazards including earthquakes, floods, fire, and storms. It explains how hazard models and building codes reduce risk in the built environment.
Case Studies of Community Resilience Policy
| Nidhi Gupta and others | NIST | 2016
This report examines community resilience policies across hazards including floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and wildfires. It shows how local policy can reduce building and infrastructure risk before disasters.
NEHRP Recommended Seismic Provisions for New Buildings
The NEHRP provisions help guide seismic requirements for new buildings. They are foundational for earthquake-resistant design, building codes, and safer construction practices.
Rapid Visual Screening of Buildings for Potential Seismic Hazards
FEMA P-154 provides a method for quickly identifying buildings that may need detailed seismic evaluation. It is widely used for inventories of vulnerable buildings and retrofit prioritization.
Mitigation Ideas: A Resource for Reducing Risk to Natural Hazards
| FEMA | FEMA | February 13, 2013
This FEMA guide lists mitigation ideas for hazards including flood, fire, earthquake, wind, and severe weather. It is useful for local plans that prioritize safer buildings and disaster-resistant infrastructure.
Wildfire-Resistant Construction and Home Hardening
Making Homes More Resilient to Wildfire
| U.S. Fire Administration | USFA | Accessed June 29, 2026
The U.S. Fire Administration explains steps that improve home wildfire resilience. The article reinforces the importance of ignition-resistant materials, defensible space, and maintenance.
Neighborhood Wildfire Risk Reduction
| Headwaters Economics | Headwaters Economics | Accessed June 29, 2026
This resource explains why wildfire resilience must often be addressed at the neighborhood scale. Homes built close together can ignite one another, so block-level mitigation and planning matter.
Land Use Planning to Reduce Wildfire Risk
| Headwaters Economics | Headwaters Economics | Accessed June 29, 2026
This resource explains how zoning, subdivision design, road access, and development patterns affect wildfire risk. Disaster-resistant design includes where and how communities build, not just materials.
Construction Costs for Wildfire-Resistant Homes
| Headwaters Economics | Headwaters Economics | Accessed June 29, 2026
This research examines the cost of building homes with wildfire-resistant materials and design details. It helps counter the idea that safer wildfire construction is always unaffordable.
Wildfire Home Retrofit Guide
| Headwaters Economics | Headwaters Economics | Accessed June 29, 2026
This guide explains wildfire retrofit measures for existing homes, including roofs, vents, decks, siding, windows, and near-home vegetation. It is useful for making older homes more fire-resistant.
Fire Factor
| First Street Foundation | First Street Foundation | Accessed June 29, 2026
Fire Factor provides property-level wildfire risk information. It can help residents, insurers, planners, and public officials prioritize home hardening, defensible space, and wildfire-resilient construction.
Wildland Urban Interface Fire Research
| NIST | NIST | Accessed June 29, 2026
NIST studies how fires spread through wildland-urban interface communities and how buildings ignite. This research supports better codes, materials, spacing, and mitigation strategies for wildfire-prone neighborhoods.
Protect Your Property from Wildfire
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA explains wildfire risk-reduction steps for buildings and surrounding land. It covers defensible space, roof and gutter maintenance, vents, siding, windows, and fire-resistant materials.
Structure Hardening and Wildfire
| Ready for Wildfire | CAL FIRE | Accessed June 29, 2026
This guidance explains how homes ignite during wildfires and what owners can do to reduce risk. It focuses on roofs, gutters, vents, siding, windows, decks, and the immediate zone around structures.
California WUI Products Handbook
| California Office of the State Fire Marshal | CAL FIRE | Accessed June 29, 2026
California’s WUI building-code resources explain construction requirements for wildfire-prone areas. They help builders, homeowners, and inspectors understand ignition-resistant materials and design details.
California Office of the State Fire Marshal: Building Materials Listing
| California Office of the State Fire Marshal | CAL FIRE | Accessed June 29, 2026
This listing helps identify building materials tested for fire performance under California requirements. It supports safer construction in wildfire-prone areas and helps builders select approved materials.
Wildfire-Resistant Construction and the Building America Solution Center
| U.S. Department of Energy | Building America Solution Center | Accessed June 29, 2026
This guide explains construction strategies for reducing wildfire ignition risk. It focuses on materials, assemblies, vents, roofs, openings, decks, and defensible space around homes.
DOE Building America Solution Center
| U.S. Department of Energy | Building America Solution Center | Accessed June 29, 2026
The Building America Solution Center provides construction guides for durable, efficient, and resilient homes. It includes details relevant to moisture control, roofs, walls, foundations, wildfire, flooding, and high-performance building envelopes.
Wildfire Risk to Communities
| USDA Forest Service | USDA Forest Service | Accessed June 29, 2026
This national tool helps communities understand wildfire risk and take action. It provides data and guidance that can inform land-use planning, home hardening, evacuation planning, and resilient public buildings.
Community Wildfire Defense Grants
| U.S. Forest Service | USDA Forest Service | Accessed June 29, 2026
This grant program supports communities working to reduce wildfire risk, especially in high-risk areas. Funding can help develop protection plans, reduce fuels, and support safer built environments.
NFPA Wildfire Preparedness
| National Fire Protection Association | NFPA | Accessed June 29, 2026
NFPA provides wildfire safety resources for residents, fire departments, and communities. The guidance supports safer homes, vegetation management, evacuation planning, and local wildfire mitigation.
NFPA Firewise USA
| National Fire Protection Association | NFPA | Accessed June 29, 2026
Firewise USA helps communities reduce wildfire risk through home hardening, defensible space, and neighborhood action. It shows that wildfire safety depends on both individual buildings and community-scale work.
International Wildland-Urban Interface Code
| International Code Council | ICC | Accessed June 29, 2026
The International Wildland-Urban Interface Code provides model rules for construction and land use in wildfire-prone areas. It supports safer siting, materials, access, water supply, and vegetation management.
Home Disaster Guides
| Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety | IBHS | Accessed June 29, 2026
IBHS home disaster guides provide practical steps for reducing damage from wildfire, wind, hail, freezing weather, and water intrusion. The guides help homeowners take building-safety action before disasters.
Roofing Roadmaps
| Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety | IBHS | Accessed June 29, 2026
This IBHS resource helps homeowners and professionals understand roof risks and resilient roofing choices. Roof design is central to wildfire, hail, wind, and water-damage resistance.
Wildfire Research
| Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety | IBHS | Accessed June 29, 2026
IBHS wildfire research studies ember ignition, defensible space, roofs, vents, decks, and home-to-home fire spread. It supports science-based home-hardening and neighborhood resilience.
IBHS Research Center
| Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety | IBHS | Accessed June 29, 2026
The IBHS Research Center tests homes and building components against wind, rain, hail, and wildfire conditions. The work helps translate laboratory evidence into practical resilient-construction guidance.
Wildfire Prepared Home
| Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety | IBHS | Accessed June 29, 2026
The Wildfire Prepared Home program gives homeowners science-based steps for reducing wildfire ignition risk. It emphasizes roofs, gutters, vents, defensible space, decks, and the noncombustible zone.
Resilience and Fire
| NIST | NIST | Accessed June 29, 2026
NIST’s fire and resilience research examines how buildings, engineered systems, and communities perform during fires and other hazards. The page connects fire science, WUI fires, structural fire resistance, and improved codes.
Ignition Resistant Homes
| Wildfire Risk to Communities | USDA Forest Service | Accessed June 29, 2026
This guide explains how roofs, siding, decks, vents, eaves, windows, and the first five feet around a home affect wildfire survival. It emphasizes ember-resistant design and the importance of keeping combustible materials away from structures.
Hardening Your Home
| Ready for Wildfire | CAL FIRE | Accessed June 29, 2026
This homeowner guide explains wildfire hardening steps for decks, vents, roofs, gutters, siding, and the area immediately around a house. It focuses on practical changes that can reduce ember ignition and structure loss.
Home Hardening
| CAL FIRE | CAL FIRE | Accessed June 29, 2026
CAL FIRE explains how fire-resistant materials, defensible space, and careful maintenance can reduce wildfire risk. The resource is especially useful for homeowners, builders, and communities in the wildland-urban interface.
Fire-Hardened Residential Construction
| J.S. Held | J.S. Held | Accessed June 29, 2026
This article reviews wildfire-resilient construction strategies such as Class A roofing, ignition-resistant siding, fire-rated windows, ember-resistant vents, and noncombustible zones. It shows how building details can reduce the chance that embers ignite a home.
A List of Fire-Resistant Building Materials for Homes
| Precision Builders | Precision Builders | August 27, 2025
This article describes fire-resistant materials for roofs, siding, windows, decks, and exterior assemblies. It explains why no home is fully fireproof but better material choices can reduce ignition risk.
2025 Year in Review
| Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety | IBHS | 2025
IBHS summarizes research and outreach on resilient construction, including wildfire-resistant homes and construction costs. The review shows how practical research can influence builders, insurers, and public policy.
2024 Year in Review
| Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety | IBHS | 2024
IBHS reviews work on wildfire resilience, building codes, home hardening, and demonstration burns. The article highlights how real-world testing helps builders and homeowners understand disaster-resistant construction.
Rating the States 2015
| IBHS | Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety | 2015
This report evaluates state building-code systems in hurricane-prone regions. It shows why statewide codes, trained inspectors, contractor licensing, and enforcement matter for disaster-resistant construction.
Lessons Learned from Waldo Canyon Fire
| IBHS | Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety | July 2, 2012
This post-fire report examines how mitigation practices affected structure survival during the Waldo Canyon Fire. It remains useful for understanding defensible space, construction details, and neighborhood wildfire risk.
Flood, Coastal, and Stormwater Resilience
Climate-Resilient Public Buildings and Federal Sustainability
The federal sustainability plan includes climate adaptation and resilience goals for federal operations and facilities. Public buildings must be designed and managed for extreme heat, flooding, storms, and long-term climate stress.
Flood Resilience Checklist
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This checklist helps property owners and communities review flood vulnerabilities and mitigation options. It supports practical action before the next flood damages homes, schools, or public buildings.
Flood Factor
| First Street Foundation | First Street Foundation | Accessed June 29, 2026
Flood Factor provides property-level flood risk information that can support safer purchasing, retrofitting, and planning decisions. Better risk information helps homeowners and communities identify where floodproofing or relocation may be needed.
Enterprise Green Communities Criteria
| Enterprise Community Partners | Enterprise Green Communities | Accessed June 29, 2026
These criteria promote healthier, more efficient, and more resilient affordable housing. They include strategies relevant to flood risk, heat, energy reliability, durability, and resident safety.
Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant Program
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This grant program supports projects that reduce or eliminate flood risk to buildings insured through the National Flood Insurance Program. It is central to elevating, acquiring, or floodproofing repetitive-loss properties.
Protect Your Property from Tsunamis
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This FEMA guide explains tsunami risk and property-protection options in coastal areas. It emphasizes evacuation planning, safer siting, elevation, and community-scale risk reduction.
Protect Your Property from Coastal Erosion
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This FEMA guide explains coastal erosion risks and mitigation options for properties near shorelines. It connects safer siting, setbacks, relocation, and coastal resilience to long-term building safety.
Protect Your Property from Flooding
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This FEMA guide explains property-level flood mitigation such as elevation, flood barriers, wet floodproofing, dry floodproofing, and utility protection. It helps homeowners and small-building owners reduce flood losses.
Federal Flood Risk Management Standard
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA explains the federal standard for reducing flood risk in federally funded projects. It encourages higher elevation and stronger flood-risk management for public buildings and infrastructure.
Highways in the River Environment: Floodplains, Extreme Events, Risk, and Resilience
| Federal Highway Administration | FHWA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This FHWA guide addresses roads and bridges exposed to river flooding and extreme events. It connects hydraulic design, floodplain management, and resilience planning for transportation infrastructure.
Evaluating Scour at Bridges
| Federal Highway Administration | FHWA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FHWA explains how flowing water can erode soil around bridge foundations and cause failures. Scour evaluation is increasingly important as heavier rainfall and flooding affect bridge safety.
ATC-45 Safety Evaluation of Buildings After Windstorms and Floods
| Applied Technology Council | ATC | Accessed June 29, 2026
ATC-45 provides guidance for evaluating buildings after windstorms and floods. It helps officials assess damage, restrict unsafe occupancy, and support safer recovery.
NOAA Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters
| NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information | NOAA | Accessed June 29, 2026
NOAA tracks major U.S. weather and climate disasters and their costs. The data helps explain why stronger buildings, retrofits, floodproofing, fire-resistant construction, and resilient infrastructure are urgent public needs.
Flood-Resistant Construction and the Building America Solution Center
| U.S. Department of Energy | Building America Solution Center | Accessed June 29, 2026
This guide explains design and retrofit strategies for reducing flood damage in homes. It supports safer foundations, flood-resistant materials, elevated utilities, and site planning.
Green Roofs
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | Accessed June 29, 2026
EPA explains how green roofs can reduce heat islands, manage stormwater, and improve building performance. They are one tool for climate-resilient public buildings and dense urban neighborhoods.
EPA Green Infrastructure
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | Accessed June 29, 2026
EPA explains how green infrastructure manages stormwater through vegetation, soils, and natural processes. It supports flood-resilient building design by reducing runoff and pressure on drainage systems.
Nature-Based Solutions for Coastal Hazard Risk Reduction
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA explains how natural and hybrid systems can reduce coastal hazards. These strategies can complement stronger buildings by lowering the forces that reach homes, roads, and public facilities.
FEMA Flood Map Service Center
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center provides flood hazard maps used for insurance, building regulation, and planning. Floodproof homes and resilient public buildings depend on knowing whether a site is exposed to flood risk.
NOAA Sea Level Rise Viewer
| NOAA Office for Coastal Management | NOAA | Accessed June 29, 2026
The Sea Level Rise Viewer helps communities visualize future coastal flooding and sea-level rise exposure. It is useful for designing floodproof homes, public buildings, roads, and critical facilities.
NOAA Coastal Flood Exposure Mapper
| NOAA Office for Coastal Management | NOAA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This tool helps communities identify people, buildings, and infrastructure exposed to coastal flooding. It supports safer planning, elevation decisions, land-use choices, and resilient public investment.
ASCE 24 Flood Resistant Design and Construction
| American Society of Civil Engineers | ASCE | Accessed June 29, 2026
ASCE 24 provides flood-resistant design and construction requirements for buildings in flood hazard areas. It is widely referenced by codes and helps guide elevation, floodproofing, utilities, and structural design.
Whole Building Design Guide: Flood Resistant Design
| Whole Building Design Guide | WBDG | Accessed June 29, 2026
This guide summarizes flood-resistant site planning, elevation, floodproofing, utilities, and materials. It helps designers integrate flood safety into building projects rather than treating it as an afterthought.
Hurricane Mitigation Basics for Mitigation Staff
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This FEMA resource explains common hurricane mitigation measures for buildings and communities. It supports safer design decisions for wind, rain, storm surge, and flood exposure.
Design Guide for Improving Critical Facility Safety from Flooding and High Winds
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This FEMA design guide focuses on hospitals, emergency operations centers, schools, and other critical facilities. It explains how to improve performance under flooding and high winds so essential services remain available.
Floodproofing Non-Residential Buildings
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA explains dry and wet floodproofing options for commercial and public buildings. It includes design considerations that help reduce damage and speed recovery after floods.
Reducing Damage from Localized Flooding
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This FEMA guide focuses on drainage, grading, barriers, floodproofing, and local mitigation measures for smaller-scale flooding. It helps homeowners and communities address flooding that may occur outside major mapped flood zones.
Engineering Principles and Practices for Retrofitting Flood-Prone Residential Structures
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA provides engineering guidance for elevating, relocating, floodproofing, or otherwise retrofitting flood-prone homes. It is a practical reference for reducing repeat flood losses.
Substantial Improvement and Substantial Damage Desk Reference
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This FEMA reference explains rules that trigger flood-resistant rebuilding after major damage or improvement. It helps communities use recovery moments to reduce future flood risk.
Dry Floodproofing Requirements and Limitations
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA explains how dry floodproofing can protect certain nonresidential buildings from floodwater. The bulletin also warns about limitations, maintenance needs, and conditions where dry floodproofing is not appropriate.
Crawlspace Construction for Buildings Located in Special Flood Hazard Areas
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This bulletin explains crawlspace design in flood-prone areas, including elevation, vents, materials, and drainage. It helps reduce structural damage and moisture problems after floods.
Ensuring That Structures Built on Fill In or Near Special Flood Hazard Areas Are Reasonably Safe From Flooding
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA explains risks and design requirements for buildings placed on fill near flood hazard areas. The guidance helps communities avoid false safety assumptions when raising sites.
Design and Construction Guidance for Breakaway Walls
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This FEMA bulletin explains how breakaway walls should be designed below elevated coastal buildings. Proper breakaway design helps protect the main structure when waves and flood forces hit.
Corrosion Protection for Metal Connectors and Fasteners in Coastal Areas
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA explains corrosion risks for metal connectors, fasteners, and structural attachments in coastal environments. The bulletin shows why small hardware choices can affect long-term building safety.
Wet Floodproofing Requirements
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This FEMA bulletin explains when wet floodproofing may be allowed and how buildings can be designed to tolerate floodwater. It is useful for accessory structures, historic buildings, and limited-use enclosures.
Elevator Installation for Buildings Located in Special Flood Hazard Areas
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA explains how elevators in flood hazard areas should be designed to reduce water damage and safety risks. The guidance is important for multifamily, public, and accessible buildings in flood zones.
Free-of-Obstruction Requirements
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This technical bulletin explains why areas below elevated coastal buildings must remain free of obstructions that can worsen flood and wave damage. It supports safer foundation and enclosure design.
Openings in Foundation Walls and Walls of Enclosures
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA explains flood openings that allow water to enter and exit enclosed areas below elevated buildings. Proper openings reduce pressure on walls and foundations during floods.
Flood Damage-Resistant Materials Requirements
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This FEMA technical bulletin explains which materials can be used below flood elevation in flood-prone buildings. It helps reduce costly damage by encouraging materials that can withstand wetting and cleanup.
Coastal Construction Manual
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA’s coastal construction manual provides technical guidance for buildings exposed to coastal storms, waves, flood forces, and erosion. It helps designers and officials understand safer siting, foundations, elevation, and materials.
Flood Resilient Repair House
| BRE Group | BRE Group | Accessed June 29, 2026
BRE describes a demonstration home adapted to resist floodwater and recover more quickly after flooding. It shows how flood-resilient repair can reduce damage, cleanup time, and long-term disruption.
How Climate Change Can Affect Bridges and Bridge Inspections
| Ulteig | Ulteig | February 3, 2026
This article explains how heavier rain, flooding, heat, freeze-thaw cycles, and changing hydrology can damage bridges. It argues that bridge inspections must evolve as climate hazards place new stress on materials, foundations, drainage, and load-bearing systems.
The Impact of Climate Change on Bridge Infrastructure
| Under Bridge Platforms | Under Bridge Platforms | December 25, 2024
This article argues that climate change makes bridge inspections more important as flooding, heat, and extreme weather stress infrastructure. It focuses on finding vulnerabilities early and planning repairs before hazards become failures.
Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction
This FEMA guide explains coastal construction practices for flood, wind, erosion, and storm-surge exposure. It is useful for building homes that are elevated, anchored, flood-resistant, and better adapted to coastal hazards.
Reducing Flood Losses Through the International Codes
This FEMA guide explains how international building codes can reduce flood losses through elevation, flood-resistant materials, siting, and design requirements. It is useful for local officials adopting stronger flood standards.
Building Community Resilience with Nature-Based Solutions
This guide explains how wetlands, dunes, floodplains, trees, and green infrastructure can reduce hazard impacts. Nature-based solutions can protect buildings by reducing flood depth, wave energy, heat, and erosion.
Protecting Building Utility Systems From Flood Damage
FEMA explains how electrical, mechanical, plumbing, fuel, and HVAC systems can be elevated or protected from flooding. Utility protection is essential because a building can be structurally sound but unusable after equipment floods.
Wind, Hurricane, Tornado, Hail, and Winter Weather Safety
Guidelines for Wind Vulnerability Assessment of Critical Facilities
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA provides guidance for assessing wind vulnerability in critical facilities. It helps identify weak roofs, openings, envelope systems, and structural components before storms strike.
Protect Your Property from Severe Winter Weather
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA explains how buildings can be protected from winter weather damage such as frozen pipes, roof snow load, ice dams, and power outages. It supports safer design and maintenance in cold climates.
Protect Your Property from High Winds
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA explains practical steps for reducing wind damage to homes and buildings. It includes roof, window, door, garage, and anchoring measures that can make structures safer.
Wind-Resistant Construction and the Building America Solution Center
| U.S. Department of Energy | Building America Solution Center | Accessed June 29, 2026
This guide explains how homes can be designed and retrofitted for stronger wind performance. It includes roof-to-wall connections, opening protection, roof deck attachment, and continuous load paths.
Hail Research
| Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety | IBHS | Accessed June 29, 2026
IBHS hail research studies roofing performance, impact resistance, and product durability. Stronger roofs reduce damage, leaks, insurance losses, and post-storm repair burdens.
Wind Research
| Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety | IBHS | Accessed June 29, 2026
IBHS wind research studies how buildings fail under severe wind and wind-driven rain. The findings support stronger roofs, better connections, and improved construction standards.
Whole Building Design Guide: Wind Safety of the Building Envelope
| Whole Building Design Guide | WBDG | Accessed June 29, 2026
This guide focuses on protecting roofs, walls, windows, doors, and other envelope components from wind damage. It shows why building-envelope failures can lead to major interior damage and building loss.
Snow Load Safety Guide
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA explains how snow loads can threaten roofs and buildings. The guide helps owners and officials recognize warning signs, reduce collapse risk, and plan for safer winter building performance.
Against the Wind: Protecting Your Home from Hurricane Wind Damage
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA provides homeowner and builder guidance for reducing hurricane wind damage. It focuses on roofs, doors, windows, garage doors, shutters, and structural connections.
Wind Retrofit Guide for Residential Buildings
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This FEMA guide explains retrofit measures that help existing homes withstand high winds. It covers roof coverings, roof decks, connections, openings, and other weak points.
Schools, Hospitals, Child Care, and Critical Facilities
Disaster-Resistant Universities
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA’s Disaster Resistant Universities materials help campuses reduce risk to buildings, infrastructure, students, and operations. Colleges often function like small cities, so resilient design and mitigation planning are essential.
LEED Resilient Design Pilot Credits
| U.S. Green Building Council | USGBC | Accessed June 29, 2026
USGBC’s resilient design credits encourage hazard assessment, climate adaptation, and passive survivability. They help connect green building with disaster-resistant and climate-resilient design.
Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospitals
| Facility Guidelines Institute | FGI | Accessed June 29, 2026
FGI guidelines shape health care facility design, including safety, operations, and resilience considerations. Hospitals are critical buildings that must protect occupants and continue functioning during disasters.
Cool Roofs
| U.S. Department of Energy | Energy Saver | Accessed June 29, 2026
The Department of Energy explains how cool roofs reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat. Cool roofing can make homes, schools, and public buildings safer during extreme heat while reducing energy demand.
EPA Heat Island Compendium
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This EPA resource explains strategies such as cool roofs, green roofs, trees, and reflective surfaces. Heat-resilient public buildings and schools can reduce indoor heat risk and community cooling needs.
ASCE Infrastructure Report Card: Schools
| American Society of Civil Engineers | ASCE | Accessed June 29, 2026
ASCE’s schools report card discusses the condition of educational facilities and infrastructure needs. Safer schools require adequate maintenance, modernization, hazard mitigation, and resilient public investment.
Primer to Design Safe School Projects in Case of Terrorist Attacks and School Shootings
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA’s school safety primer focuses on protective design for school facilities. While centered on human-caused threats, many concepts also support safer layouts, controlled access, and resilient public buildings.
Risk Management Series: Design Guide for Improving School Safety
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA’s school safety design guide focuses on protecting students, staff, and school facilities from hazards. It is relevant to safer schools, resilient public buildings, and risk-informed design.
NIST and NSF Award Nearly $7.1 Million to Support Disaster Resilience Research
| NIST | NIST | January 18, 2024
NIST and NSF announced grants for research to improve how buildings, infrastructure, and communities withstand natural hazards. The projects support better designs, standards, and resilience science.
FEMA Building Science Branch Brochure
| FEMA | FEMA | February 11, 2016
This FEMA brochure describes how better codes, standards, designs, materials, and construction methods reduce disaster losses. It connects building science to safer homes, schools, public buildings, and communities.
Local Mitigation Planning Handbook
FEMA’s handbook helps communities create hazard mitigation plans. Strong local plans can identify vulnerable buildings, prioritize retrofits, improve codes, and protect schools, bridges, and public facilities.
Building Codes, Standards, and Inspection
Building Codes Adoption Playbook
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA’s playbook helps communities adopt and update building codes. Strong code adoption is one of the most effective ways to reduce future disaster damage.
Building Codes Toolkit for Community Officials
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This toolkit helps local officials communicate and enforce building-code benefits. It supports stronger adoption, inspection, permitting, and public understanding of disaster-resistant construction.
Building Codes Toolkit for Building Owners and Managers
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA provides code information for owners and managers responsible for building safety. The toolkit supports maintenance, upgrades, retrofits, and risk reduction in existing buildings.
Building Codes Toolkit for Homeowners and Occupants
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This FEMA toolkit explains why building codes matter for household safety and disaster resilience. It helps residents understand how code-compliant construction reduces risk from hazards.
National Bridge Inspection Standards
| Federal Highway Administration | FHWA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FHWA explains national bridge inspection requirements that help identify structural problems and safety risks. Regular inspection is essential for preventing bridge failures and prioritizing repairs.
International Building Code
| International Code Council | ICC | Accessed June 29, 2026
The International Building Code provides model requirements for structural safety, fire safety, means of egress, occupancy, and hazard resistance. It is a foundation for safer public and private buildings.
International Existing Building Code
| International Code Council | ICC | Accessed June 29, 2026
The International Existing Building Code helps communities regulate repairs, alterations, additions, and changes of occupancy in older buildings. It is important for upgrading existing buildings without ignoring safety risks.
Building Science for Disaster-Resistant Communities
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This FEMA resource summarizes how disaster-resistant communities use hazard maps, building codes, mitigation projects, and resilient design. It is a good overview of how building safety becomes community safety.
The Value and Impact of Building Codes
| Ellen Vaughan and Jim Turner | IBHS | 2019
This paper explains why strong building codes reduce losses from disasters and support long-term resilience. It also notes that codes work best when they are adopted, enforced, and updated.
Bridges, Roads, Utilities, and Lifeline Infrastructure
Primer for Design of Commercial Buildings to Mitigate Terrorist Attacks
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA explains protective design concepts for commercial buildings. Many principles, such as redundancy, access control, envelope protection, and emergency planning, overlap with broader resilience design.
Retrofitting Existing Buildings to Resist Explosive Threats
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA provides guidance on strengthening existing buildings against blast threats. While not a natural-hazard guide, it is part of broader building safety and protective design for public facilities.
Passive Survivability
| Resilient Design Institute | Resilient Design Institute | Accessed June 29, 2026
Passive survivability refers to a building’s ability to maintain livable conditions during power outages or disruptions. It is especially important for extreme heat, cold, storms, and disasters that interrupt utilities.
Public Assistance Mitigation
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA explains how public assistance funding can support mitigation during disaster recovery. This can help rebuild public buildings, utilities, and infrastructure stronger instead of simply restoring old vulnerabilities.
FHWA Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Framework
| Federal Highway Administration | FHWA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This framework helps transportation agencies assess climate vulnerability and choose adaptation strategies. It supports resilient bridges, roads, culverts, and evacuation infrastructure.
Climate Change Adaptation Guide for Transportation Systems Management, Operations, and Maintenance
| Federal Highway Administration | FHWA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FHWA explains how transportation agencies can adapt operations and maintenance to climate change. It is relevant to safer roads, bridges, evacuation routes, and resilient public infrastructure.
Bridge Inspector's Reference Manual
| Federal Highway Administration | FHWA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This manual provides detailed guidance for bridge inspectors evaluating structural components, defects, deterioration, and safety concerns. It supports consistent inspection and maintenance decisions.
Bridge Preservation Guide
| Federal Highway Administration | FHWA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FHWA’s bridge preservation guide explains maintenance strategies that extend bridge life and reduce deterioration. Preservation is a core safety strategy because small repairs can prevent larger structural problems.
Community Resilience Planning Guide for Buildings and Infrastructure Systems
| NIST | NIST | Accessed June 29, 2026
NIST’s planning guide helps communities set resilience goals for buildings and infrastructure systems. It emphasizes recovery time, social needs, lifeline systems, and the role of public buildings after disasters.
National Institute of Building Sciences: Resilience Incentivization Roadmap
| National Institute of Building Sciences | NIBS | Accessed June 29, 2026
This roadmap explores ways to encourage owners and communities to invest in resilience before disasters. It connects financing, insurance, codes, and incentives to safer buildings and infrastructure.
ASCE Infrastructure Report Card: Bridges
| American Society of Civil Engineers | ASCE | Accessed June 29, 2026
ASCE’s bridge report card explains the condition and investment needs of U.S. bridges. It is relevant to disaster-resistant design because aging bridges must be inspected, maintained, and upgraded for heavier traffic and changing hazards.
Climate Resilient Road Design and Maintenance
| International Road Federation | IRF | Accessed June 29, 2026
This resource describes methods for designing, maintaining, and rehabilitating roads under climate stress. It is relevant to public infrastructure safety because roads and bridges must stay functional during evacuations and recovery.
Measures for Increasing the Adaptability of Road Bridges to Climate Change
| PIARC | World Road Association | Accessed June 29, 2026
This literature review summarizes bridge adaptation strategies such as improved drainage, joint replacement, updated storm design criteria, and bridge relocation. It is a useful resource for climate-resilient bridge planning.
Measurement and Standards for Disaster Resilience
| NIST | NIST | February 9, 2012
NIST explains the need for measurement tools, standards, and public-private work to improve resilience. The page emphasizes lifeline systems, existing buildings, new construction, and communities facing extreme hazards.
Hazard Mapping, Risk Tools, and Public Funding
Disaster-Resistant Design Starts With Codes, Maps, and Maintenance
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA’s building science program connects hazard maps, model codes, technical guidance, and mitigation grants. The resource shows that safer buildings require design, enforcement, funding, and ongoing maintenance working together.
Heat Factor
| First Street Foundation | First Street Foundation | Accessed June 29, 2026
Heat Factor estimates property-level extreme heat risk. It supports building-safety decisions such as cool roofs, insulation, shade, cooling centers, and public-building upgrades.
Pre-Disaster Mitigation
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA explains pre-disaster mitigation funding that helps communities reduce risk before hazards strike. Such funding can support safer buildings, stronger infrastructure, and hazard mitigation planning.
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA’s BRIC program supports projects that reduce hazard risk before disasters. It can help fund stronger infrastructure, building-code activities, nature-based solutions, and community resilience projects.
FEMA National Risk Index
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA’s National Risk Index maps community risk from natural hazards across the United States. It helps planners and officials prioritize building safety investments, retrofits, and resilience projects.
Climate-Ready, Heat-Resilient, and Green Buildings
Resilient Building Design for a Changing Climate
| Whole Building Design Guide | WBDG | Accessed June 29, 2026
This guide explains resilient design principles for buildings exposed to climate change and disasters. It emphasizes durability, redundancy, passive survivability, risk assessment, and recovery planning.
Climate Resilience in the Built Environment
| NIST | NIST | Accessed June 29, 2026
NIST’s community resilience work helps communities plan for buildings and infrastructure that recover faster after hazards. It focuses on performance goals, recovery functions, and interdependent systems.
Resilient Design Institute
| Resilient Design Institute | Resilient Design Institute | Accessed June 29, 2026
The Resilient Design Institute promotes design strategies that help buildings and communities withstand climate change, disasters, and disruptions. It connects architecture, planning, energy, water, and social resilience.
Climate-Ready Buildings and Infrastructure
| U.S. Department of Energy | DOE | Accessed June 29, 2026
DOE discusses the need for buildings that can handle climate stress while supporting the electric grid. Climate-ready design connects energy efficiency, cooling, resilience, and public safety during extreme weather.
Climate Resilience for Buildings and Infrastructure
| U.S. General Services Administration | GSA | Accessed June 29, 2026
GSA explains climate resilience strategies for federal buildings and infrastructure. It is useful for public buildings that must remain safe, functional, and cost-effective under changing hazards.
ENERGY STAR Roof Products
| ENERGY STAR | ENERGY STAR | Accessed June 29, 2026
ENERGY STAR explains reflective roof products that can reduce cooling loads and surface temperatures. Roof choices affect heat resilience, energy costs, and indoor safety during hot weather.
Fire Protection and Everyday Building Life Safety
Fire-Resistant Construction
| National Fire Protection Association | NFPA | Accessed June 29, 2026
NFPA’s building and life-safety resources cover fire protection, codes, egress, alarms, sprinklers, and safer construction. These systems are central to disaster-resistant public buildings and homes.
Home Fire Sprinklers
| U.S. Fire Administration | USFA | Accessed June 29, 2026
USFA explains how home fire sprinklers can reduce deaths, injuries, and fire damage. Sprinklers are a building-safety measure that can protect occupants before firefighters arrive.
Whole Building Design Guide: Fire Protection
| Whole Building Design Guide | WBDG | Accessed June 29, 2026
This guide covers fire protection strategies including detection, suppression, compartmentation, egress, and structural fire resistance. It is relevant to both everyday building safety and disaster-resilient public facilities.
Community Resilience Planning and Policy
Community Resilience Center of Excellence
| NIST | NIST | Accessed June 29, 2026
This NIST-supported center develops tools and models for community resilience. The work helps communities understand how buildings, infrastructure, demographics, and recovery systems interact after disasters.
Community Resilience Economic Decision Guide
| NIST | NIST | Accessed June 29, 2026
This NIST guide helps communities compare the costs and benefits of resilience options. It supports rational choices about retrofits, stronger buildings, infrastructure upgrades, and long-term hazard mitigation.
Disaster Resilience: A Guide to the Literature
This NIST literature guide reviews resources on hazard assessment, vulnerability, risk, and resilience. It explains why measuring building resilience is foundational to measuring community resilience.
Research Centers, Failure Studies, and Technical Libraries
Disaster and Failure Studies
| NIST | NIST | Accessed June 29, 2026
NIST investigates building and infrastructure performance during disasters and failures. These studies help identify weaknesses and improve engineering standards for future safety.
National Construction Safety Team
| NIST | NIST | Accessed June 29, 2026
NIST’s National Construction Safety Team investigates major building failures and disasters. Its findings can lead to improved codes, standards, emergency response, and building practices.
Business Disaster Guides
| Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety | IBHS | Accessed June 29, 2026
IBHS business disaster guides help commercial property owners prepare buildings for severe weather and other hazards. They support continuity planning, property protection, and faster reopening after disasters.
Community Disaster Resilience for the Built Environment
| NIST | NIST | Accessed June 29, 2026
This NIST chapter looks at how buildings and infrastructure systems affect community recovery. It emphasizes resilience planning, retrofit priorities, and the gap between code-minimum construction and community performance goals.
NIST, NSF Award More Than $7.6 Million to Support Disaster Resilience Research
This announcement describes research funding for stronger buildings, infrastructure, and communities. It shows how federal science investments can lead to safer building designs and better disaster standards.
Developing Standards for Disaster Resilient Buildings and Infrastructure
| Therese McAllister | NIST | 2013
This technical note explains how standards can improve disaster resilience for buildings and infrastructure. It highlights the need for stronger performance measures, design guidance, and hazard-informed engineering.
Security and Protective Design
Building Design for Homeland Security
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
This FEMA reference explains risk assessment and protective design for buildings facing deliberate threats. It is relevant to disaster-resistant public buildings because it integrates site planning, structure, envelope, access, and emergency operations.
Other Building Safety Resources
Protect Your Property from Landslides
| FEMA | FEMA | Accessed June 29, 2026
FEMA explains landslide warning signs, drainage controls, slope stabilization, and safer site planning. Building safety depends not only on the structure but also on the stability of the ground beneath it.
FORTIFIED Home
| Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety | IBHS | Accessed June 29, 2026
FORTIFIED Home is a construction and retrofit standard for stronger homes in severe weather regions. It focuses on roofs, load paths, openings, and water intrusion to reduce storm damage.
