Construction to Withstand Extreme Weather
Austin College’s Dr. Kevin Simmons, professor of economics, wrote a timely piece in The Washington Post this weekend on the Senate “Shelter Act”—what he sees as a positive step toward building homes resilient to expected hazards. ”One of life’s certainties is that natural hazards will come, bringing predictable destruction from floods, wind and hail,” Simmons writes. “Increased population in vulnerable areas ensures increased costs when they occur. And while work remains to better understand the effect a changing climate has on these events, it clearly adds to the cost. Reducing impacts requires a thoughtful approach on how and where we build.”
Simmons has become an expert on the topic, studying the financial cost of natural disasters for several years as well as the measures to mitigate those costs. “The winners are not Republican or Democrat but society, since anticipating and preparing for the inevitable creates a sustainable and resilient community,” he wrote in summation.