How can you use civil engineering to make facilities more resilient?

3 What are some examples of resilient facilities?

Examples of resilient facilities around the world demonstrate how civil engineering can help achieve different resilience goals. The Eden Project in Cornwall, UK, for instance, is a complex of biomes made of steel frames and hexagonal ETFE cushions that can withstand high winds and snow loads. It also relies on renewable energy sources, rainwater harvesting, and waste recycling systems to reduce its environmental footprint and enhance its educational and cultural role. The Rana Plaza in Dhaka, Bangladesh, collapsed in 2013 due to poor structural design and construction quality; the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh was established after the disaster to improve the resilience and working conditions of garment factories. The Christchurch Art Gallery in New Zealand survived the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes with minimal damage due to its base isolation system and glass facade that act as a seismic damper and light reflector. Furthermore, it served as an emergency operations center during the recovery phase, providing support to the community.

4 What are some challenges and opportunities for civil engineering and resilience?

Civil engineering and resilience face several challenges and opportunities in the context of facilities engineering, such as balancing trade-offs between different resilience objectives, integrating the perspectives of various stakeholders, leveraging advances in civil engineering technologies, and addressing the uncertainties and complexities of current and future scenarios. For instance, safety, functionality, aesthetics, cost, sustainability, owners, users, operators, managers, regulators, and communities should all be considered when planning and designing facilities. Additionally, digital tools, sensors, data analytics, and artificial intelligence can be used to enhance resilience assessment and monitoring. Finally, climate change, urbanization, globalization, and security threats must all be taken into account to ensure the resilience of facilities.

5 How can you learn more about civil engineering and resilience?

If you are interested in learning more about civil engineering and resilience, there are many resources and opportunities available. You can read books, journals, and reports that provide an overview of the theory and practice, such as the ASCE Manual of Practice on Civil Engineering for Disaster Resilience or the World Bank Resilience Series. Additionally, you can take courses, workshops, and webinars to gain training and education, such as the MIT Professional Education course on Building Resilient Cities or the FEMA National Training and Education Division offerings. Finally, joining networks, communities, and organizations that promote and support civil engineering and resilience is a great way to stay connected to the field, like the ASCE Infrastructure Resilience Division or the International Facility Management Association.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?