It’s too late to prevent all the harm that will be caused by climate change, say some experts, so we now have to start dealing with the new risks. The idea of adapting to shifts in the climate is gaining momentum in the face of evidence that climate change is already taking place, and will continue even if steps to reduce emissions are taken. And adaptation will means new priorities and new tactics for the design and operation of buildings.

California has released a Climate Adaptation Strategy that cites a range of climate changes already affecting the state: rising sea levels, increased average temperatures with more extremely hot days and fewer cold nights, a longer growing season, and shifts in the water cycle. As a result, California is developing plans to manage threats caused by climate change. Among the preliminary recommendations:

• Consider project alternatives that avoid significant new development in areas that can’t be protected from flooding.   
• Fire fighting agencies should begin immediately to include climate change impact information into fire program planning.   
• Major development and infrastructure projects should consider climate change impacts in order to comply with California Environmental Quality Act guidelines.   
• Per capita statewide water use should be reduced 20 percent by 2020.

California isn’t alone in beginning to make plans to deal with climate change. The Georgetown State-Federal Climate Resource Center cites nine other states — including Alaska, Florida, Massachusetts and New York — as having at least begun to look into the issue of adapting to climate change.

Adaptation is no substitute for reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that scientists say are causing climate change. California's strategy puts it this way: “The changes in climate observed to date are the result of the emissions released into the atmosphere over the past several decades. Likewise, climatic conditions that will manifest 30 to 40 years from now will be the result of today’s emissions. The reduction of GHG emissions is thus a priority required to minimize the long-term climate change and concomitant impacts on California’s environment and society.”

What might adaptation mean for buildings? In an article in the September issue of Environmental Building news, Alex Wilson and Andrea Ward offer a long list of things to consider in the design of homes as well as commercial and institutional buildings. 

Among the items on their list: Buildings should be designed with natural ventilation and measures to minimize cooling loads and urban heat islands. They should be able to harvest rainwater and be designed to make it easier to install a graywater system down the road. They should be able to handle very high winds and more frequent power outages. Development of very dry areas should be avoided; ditto for flood plains.

(A subscription is required to read the article; a summary is available here).

Although adaptation strategies like graywater systems will be new to many facility executives, others are familiar. The best example: energy efficiency, which has the immense additional benefit of reducing carbon emissions, thus mitigating climate change, while also trimming operating costs.