DAD focus on sustainability and climate resilience

Protecting our natural environment, factoring sustainable principles into our built environment, and improving our nation’s infrastructure to be resilient to climate change are top priorities for cities and states. In fact, the Alliance for a Sustainable Future – a partnership between the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions – released a 2020 report citing that 60% of surveyed cities across the U.S. have launched or significantly expanded a climate initiative or policy.

Cities and states with plans to improve infrastructure must account for changing weather patterns that result in a drier, wetter or hotter climate, depending on location. As a result, more projects are being planned, designed and built with the changing climate in mind.

Project owners who greenlight initiatives that benefit the environment and boost climate resilience can achieve greater buy-in from the public and key stakeholders.

Innovative infrastructure can absorb stresses and maintain function in the face of climate shifts while remaining resilient to external pressures and even benefitting the surrounding environment. For example, green alleyways capture and filter rain water, sending only clean water into rivers and lakes.