When architects engage in disaster recovery efforts, technical expertise gets the most attention for how we can contribute to the process. This is no accident; AIA's Safety Assessment Program (SAP) prepares architects to participate in rapid building assessment in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. These efforts are vital to helping local governments understand the magnitude of a disaster, where to prioritize their efforts, and determine if residents can return to their homes.
I don't think it's a stretch to say that every architect participating in disaster recovery immediately thinks bigger than the evaluations we get called upon to perform. Who were the people that lost their homes? What happened to their support networks? Can the community start picking up the pieces or is everyone displaced? What are people's lives going to look like for the next month, year, or even decade?
These aren't just questions our minds wander towards. They're equally important parts of the recovery process and additional opportunities for architects to make a difference. Especially for disadvantaged communities affected. The Lahaina fire in Hawaii last year devastated a working-class community. Hundreds of families lost not just their homes but their entire city. This isn't an isolated event either. Researchers found that in 200 countries studied, the poorest 20% of people are more than 1.8 times more likely to live in homes considered "fragile" from a resiliency standpoint. These same people are less likely to have adequate insurance (if any is even available) or reliable support networks outside the community affected. Residents who've probably never hired an architect, if they've ever met one, are the ones that most need the skills, knowledge, and support we can provide.
How does all this tie into the Committee on the Environment? I know firsthand that AIA members drawn to the COTE network already think about the broad impacts your projects have on the environment. You help your clients understand this way of thinking to get buy-in on your projects. These client-facing and sustainable design skills directly translate to disaster assistance efforts and go hand in hand with resilient design. Decisions made after a disaster will determine an entire community's climate impact for decades to come.
Can temporary housing be responsibly deconstructed? Does the average person know how to talk to their insurance agent about incentives for homes built to the latest energy codes? Do families know that fully electric homes are viable? Do they know how heat pumps operate differently than a gas furnace? Which building materials are most appropriate to help a new building withstand the next disaster and which should be avoided? These are just a few questions that architects can answer for an entire community, not just individual clients, to help them understand how to navigate the complicated world of post-disaster recovery and eventual more-resilient rebuilding.
AIA's small but mighty Disaster Assistance Committee invites everyone in the broader COTE network and community to consider new ways to apply your skills as more intense (and unexpected types of) disasters strike more frequently. Consider becoming if you're a licensed architect. In less than a day you'll have a far more comprehensive understanding of what disaster recovery looks like. You'll be ready to act promptly when the need arises. You'll have a much better understanding of what doesn't work and how buildings fail when designed to outdated standards. It's also a great way to connect with like-minded AIA members and you can sign up here for the next training session. Reach out to your state and local component to get plugged into their disaster assistance and resiliency efforts. All of us can start thinking today about how sustainable design solutions could become relevant to people who've never had to think about sustainability. You're the experts that communities will need when disaster strikes.
Nikolaus Remus, AIA, is the Advocacy Engagement Director on staff at AIA Colorado, where he manages state and local advocacy initiatives and monitors legislation that may impact the architecture profession. He is staff liaison to AIA Colorado's Government Affairs Committee, Committee on the Environment, and local knowledge community groups. Nikolaus is also the 2024 co-chair and CACE representative to AIA National's Disaster Assistance Committee and a Cal OES SAP evaluator.
Nikolaus previously spent nine years working in the architecture profession on a wide variety of commercial, multi-family residential, healthcare, education, and federal government projects. He's been an active AIA Colorado member since 2013, serving on and chairing the Government Affairs Committee and the Legislative Subcommittee, as well as participating in ARE exam prep programs as lecturer and mentor.