The National Institute of Building Sciences commends the White House on a new Executive Order to address the impacts of climate change.

On November 1, President Barack Obama released the Executive Order, "Preparing the United States for the Impacts of Climate Change.” The Order calls for the establishment of an interagency Council on Climate Preparedness and Resilience; examination of existing federal programs for opportunities to address climate change-related risks; and providing data, information and risk-based decision support tools to assist government and the private sector in preparing for the impacts of climate change.

"The National Institute of Building Sciences has long supported the development of coordinated and collaborative approaches to assure the nation’s built environment is prepared for the numerous risks it may face,” said Institute President Henry L. Green, Hon. AIA. "This new Executive Order provides government agencies and the private sector with the direction necessary to address the current and emerging challenges facing our built environment.”

In a letter addressed to the co-chairs of the newly established Council on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, Green outlined the importance of mitigation activities and highlighted the 2005 report by the Institute’s Multihazard Mitigation Council (MMC), which found that every dollar invested in federal mitigation activities resulted in four dollars in savings.

"Almost forty years ago, the U.S. Congress established the Institute to improve the built environment,” explains Green. "That continues to be our mission today, and we stand ready to assist the Council on Climate Preparedness and Resilience however needed.”

Congress established the Institute to engage the public and private sector in advancing building sciences and technology to improve the built environment. Over its nearly four decades, the Institute has developed numerous tools and resources—a number of which specifically focus on hazard mitigation—for communities; building designers, owners, contractors and operators; and federal agencies.

In addition to the MMC report, Green’s letter highlighted several of those Institute programs focused on improving building resilience, including tools to evaluate buildings for climate-related risks.

See the Executive Order. Read Green’s letter to Council Co-Chairs.