Designing a structure to resist earthquakes requires several considerations. The loading is more severe, the permissible response will usually include damage to the structure, as well as the systems and components supported by the structure, and the levels of uncertainty in loading and response are greater than for ordinary loads.

With wildfires in the West, hurricanes in the Southeast, tornados in the nation’s midsection, and flooding endemic to the entire nation, disasters have become all too common in the United States. Hundreds of lives and hundreds of millions of dollars are lost each year as a result. We must stop the build/rebuild cycle and instead take actions to reduce the human and financial impacts of disasters before they occur. With losses mounting, there is no time to waste.

The built environment is being challenged by many trends and disruptors: digital transformation, off-site manufacturing, sustainability concerns, an aging workforce leading to lack of skilled labor, as well as COVID-19, which is affecting the health, safety, and well-being of workers.

Organizations must remain resilient to meet challenges and continue to grow and flourish. To become resilient, we must respond and adopt new ways of thinking and working.

With more than 5.6 million commercial buildings and 118 million housing units in the United States, existing buildings are a key asset to the nation.

But as the needs of society shift, policymakers, building tenants and owners place increased emphasis on the performance of buildings, including sustainability, health and resilience. The existing building stock must be prepared to respond.

The COVID-19 crisis presented architecture, engineering and construction companies, and code departments with an enormous challenge: transitioning an industry long reliant on personal relationships and in-person connections to a remote, digital environment. Like other hands-on sectors, builders and other trades can’t ply their trades over Zoom.

Will this year’s hurricane season be a record breaker?

Meteorologists from Colorado State University’s Department of Atmospheric Science anticipate a highly active season, predicting 17 named storms and eight hurricanes—four of which they predict will be Category 3 or higher.

The Weather Channel’s prediction is slightly different with 18 named storms and eight hurricanes—three of which it expects will be Category 3 or higher.