Natalia Welzenbach-Marcu | January 9th 2019

In the midst of turbulent climate change, efforts to reduce harmful emissions from fossil fuels and replace traditional coal energy with green sources are long-term solutions that will help the planet in the long run–and these are solutions that are gaining more and more attention as leaders worldwide recognize the benefits of using green energy.

However, our environment, in the meantime,  is changing and shifting, and dangerously inclement weather patterns call for adaptive architecture and infrastructure to protect our most vulnerable populations from flooding and other natural disasters.

Reinforced houses built to potentially withstand hurricanes and ember-resistant structures are just a few examples of the kinds of safety guards many architects are now considering. Many cities in the Midwest that are especially prone to flooding have already begun changing their infrastructure by introducing flood walls, better drainage systems, and more greenery to buffer rising waters.

This renewed interest in adaptive architecture comes after an announcement by the World Bank Group to donate $200 billion over the next five years towards climate resistance and climate change. The money is set to be evenly split between these two solutions; it’s a recognition that while we’re aiming to reduce negative environmental changes altogether, many countries have already entered a dangerous point and need all the adaptive structures they can get.