An introduction to climate change through codes, standards, and regulations

Codes, standards, and regulations are changing in response to and in anticipation of climate change. The intention of this introductory session is to provide practitioners with a general understanding of this topic and directions as to where to go for further detailed knowledge.

Currently, most building and infrastructure standards either assume a stable climate or include consideration of a historical climate (e.g. the climate of the 1960s). We now know that a stable, reliable climate system is no longer something that can be counted on. Knowing this, organizations across the world are updating existing standards or writing new ones to help engineers, construction workers, healthcare workers, and many others to prepare society for extreme weather and changing climate conditions.

In this introductory session, we will address these infrastructure types:

• Transportation Infrastructure - e.g. asphalt codes, winter roads
• Water, Wastewater, and Water source management - e.g. natural flood mitigation, dikes and water diversion, drainage
• Buildings - e.g. energy codes, floor risk, snow loads

This session will include the following topics as they relate to those infrastructure types:

• The difference between codes, standards, and regulations (CS&R)
• The key CS&R development bodies responsible for these infrastructure types
• The process(es) for changing CS&R in these areas
• Examples of CS&R that have recently changed in response to climate change
• Potential developments related to CS&R
• Where to go, how to keep abreast of changes as they occur
• How to go beyond CS&R to address a changing climate

Familiarity with basic climate change science and impacts is recommended. The BRACE/MCRT Climate Change 101 course is recommended but not required. **A recording of Climate Change 101 is available here for viewing prior to attending this course.

Time

12:00 - 1:30 p.m. (GMT-6)