Root Causes of Built Environment Disasters in the Developed World
and Lessons for All Countries
Aris PapadopoulosRetired CEO, Titan America
Past Chair, UNISDR Private Sector Advisory GroupAuthor, Resilience – The Ultimate Sustainability
Founder, Resilience Action Fund
Accept Responsibility
Hazards don’t cause Disasters
Non-Resilience causes Disasters*
We create Non-Resilience
Therefore We cause Disasters
Why Built Environment?
1. We spend 95%+ of our time in or around it2. Front line of defense against hazards3. Humankind’s largest investment4. Investment in next 30-40 years will surpass all history
Why Built Environment?
1. We spend 95%+ of our time in or around it2. Front line of defense against hazards3. Humankind’s largest investment4. Investment in next 30-40 years will surpass all history
Why US?
5. 20% of world’s built environment6. #1 (worse) in disaster economic losses7. Loss trend line deteriorating
US Leads World in Disaster Losses(2000-2009)
1. US 353 billion US dollars2. China 2063. India 264. Pakistan 175. Ethiopia 96. Bangladesh 67. Vietnam 68. Philippines 39. Thailand 210. South Africa 1 Source: Global Humanitarian Assistance
1. 80% is Residential/Small Commercial (RSC) but gets 20% of attention
2. 20% is Infrastructure/Large Commercial (ILC) but gets 80% of attention
3. Resilience bar is set high in ILC but low in RSC
4. We are missing the largest part of the B/E
80-20 Imbalance of Built Environment (B/E)
Many Roads Lead to Non-Resilience
Only One Leads to Resilience
Drivers:
1. Regulatory2. Governance 3. Market
1. Least land planning and building code development and enforcement
2. Misconception that resilience can be sacrificed for affordability
3. Public policies that encourage risk taking and prolong low awareness
4. Private interests that profit from status quo and oppose raising the bar
Why is Resilience low in Residential & Small Commercial?
1. Lowest first cost?
2. Lowest lifecycle cost?
3. Lowest lifecycle cost and risk of loss?
4. Lowest lifecycle cost/risk of loss to both individual and society?
What is Affordable?