Climate Change and Extreme Wind Events: Overview and Perspectives for a Resilient Built Environment

Abstract

The frequency and intensity of extreme weather events have increased in the last few years. Buildings resiliency against natural hazards (hurricanes, flooding, wildfires, etc.) is fundamental for the adaptation to climate change, however it is hardly included in their design. Buildings exposed to extreme climate conditions may become drivers of vulnerability, rather than providing shelter for users, leading to human and economic losses. The building stock assessment appears to be quite detailed about seismic vulnerability and energy demand related to climate change, but not towards other hazardous events, such as extreme winds. Furthermore, climate data provided by current standards and used for building design need to be seriously reconsidered, since they no longer represent the real weather variables. During windstorms, the main threats are mainly due to the detaching and flying of materials and elements from buildings and urban furniture. The chapter deals with the effects and consequences of strong wind events on the built heritage and calls for an urban transition to create resilient and safe environments for the people. An overview of the current standards related to building design against wind is presented, and mitigation and adaptation strategies are proposed to respond to current and future climate threats.