Robustness, redundancy, inclusivity, and integration of built environment systems: resilience quantification from stakeholders’ perspectives

Abstract

The built environment faces a growing number of challenges due to changing climates. A resilient built environment system (BES) can withstand disruptions and shocks, and resilient design allows communities to bounce back quickly. Considering present and future needs, BESs can be oriented to adapt to new uses or modified to handle changing climates. This study examines the resilience qualities (RQs) of built environment systems (BESs) in responding to and recovering from climate change disruptions effectively. A survey was designed to capture the views of various stakeholders about the different indicators to assess the four RQs: robustness (Rb), redundancy (Rd), inclusivity (Ic), and integration (It). Regulatory and engineering stakeholders participated in the survey, and the results were analyzed using statistical methods. Stakeholders generally agree on the need to enhance transformative capacity for addressing uncertainties and climate challenges. While stakeholders trust the role of BESs’ robustness against climate impacts, some suggest improving standards for better resilience. There is consensus on the importance of regulatory measures mandating emergency resources in BESs. The study highlights the need to enhance adaptive capacities and tools within BESs. Incorporating reconfigurability and spare capacity in BESs is crucial to prevent disruptions. Participants tend to think promoting good practices at the community level is essential to address climate impacts effectively. The analysis highlights the importance of inclusive community consultation and involvement in fostering a shared responsibility for enhancing urban ecosystems against climate change impacts. This involves aligning processes across various city systems to support cohesive decision-making and strategic investments. The study suggests developing objective engineering techniques to establish a standardized approach for evaluating the RQs of BESs.