One of the most important emerging forces driving change in the building industry is signaled by the increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters, green building expert Alex Wilson told the audience at the Vision 2020 session at Greenbuild last week. These include wildfires, droughts, and storms and flooding as brought on by the recent Superstorm Sandy.

Events such as these point to the need for increased resilience in home design and construction, defined as the ability to bounce back following a disturbance or interruption of power and/or services, Wilson said. In response, he recently founded the Resilient Design Institute.

Wilson offered his resilient design strategies:

Ha also pointed out that although the insurance industry does not currently recognize resilient design as a factor in determining premiums and fees, his Institute will work to gain that type of recognition for sustainable, durable dwellings.

For more about the Resilient Design Institute see this article in the current issue of EcoHome magazine.