Resilient Housing and Communities

The document features a discussion on the critical need for resilient housing and community-based energy solutions in island territories following disasters like Hurricane Maria. Panelists emphasize that resilience is achieved through 'community strength' and self-sufficiency rather than dependency on centralized government systems. Key strategies include the deployment of distributed solar energy to create 'energy oases' for critical infrastructure and the use of the 'Keep Safe' guide to implement multi-risk mitigation in housing design. The discussion highlights the intersection of climate risk, housing insecurity, and the necessity of local workforce development to maintain resilient infrastructure.

• Housing is often the most vulnerable element during natural disasters, particularly for low-to-moderate income communities with limited resources for maintenance and fortification. The document notes that Hurricane Katrina resulted in the loss of almost 800,000 homes, while Hurricane Maria substantially impacted nearly 370,000 homes.
• Centralized energy grids in Puerto Rico are prone to systemic failure during extreme weather and seismic events, leading to prolonged power outages that exacerbate health crises and displacement. The document describes the 'death associated with the government failure to provide basic services' following Hurricane Maria, where some areas remained without power for over a year.
• Community-led 'energy insurrections' and the creation of 'energy oases' using distributed solar power provide a model for resilience by ensuring that critical infrastructure—such as fire stations, grocery stores, and medical equipment—remains operational during grid failures.
• The 'Keep Safe' guide for island communities defines resiliency through a multi-risk framework that addresses atmospheric risks (high winds, droughts, fire, extreme temperature), land risks (erosion, landslides, earthquakes, subsidence), and water risks (heavy storm events, surges, tsunamis).
• True resilience is defined as 'community strength,' focusing on self-determination and self-sufficiency to reduce dependency on external government agencies like FEMA, which may not be the first to arrive during a crisis.
• There is a critical need for local workforce development and 'reparative restoration' investments in remote areas to ensure that the capacity to operate and maintain resilient systems remains within the community after outside contractors leave.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2020). Resilient Housing and Communities. https://www.eesi.org/files/transcript_060320.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Resilient Housing and Communities. 2020. https://www.eesi.org/files/transcript_060320.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=Resilient Housing and Communities |date=June 2020 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/transcript_060320.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2020resilient, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{Resilient Housing and Communities}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2020}, month = jun, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/transcript_060320.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }