Introduction to Resilient Design and Adaptation

AIAU25-RA01

Included in subscription

1.5 LU|HSW

Course expires on: 05/10/2028

$35

Architect$35

Member Price

$50

Non-member Price

Description

As risks from natural hazards and climate change grow, architects play a vital role in designing buildings that are safer, more adaptable, and aligned with evolving standards. This introductory course provides a practical foundation in resilient design, exploring how hazard risk, exposure, and vulnerability shape outcomes in the built environment.

You’ll examine the impact of both sudden shocks (e.g., hurricanes) and long-term stresses (e.g., rising temperatures), and how risk-informed strategies like hazard avoidance, resistance, and adaptation can reduce risk and improve usability. The course also covers advanced concepts such as shelter-in-place, passive survivability, and continuity of operations—approaches that extend building performance beyond minimum code requirements.

Using scenario activities to assess risk, guide decisions, and evaluate outcomes, you’ll learn how to apply the resilience process across all phases of design, from pre-design through post-occupancy.

Learning Objectives

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Explain the importance of resilience and the role of architects in mitigating hazard risk, advancing community well-being, and aligning with relevant policies and standards.

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Identify common hazard types and explain how risk, exposure, and vulnerability contribute to disaster outcomes.

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Describe how shocks and stresses affect building performance, and apply design strategies—such as avoidance, resistance, and adaptation—to reduce risk and support long-term usability.

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Explain strategies for addressing hazards using risk-informed thinking, including shelter-in-place, passive survivability, and continuity of operations—and how they extend performance beyond code.

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Apply the resilience design process across all phases of architectural design, using scenarios to assess risk, guide decision-making, and evaluate performance from pre-design through post-occupancy.

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Acknowledgments

Laura A Blau, AIA CPHC CPHB
Elizabeth Camargo, AIA, LEED AP
Claire Bonham-Carter
Julia Donoho, AIA, Esq.
Nathan Kipnis, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C
Diantha S. Korzun, AIA LEED AP
Michael Lawrence, AIA, BSE
Alan Scott, FAIA, LEED Fellow, LEED AP BD+C, O+M, CEM, WELL AP
Jacob Werner, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, LFA, CPHC

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