Climate Adaptation Design Guidelines for Urban Areas Vulnerable to Sea Level Rise

Are you aware that the state of Hawaii could experience more than 3.2 feet of Sea Level Rise (SLR) this century due to climate change? At 3.2 feet of SLR the impacts would amount to more than $19 billion in damages due to lost land and structures. To prepare for such impacts the City and County of Honolulu (C&CH) has published Climate Adaptation Design Guidelines providing preliminary guidance that can be used by developers, landowners, and design professionals in urban areas that may be vulnerable to Sea Level Rise and other climate change-related hazards. This guidance identifies recommended tools and best practices to incorporate into the design of building sites and structures to be resilient to SLR, flooding, extreme heat, and groundwater inundation.

This discussion will provide an overview of the C&CH’s Climate Adaptation Design Guidelines, including:
– Why and how the guidelines came about
– What policy and regulatory changes are being considered
– An overview of the best practices and design principles for different types of urban development
– How the guidelines relate to the C&CH’s overall climate adaptation efforts
– Next steps

Additionally, Matthew Gonser from the C&CH’s Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency provided a brief overview on the C&CH’s Climate Adaptation Strategy.

Presenters include:
– Harrison Rue, Community Building and Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Administrator, C&CH
– Andrew Tang, TOD Senior Planner, C&CH
– Melissa May, Senior Planner and Associate, SSFM
– Matthew Gonser, Coastal and Water Program Manager, Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency, C&CH