October 2022 marks a decade since Superstorm Sandy, the most destructive hurricane ever to make landfall on the U.S. east coast. This extreme weather event tested all aspects of NYC’s infrastructure, as well as that of adjacent communities in New Jersey and Connecticut, and caused $70 billion worth of damage.
In response, and at the request of the New York City Council, Urban Green convened the 200-member Building Resiliency Task Force to develop recommendations for improving building resiliency and maximizing preparedness for future weather emergencies.
On October 12, join us as we look at the progress NYC has made since Sandy and the work that remains. Experts will look back at significant changes made to the building code and zoning resolution and examine how resiliency thinking has changed over the past decade. What are the remaining opportunities for improving resilience, and what new threats should we be prepared to address?
Speakers
Fiona Cousins
Principal, Arup
Fiona Cousins graduated from the University of Cambridge with degrees in Engineering Science and Interdisciplinary Design for the Built Environment. After graduating, she joined Arup’s London office. Over the years, she has worked at Arup in a variety of roles and is currently a Principal with the New York office. She also served for two years as the chair of the New York Chapter of the USGBC, and was the chair of USGBC in 2016. Fiona has a strong interest in the energy use and the thermal performance of buildings.
Rebecca Fischman
Senior Policy Advisor, NYC Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice
Rebecca Fischman is a senior policy advisor with the NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice.
Gita Nanden
Principal, Thread Collective
Ms. Nandan is an architect, designer, educator, and leader in community resilience planning and design. She is a founder and principal of the award winning design firm thread collective, and chair of the Resilient Red Hook Committee. Ms. Nandan believes in resiliency as a holistic and supple approach, integrating social,
cultural, and economic issues with design to create net-positive urban environments.
