SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS

Asset Classes

Focus Area

Resilience and Site

Topic

Climate Planning and Vulnerabilities

Question #

R3.1 – Emergency Preparedness

Question

Do emergency preparedness and response plans include climate hazards and related extreme events?

Applicability

All asset classes
Owner/landlord occupied building
Tenant occupied building

Answer & Scoring

  • Yes = 5 points
  • No = 0 points

Max of 5 points

Requirements

Demonstrate the extent to which climate change and related hazards have been incorporated into the building-specific emergency preparedness and response plans.

Documentation

  • Highlight relevant sections in Emergency Preparedness and Response Plans

Suggested Lead

In-house, with third-party support

Value

  • As more extreme weather events and other climate-related hazards are expected due to global warming and climate change, building management teams are encouraged to include climate-related hazards in their emergency planning
  • Building off R2.3 – Resilience Strategies, include protocols to respond to climate-related emergencies in the building’s emergency preparedness and response plans
  • Incorporate resilience strategies into official building management documents and communicate appropriate protocols to the building occupants

Description

Commercial real estate leaders are increasingly recognizing the risks posed by extreme weather events that will continue to occur more frequently than in the past. Design and operations need to focus on emergency preparedness, safety, and wellbeing to reduce risks to assets, occupant health and safety, and services.

The inclusion of climate resilience in planning, preparation, and implementation projects will reduce risks to ensure that people and property are protected, costs are minimized, reputation is maintained, environmental effects are reduced, and asset value is enhanced.

Planning activities to respond to high priority climate risks will increase resilience. Risks must be addressed in operations, including emergency response plans and business continuity plans.

References

Adapted BB 3.0 Question

Question 09.01.13 – Has a resilience or business continuity plan been prepared for the building that includes the following components?
Question 09.01.14 – A long-term climate change risk assessment