Alex Wilson, founder of BuildingGreen and winner of the 2010 Hanley Award for Vision and Leadership in Sustainable Housing, took a 1,900-mile bike ride last year. During that thoughtful journey, the idea for the Resilient Design Institute (RDI) was born. Wilson launched the RDI as a way to help the building industry prepare for or recover quickly from disasters. He hopes it also will act as a means to generate environmentally sound practices on a wider, faster scale by demonstrating how well-insulated, sustainably built, and long-lasting dwellings are better for occupants and the economy, especially during long power outages or fuel shortages.
The RDI recently debuted with a website that eventually will provide information on how to achieve resilient houses and communities through practical methodologies. Some of the topics that will be addressed with online resources, white papers, seminars, retreats, and consulting services include:
Super-insulated, passively cooled and heated houses that offer comfortable interiors even without power.
Water conservation and fresh water supplies that can be accessed without pumps.
Walkable neighborhoods where residents can get to stores, schools, or friends without cars.
Community gardens or local farms that can produce food should draughts or diesel shortages cause the importing of food to be prohibitive.
Strong bonds and local economies that help sustain communities during times of global distress.
“I believe that resilience can ultimately be a stronger motivation for building highly insulated buildings, creating walkable communities, and carrying out other actions that will help us maintain safe, livable conditions should we find ourselves without power for three weeks or if political strife in the Middle East results in shortages of gasoline or heating oil,” explains Wilson in a recent blog post. “We get the comfort and security, and in so doing, we get a cleaner environment and help to mitigate climate change.”
