A new government report predicts sea levels in the U.S. of 10 to 12 inches higher by 2050, with some major cities on the East and Gulf coasts experiencing damaging floods even on sunny days.
Ā
The report issued by theĀ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and six other federal agencies warns of major consequences from rising seas in the next few decades. Parts of Louisiana and Texas are projected to see waters rise by a foot and a half.
Ā
Climate change will spur, on average, as much sea level rise in the next 30 years as in the previous century, the report says. The report āis the equivalent of NOAA sending a red flag up" about accelerating the rise in sea levels,ā according to a University of Wisconsin-Madison geoscientist quoted in an Associated Press article.
Ā
Sea level rises more in some places than others with sinking land, currents, and water from ice melt impacting local areas. The U.S. will experience more sea level rise than the global average. The greatest impacts will be on the Gulf and East Coasts, with the West Coast and Hawaii seeing less than average rise.
Related Stories
Sustainability | Jul 27, 2023
USGBC warns against building energy code preemptions, rollbacks
In a recent editorial, the USGBC cited a growing number of U.S. state legislators who are āaiming to roll back building energy code standards and/or preempt local governments from advancing energy-efficient building codes.ā
Resiliency | Jul 27, 2023
'Underground climate change' can damage building foundations, civil infrastructure
A phenomenon known as āunderground climate changeā can lead to damage of building foundations and civil infrastructure, according to a researcher at Northwestern University. When the ground gets hotter, it can expand and contract, causing foundations to move and sometimes crack.
Adaptive Reuse | Jul 27, 2023
Number of U.S. adaptive reuse projects jumps to 122,000 from 77,000
The number of adaptive reuse projects in the pipeline grew to a record 122,000 in 2023 from 77,000 registered last year, according to RentCafeās annual Adaptive Reuse Report. Of the 122,000 apartments currently undergoing conversion, 45,000 are the result of office repurposing, representing 37% of the total, followed by hotels (23% of future projects).
Multifamily Housing | Jul 25, 2023
San Francisco seeks proposals for adaptive reuse of underutilized downtown office buildings
The City of San Francisco released a Request For Interest to identify office building conversions that city officials could help expedite with zoning changes, regulatory measures, and financial incentives.
Urban Planning | Jul 24, 2023
New Yorkās new āczar of public spaceā ramps up pedestrian and bike-friendly projects
Having made considerable strides to make streets more accessible to pedestrians and bikers in recent years, New York City is continuing to build on that momentum. Ya-Ting Liu, the cityās first public realm officer, is shepherding $375 million in funding earmarked for projects intended to make the city more environmentally friendly and boost quality of life.
Concrete | Jul 19, 2023
Public policy hindering widespread adoption of sustainable concrete
Researchers are making significant strides in reducing embedded carbon in concrete, but public policies have been slow to adopt this more sustainable option.
Sustainability | Jul 19, 2023
California lawmakers approve governorās plan to accelerate green construction
California lawmakers recently approved Gov. Gavin Newsomās infrastructure streamlining plan that aims to accelerate clean energy and infrastructure projects.
Codes and Standards | Jul 19, 2023
Office leasing in major markets by financial services firms rebounds to pre-pandemic norms
Though the pandemic led to reductions in office leasing by financial services firms in gateway markets, a recent report by JLL found a notable leasing resurgence by those firms.
Codes and Standards | Jul 17, 2023
Outdated federal rainfall analysis impacting infrastructure projects, flood insurance
Severe rainstorms, sometimes described as āatmospheric riversā or ātorrential thunderstorms,ā are making the concept of a ā1-in-100-year flood eventā obsolete, according to a report from First Street Foundation, an organization focused on weather risk research.Ā
Sponsored | Fire and Life Safety | Jul 12, 2023
Fire safety considerations for cantilevered buildings [AIA course]
Bold cantilevered designs are prevalent today, as developers and architects strive to maximize space, views, and natural light in buildings. Cantilevered structures, however, present aĀ host ofĀ challenges for building teams, according toĀ JosĆ© R. Rivera, PE,Ā Associate Principal and Director of Plumbing and Fire Protection with Lilker.
