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posted by Fnord666 on Monday April 29 2019, @05:29PM   Printer-friendly
from the weathering-the-storm dept.

Phys.org:

In 2008, New York City's Mayor Bloomberg brought together leading climate scientists, academics and members of the private sector to advise the city on adapting to the impacts of climate change. This group, called the New York City Panel on Climate Change (NPCC), released its 2019 report in March. The report documents that local extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, longer lasting and more intense; temperatures in summer are getting hotter, and heavy downpours are increasing—changes that generally bear out the projections in the 2015 NPCC report.
...
The design guidelines provide criteria to follow depending on the projected life of the building, the anticipated climate impacts and the location. For example, some areas of the city become especially hot in the summer because there is little shade and buildings are dense. Where this urban heat island effect is severe, designers should consider both how their buildings will worsen the heat and how they can withstand the heat. To lessen a building's contribution of heat, the guidelines suggest using light colored and reflective surfaces in building materials and on roofs, improving building insulation, increasing shade by planting trees and other plants, installing a green or blue roof (the latter is designed to store rainfall), and using other permeable surfaces that can retain moisture. To withstand the heat, heating and cooling systems should be assessed for durability; backup power systems might be needed, and passive solar cooling and ventilation is recommended.

Sea level rise and the risk of tidal flooding need to be taken into consideration for all city buildings, especially those sited in current or future floodplains. If the risk is high, the building should be relocated. Otherwise, design strategies include constructing floodwalls or deployable flood barriers at the site, using natural systems such as restored wetlands, employing water-resistant materials, elevating critical systems, installing sump pumps, protecting underground telecommunications systems from damage, and providing backup power.

Maybe the city should take this route instead.


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  • (Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Tuesday April 30 2019, @05:45AM (1 child)

    by Phoenix666 (552) on Tuesday April 30 2019, @05:45AM (#836546) Journal

    When I was a kid in the 70's it could snow in the northern Rockies in May. Didn't stick around more than an afternoon, then, but it did snow. Three years ago I was at Logan Pass in Glacier National Park in August, and on the shoulder of Reynolds Mountain it tipped back and forth between snow and rain on the hike over to Hidden Lake.

    Snow in April in South Dakota, especially if you're in the Black Hills or the northwestern reaches close to Hulett, WY and Devil's Tower, isn't too weird.

    What is weird is how mild winters in that part of the world have generally become.

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  • (Score: 2) by jasassin on Tuesday April 30 2019, @02:38PM

    by jasassin (3566) <jasassin@gmail.com> on Tuesday April 30 2019, @02:38PM (#836695) Homepage Journal

    What is weird is how mild winters in that part of the world have generally become.

    Not this last winter. Fuckin A!

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