GENERATING IDEAS FOR RECOVERY During their time in the field, volunteers spoke with residents about their ideas for recovery in their communities. These ideas are documented in each chapter and cover a range of topics from engineering and natural approaches to storm surge mitigation, to how to retrofit buildings resiliently, to how to help local business owners reopen and generate income, among many others. Architecture for Humanity volunteers have added to residents ideas based on their observations in the field and generated thoughts on how local organizations could direct their resources where residents need them the most. The following ideas are broad approaches that are applicable to the majority of the surveyed communities:
COMMUNITY DESIGN CENTER A Community Design Center can serve as a central location where residents affected by the storm can meet with design and building professionals willing to donate their services in order to seek guidance on the repairs and reconstruction efforts necessary for their homes. This can provide: • A place to share official information and guidelines for how to best perform repair and demolition work • Information on code requirements and procedures required by the Department of Buildings • Resources for resilient and sustainable reconstruction practices • Advocacy for long-term thinking in community and individual reconstruction Through establishing a presence in a community-centric space
ARCHITECTURE FOR HUMANITY NEW YORK
in partnership with a respected local organization, the CDC can become an essential resource for the neighborhood.
BUILDING RETROFITS Existing homes can be retrofitted from two main standpoints: spatial organization and modifications to vulnerable components of the building envelope. In order to reduce property damage, less investment must take place on the basement level and the first floor. Homes that heavily utilize these levels could benefit from space planning in order to understand and delineate appropriate uses and treatments of these two floors. As this reorganization can impact everyday life as well as systems in the home, a guideline document could highlight suggested changes and provide designed solutions for alternative spatial arrangements, with cost comparisons for each solution. Another document could provide guidance on encouraged modifications to vulnerable building envelopes. For example, a strategy could be devised to address the major points of infiltration, such as the windows and vents at grade and the stairwells that lead to basements. In addition, suggestions could be made for upgrades to exterior cladding and roofing materials that will prevent future damage and loss in high wind, flooding, and surge conditions.
NEW CONSTRUCTION For homes that have to be built from the ground up, housing typologies should adapt to the latest code regulations and additional resiliency measures that exceed code expectations. This may include the following adaptations, among many others, as appropriate: • The elevation of homes to design flood elevations (DFEs) • The elimination of below grade spaces • The use of building materials suitable to a coastal environment, installed for high wind and flood-prone conditions • The relocation of critical equipment to upper levels • The incorporation of sewer backflow valves • The use of rain screen exterior wall assemblies • The incorporation of protection for windows and doors, such as hurricane shutters and impact resistant glazing • The secure fastening of all equipment and fuel tanks. Solutions for upgrades to existing buildings and for new construction should be developed in close collaboration with
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