High-Profile Focus: Landscape and Civil
22
May 2025
Resiliency in Action: How Civil Engineers Are Designing for a Changing Climate
By Stephen Garvin As a civil engineer, I’ve seen how the work we do—site and infrastructure planning, stormwater management, materials selection—can shape and aid how communities respond to climate change. Today, resiliency isn’t a buzzword—it’s a mandate. With more powerful storms, rising flood risks, and evolving regulations, civil engineers are at the forefront of designing infrastructure that adapts to a changing world. At Samiotes Consultants, we aim to integrate resilient design into every project we touch. That might mean preserving sensitive ecosystems, minimizing a site’s carbon footprint, or capturing and reusing water. It’s about making intentional decisions that support long-term performance, sustainability, and public safety within the context of the project’s overall goals. One recent example is our work at TriCounty Regional Vocational High School
in Franklin, Mass. The site is surrounded by wetlands resource areas, so our design focused on preservation. We avoided impacts by incorporating protective buffers, while including a below-grade salamander crossing to support migration. To promote awareness, students created custom signage about protecting natural resources—a reminder that resiliency also starts with education.
Winning signage design by students at Tri-County Regional Vocational High School
At Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School, we designed underground detention and infiltration systems using steel arch pipes—a deliberate choice balancing strength, sustainability, and long-term value. Steel resists environmental stressors better than plastic, reduces maintenance, and supports the client’s goal to replace plastic with
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Alternative material selection for the stormwater management system at BPRVTHS
conscientious alternatives. Being fully recyclable, it’s also an environmentally responsible option. We applied a different strategy at Franklin Elementary School in Newton, where we proposed porous paving to manage stormwater. Instead of channeling runoff to storm drains, porous pavement lets water soak into the ground— recharging groundwater, filtering pollutants, and reducing flooding. It also lowers surface temperatures, helping to mitigate urban heat island effects. At the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), we helped design a stormwater reuse system for the new raised courtyard built on a weight-limited historic MBTA slab. To avoid heavy soil or expensive geofoam, we proposed the interstitial space for water storage—resulting in a 150,000-gallon system that supplies nonpotable water for irrigation and cooling.
Since it went online, HKS hasn’t needed to draw municipal water for those uses— an example of how engineering can solve structural challenges while advancing sustainability. These projects reflect our belief that resiliency must be woven into every aspect of the design process. Whether it’s a school campus, civic center, or urban courtyard, we work with clients to develop solutions that protect the environment and deliver long-term value. Civil engineers have a crucial role to play in climate resilience. It’s not just about technical performance—it’s about being responsible stewards of the land, water, and systems we help imagine and construct. Resiliency is no longer optional. It’s the standard, and it’s our responsibility to lead the way in a purposeful manner. Stephen Garvin, PE is principal at Samiotes Consultants, Inc.
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