Free Climate Adaptation Tools Workshop Set for Jan. 14

On Jan. 14, U.S. and Dutch experts in planning and design will meet for a free public workshop on tools and techniques for climate adaptation.

The morning program, which will take place from 8:30 to noon, at Montclair State University in New Jersey, features Justine Shapiro Klein, a planning expert from WXY Architecture + Urban Design, as well as forecasting specialists from Rutgers and Montclair State and Deltares USA, a flood defense expert, and presentations by U.S. and Dutch experts involved in planning, design and engineering.

"Greater resilience requires more interdisciplinary and sustained planning for communities at risk," says the group in a statement. "Now, more than three years into the process of redevelopment following Superstorm Sandy, there is both a need to share lessons learned from these events as well to keep learning from other places.

“As a society, we need reliable forecasting tools to show us what the future may hold. As citizens, we need visualization tools so that we can see what our communities will look like. As professionals, we need scenario planning and technical tools so that we can better understand performance characteristics as well as interconnections. As policymakers, we need economic tools to help us understand the costs and benefits of certain actions or inaction. As a civilization, we need design and development tools that can help us build and grow in physical ways that are more resilient to the stresses and risks we face. We have some tools already, but we know we need more.”

Tools for adaptation to be discussed in the free public presentation include technologies adapted for:

  1. Forecasting severe weather
  2. Visualization of community impacts
  3. Scenario planning and technical performance of protections
  4. Economic impacts (to assist policymakers)
  5. Design & development of new infrastructure, communities and buildings.

The program, hosted by the Passaic River Institute and the Consulate of the Netherlands, takes place at Montclair State University's Center for Environmental & Life Sciences, room 120. Breakfast will be served.

For more information, contact Carter Craft at [email protected].

Featured

  • How Proactive Maintenance Can Transform Athletic Facilities into Strategic Assets for College Sports

    College athletics is entering one of the most transformative periods in its history. With NIL reshaping financial models and competitive expectations, athletic departments across the country are being asked to do more than ever with increasingly constrained resources.

  • Miami University Approves New $242M Multipurpose Arena

    Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, recently announced that its Board of Trustees has approved construction of a new multipurpose arena at Cook Field, according to university news. The $242-million project will serve as a new centralized hub for student life and create space for economic development on campus.

  • Arizona District Breaks Ground on Community Training, Learning Center

    The Tolleson Union High School District (TUHSD) in Tolleson, Ariz., recently broke ground on a new Training & Learning Center (TLC) for both district professionals and the community at large, according to a news release. The 90,000-square-foot facility has an estimated completion date of spring 2027.

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.