Resiliency, in the context of our built environment, is the ability to adapt, survive, and continue on operationally in the face of disruptions to normal operations. Historically, the disruptions anticipated have been primarily the loss of primary power from the electrical grid. In the future, the disruptions are anticipated to include rising sea levels which when combined with high tides will cause flooding of major parts of coastal cities and very high winds will cause disruptions to transportation and underground utilities including sewerage, water, gas, and electrical. Buildings with below and on grade utility rooms (and/or standby generators) will likely be unsafe to occupy for months and millions of dollars of repairs will be needed. So, the question is what can be done to prepare? How can we make our infrastructure and buildings more resilient in the event of what the scientists are telling us will happen in the foreseeable future?

B2Q works with our clients to examine vulnerabilities and master plan steps to be taken to increase the resiliency of their critical facilities. By identifying and designing solutions that combine on site energy generation with energy storage and load reduction, clients are able to operate their buildings to provide essential services when grid power is not available. Our clients’ resiliency goals have included maintaining operations at the department of public works during major storms, keeping lights and HVAC systems on at schools or city halls during emergency events to run community shelters, and preserving power at the downtown grocery store during grid outages. We work closely with our clients from concept development and procurement through construction and commissioning to achieve their goals.

We have led a team of experts in studying the vulnerabilities of campus buildings for a major university in a coastal city as part of their first steps to prepare and increase their resiliency. Here is what we looked at:
- Leveraged existing global, national, and local climate change impact reports and vulnerability assessment to inform climate vulnerabilities as they relate to our client
- Documented risks to electric and fuel utilities, central and distributed HVAC systems, water/wastewater systems, and stormwater drainage systems
- Provided qualitative assessment of the relative priority among the risks identified
- Provided recommendations for actions that may be taken as next steps in the near term to reduce and/or mitigate the long-term risk and impact of existing vulnerabilities

Our staff’s experience with distributed energy resources includes solar photovoltaic systems, battery energy storage, cogeneration, thermal storage, automated load reduction, and integrated microgrid systems. Our services range from master planning, to conducting economic studies to developing design solutions.