The rising tide of flood risk in design
As professional liability underwriters, our focus at Victor is to help our insureds—architects, engineers, landscape architects, surveyors, contractors, and other design professionals—understand and navigate the evolving landscape of risk. A critical area of emerging risk that demands attention is the increasing threat of flooding propelled by climate change. This risk impacts the safety and functionality of the structures being designed today, their long-term durability, and issues around professional liability exposures.
Understanding the tools at your disposal
The Building Designer's Guide to Calculating Flood Loads Using ASCE 7-22 Supplement 2 is a pivotal resource that offers a forward-looking approach to flood risk. While this guide is not mandatory, it provides methodologies that go beyond the current minimum requirements set by most building codes. It helps design professionals anticipate and plan for more severe flood scenarios than those outlined by traditional 100-year flood standards, considering factors like increased precipitation rates, sea level rise, and storm intensity.
Why the guide matters to you
Adopting these advanced design methods could mean the difference between a structure that withstands the test of time and one that succumbs to unforeseen disasters, potentially leading to significant financial and reputational damage. However, the voluntary nature of this guide means its adoption is inconsistent, which could pose risks not only to the built environment and society at large, but also to the design and construction professionals involved.
The path forward
We advocate for a proactive approach to integrating these advanced flood resilience measures into standard practice. Updating design practices according to these guidelines may involve an initial investment but consider this: the cost of integrating enhanced flood load calculations during the design phase may be significantly lower than the costs associated with post-disaster repairs, not to mention the potential negligence claims and liability exposures.
Our role and your future
At Victor, we are committed to helping clients manage these risks effectively. By staying informed about potential regulatory changes and adopting forward-thinking design practices now, design firms can safeguard projects and their professional standing in the future. We encourage all design professionals to consider how incorporating these guidelines into practices can not only enhance the resilience of projects, but also fortify a firm’s professional legacy against the challenges of tomorrow.