Residential Resilience Audits

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• Understand whether a residential resilience audit may be a viable tool for your community.
• Learn how to finance such an audit.
• Identify the kinds of data points and metrics that must be a part of an audit.

MORE SESSION DETAILS

A residential resilience audit is an in-home consultation to collect data on risks and vulnerabilities and to make recommendations for improvement. This session explores how to use residential resilience audit programs to support jurisdictions’ comprehensive risk and/or flood management programs, how to finance such programs, and how to use the data to help homeowners adapt and governments address larger policy goals. APTIM has worked alongside two cities this past year to implement Residential Resilience Audit Programs. Boulder, Colorado, developed the Home Preparedness Assessment Program following widespread 2013 flooding to educate homeowners about risk and resilience, subsidize particular improvements, and learn more about widespread vulnerabilities affecting residents. APTIM developed an online assessment tool and household risk score that incorporates physical improvements and prior damage, sustainability efforts, and personal resilience. Likewise, the Center for New York City Neighborhoods developed a comprehensive initiative to reduce the risk of flood damage and cost of flood insurance for homeowners, and resilience audits have been made available to homeowners in areas impacted by Superstorm Sandy. The audits identify specific points of risk within the residences relative to their elevation, location in floodplain, and impacts of previous flood events, resulting in a report with actionable strategies for reduction of risk and flood-insurance premiums.