A novel climate resilience implementation model for the construction industry: An international perspective
Sakibu Seidu, Daniel W.M. Chan, Caleb Debrah
Abstract
• Climate resilience in the construction industry is both a process and an outcome. • Thermal, energy and stakeholder factors have direct impacts on carbon reduction. • Biodiversity factors enhance building resilience to climate change impacts. • Sustainable water design principles enhance urban island heat mitigation efforts. • A novel climate resilience model integrates mitigation and adaptation strategies. Although climate resilience is crucial in the construction industry (CI), its multidimensional and dynamic nature impedes global efforts. Existing studies and the Building Resilience Index (BRI) primarily focus on evaluating either the adaptive capacity of buildings or climate mitigation measures. Consequently, the CI lacks an integrated climate resilience implementation model for building practitioners. To address this gap, the current study investigates multidimensional climate resilience considerations in the CI. Through expert validation and linear modelling, the study found that urban heat islands considerations (UHI) (β = 0.327, p < 0.003), energy resilience (ER) (β = 0.325, p < 0.001), and stakeholder resilience (SR) (β = 0.183, p < 0.006) significantly and positively impact carbon reduction (CR) (mitigation). The model corroborates existing theories on the relationship between ER and CR. Additionally, it extends the theory to other climate resilience dimensions. The results highlight the critical role of thermal resilience (building envelope) on ER (β = 0.391, p < 0.000). Biodiversity resilience (BD) significantly affects ER (β = 0.308, p < 0.002) and has profound effects on SR (β = 0.529, p < 0.000) and UHI (β = 0.474, p < 0.000). The model also shows that water resilience significantly impacts UHI resilience (β = 0.321, p < 0.000) and moderately affects SR (β = 0.287, p < 0.001). This study proposes an integrated climate resilience approach, addressing both mitigation through carbon reduction and adaptability to climate change impacts. The dynamic model integrates diverse proactive measures, offering a full contextual understanding and practical implementation guidelines for policymakers and construction practitioners.