Major environmental contributors like the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Department of Energy (DOE) are influencing the construction of resilient buildings now more than ever. But why? There are several factors today that encourage the use of more resilient building materials in your building design plan. Keeping your building’s infrastructure secure will always be a priority between intense climate conditions, natural disasters, and the rise in social unrest.
What Are Resilient Buildings?
The Resilient Design Institute states that a resilient building is the purposeful design of buildings, communities, and their surroundings that factor in the vulnerabilities from disaster and the disturbance of everyday life.
The determinants that make up a resilient building include:
- Energy sources
- Disaster plan
- Water sources
- Reduced environmental impact
Sustainable Buildings vs. Resilient Buildings
The purpose of a sustainable building is to create a structure with a low impact on the environment. On the flip side, a resilient building is designed to limit the impact caused by the conditions of the environment. However, with the use of appropriate building materials, we can make our buildings both resistant and sustainable.
The Pressing Effects of Climate Change
The ambient temperature and sea levels are all projected to rise in the near future. This means we will be dealing with higher temperatures, more intense and more prolonged storm seasons, and an increase in natural disasters. Non-resilient building methodologies are just not made to withstand these changes. If you want your building to stand up against these circumstances, resilience in construction is the path forward.
Energy Efficient Solutions That Improve Your Building’s Resilience
As mentioned above, intelligent selection of building materials can increase both sustainability and resilience. A quick and resourceful solution to improving your building’s sustainability is to add 3M window film to your glazing. With 3M™ Sun Control Window Film, you can lower the cost of your heating (and even cooling) year-round. In fact, window film can reduce the temperature inside your building by as much as 9° F. You can even improve sustainability without changing the appearance of the glass using 3M Prestige 70 – clear window film that blocks half the heat!
However, selecting 3M “dual function” solar/security window films like Ultra S25 and Ultra Prestige 70 improve both sustainability as noted above and improve resilience by offering protection against windstorm debris, bomb blast, and forced entry through civil unrest.
Resilient Building Materials to Strengthen Your Perimeter Security
There is another resilient building material solution that you can add in conjunction with the 3M solar or “dual function” solar/security window film. Adding Riot Glass™ to your fenestration will not only increase energy efficiency but will protect your glass from a wide range of safety concerns. Riot Glas™ is a new category of fenestration protection – Access Denial tested to even higher standards that can be met by security window films.
Resilient Building Solutions with NGS
There is no doubt that resilience in construction is more than just a trend, but something which present and future infrastructures need to remain efficient, secure, and operating. With the help of NGS’s window film and Riot Glass™ solutions, your building can make simple yet effective changes to increase its sustainability and resilience.
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Photo by Pang Yuhao on Unsplash
