Mainstreaming disaster resilience in the construction process: Professional education for a disaster resilient built environment

Dilanthi Amaratunga, Richard Haigh, Kaushal Keraminiyage, Chamindi Malalgoda

Research output: Book/ReportCommissioned report

Abstract

About CADRE: Among many communities in the EU and beyond, disasters pose significant concerns and challenges. The importance of tackling disaster risk is highlighted in all three of the major global agreements that were finalised in 2015: Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015 - 2030, Climate Change (COP21), and the Sustainable Development Goals. The Sendai Framework, endorsed by 187 UN states in 2015, recognises that disaster risk reduction practices need to be multi-hazard and multisectoral, inclusive and accessible in order to be efficient and effective. The construction industry and associated built environment professions are a vital component of this capacity. The scale, size and impact of the built environment cannot be ignored. It generates about 9% of gross domestic product (GDP) in the European Union and provides 18 million direct jobs. As a major consumer of services and intermediate products such as raw materials, chemicals or electrical equipment, construction impacts many other economic sectors. The vital role of the built environment in serving human endeavours means that when elements of it are damaged or destroyed, the ability of society to function – economically and socially – is severely disrupted. Those responsible for the built environment have a vital role to play in developing societal resilience to disasters. An EU funded project entitled CADRE (Collaborative Action towards Disaster Resilience Education), which was launched in 2013,set out to identify mechanisms to mainstream disaster resilience in the construction process. This report examines the past and present impact of disasters and current trends that are driving disaster risk. It considers the vital role of built environment professionals in contributing to the aims of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-30. In supporting this goal, the report documents some of the key knowledge gaps that must be addressed by education programmes for construction professionals and sets out a series of recommendations to make this happen.
Original languageEnglish
PublisherUniversity of Huddersfield
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 16 May 2017
Externally publishedYes

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