Building Better

 Do we want to be prepared for the next round of extreme weather? The storm clouds are not on the horizon. They are here. Extreme weather is guaranteed for at least the next thirty years. Temperatures will rise and with this rise the potential for extreme temperature events skyrocket. Because warmer air holds more water storm clouds carrying “rain bombs” will pummel us. One study published by the American Geophysical Union informs us the eastern half of the USA is already experiencing twice as many mega-rain events now versus before 1950. They warn us worse storms will come.

Cities are more vulnerable to both heat extremes and mega-rains, so Michiganders in Detroit are already having to deal with too much heat and too much rain.  We will too. We are not immune even though we have cooling forests and a massive cold lake.  Collectively our small communities, and we as individuals, need to implement adaptation measures.

The industrial, governmental, and residential building sector is responsible for 40% of our greenhouse gas emissions. The American Society of Engineers gives our nation’s storm water infrastructure a grade of D. There is room for improvement and the Biden administration is attempting to do it.

Collectively we need to pony up to fund community road, sewer, and drainage systems. These need to be robust improvements as the potential for high heat events and deluges is rising faster than climate scientists forecast. The threats will continue to grow until greenhouse gasses are reduced.

Individually, we can be smart home improvers and yard landscapers. To keep cool in the summer and or prevent damaging ice dams in the winter, we can improve our homes performance by making our next roof sunlight reflective.

Thoughtfully planting shade trees cools our homes by blocking the summer sun and cooling the air via transpiration. This reduces the need for air conditioning saving money. Pine and spruce trees planted on the north and northwest side of a home block winter winds reducing home heat loss.

Landscaping designed to direct water away from our homes reduces the chances of wet basements. Sump pumps are a popular way to keep the basement dry. But what happens when the electrical grid goes down? One solution is to have a small emergency bank of batteries recharged each day by a couple solar panels. With enough panels, batteries, and disciplined use of the battery power available a homeowner can keep his basement dry and the freezer cold.

To keep the snow on the roof and the ice dams from forming roofs are best kept cold by ventilation. In the summer this ventilation helps keep a home cooler. There are different ways to do this. Because roofs differ it is best to consult a professional.

Glass windows, while blocking wind, pretty much simply let heat, (or cold) right through. Thus, if you want to insulate a home to stay warm, exterior shutters and curtains will help beat the summer heat and defeat old man winter’s icy grip.

Windows should be designed and installed to capture cool evening breezes in the summer. This will give you good sleeping conditions while cooling the house down before the sun comes up.

As you might realize, the key players helping us adapt and to mitigate climate change are trained craftsman. People skilled in carpentry, plumbing, insulation, solar installation, and landscaping will be key not only for our comfort but our security.

Summing up, seven years ago I diligently and methodically put together a presentation describing why the weather will get worse. I take little satisfaction my work is proving prophetic, or more accurately my work vindicates the years of work done by climate scientists.

I speak for myself and, I feel, most climate scientists. We wish we were wrong. In a way, we were. The climate, as a crisis, is here much sooner than most climate scientists anticipated.

Of course, in this political climate where lies are believed more often than truths, I doubt any warning by any trained professional would have been accepted.

It is time we accept reality, stop wishing, and start acting.