Built to Endure: A Smart Guide for US Cities to Build Resilient Infrastructure That Lasts

Abstract

Resilience is needed for every community to thrive in a world at increased risk of natural disasters. But small and medium-sized communities don’t need expensive analyses or teams of people to get started. Resilience is achievable—even for lean municipal teams—when people, sound governance, and systems thinking are supported by increasingly accessible digital tools that help inform decisions and strengthen community outcomes. A new guidebook from Duke University, Bentley Systems, AECOM, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and Microsoft offers practical, step-by-step advice for small and midsized communities to integrate resilience into their infrastructure systems. Featuring eight case studies from cities in the United States and abroad, the guidebook is meant for immediate use in the real world. The guidebook also includes a separate section—Getting Started: Practical Entry Points for Local Governments—that will jump-start the systems thinking needed to truly achieve resilience.