Climate Ready DC, a plan created in partnership with the global architecture firm Perkins&Will, has propelled the nation’s capital to recognition by Bloomberg Philanthropies as one of the world’s most inspiring and innovative cities in the world for major climate action. Washington, D.C., was named a recipient in the Adaptation Plans & Programs (Cities4Tomorrow) category at the fifth annual C40 Cities Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards ceremony, held at the North American Climate Summit in Chicago.
According to Doug Pierce, AIA, LEED Fellow, RELi author, and an architect and senior associate with Perkins&Will’s Minneapolis office, Climate Ready DC exemplifies how a city can – and should – prepare its civic infrastructure and other life-essential systems for cataclysmic events both natural and man-made.
“Look around you, and you can’t help but see the devastating effects of anthropogenic climate change,” Pierce said. “In recent months, wildfires, earthquakes and hurricanes have ravaged habitats, communities and entire economies, clearly demonstrating the need for greater readiness and resiliency.”
Pierce, along with colleagues Janice Barnes, Jon Penndorf, and Amy Thompson, played a lead role in creating Climate Ready DC. To create the plan, the District’s Department of Energy and Environment partnered with climate science and technical experts, including Perkins&Will, to assess the risks that climate change poses to infrastructure and public facilities and identify 77 actions the District can take to reduce these risks.
The C40 Cities Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards honor 10 sustainability projects selected from 174 entries from 92 cities around the globe. An expert jury panel comprising former mayors and climate experts selected the winning urban sustainability projects based on excellence in urban planning and dedication to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving resiliency.
