BOSTON RESILIENCY CASE STUDY Prepared by E Cubed Optimizers E C O TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 1: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .....................................................................................................................................3 SECTION 2: BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................................... 4 SECTION 3: SCOPE AND CONTEXT OF THIS CASE STUDY .................................................................................... 6 SECTION 4: FOCUS AREA ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................................. 7 1. Resiliency ............................................................................................................................................................................... 7 A. Definition ...................................................................................................................................................................... 7 B. Characteristics of Integrated Future Cities.................................................................................................... 7 C. Progress Toward Goals .......................................................................................................................................... 7 D. Impediments to Progress ..................................................................................................................................... 9 2. Infrastructure and Built Environment Resiliency ............................................................................................... 10 A. Building Design ........................................................................................................................................................ 10 B. Water Management ............................................................................................................................................... 12 C. Energy Management.............................................................................................................................................. 15 D. Waste Management ............................................................................................................................................... 17 E. Transportation Design ......................................................................................................................................... 20 F. Horizontal Infrastructure ..................................................................................................................................... 23 3. Human Side of Resiliency ........................................................................................................................................... 26 A. Social Equity ............................................................................................................................................................ 26 B. Health and Wellness Considerations ............................................................................................................. 28 C. Education ................................................................................................................................................................... 31 D. Food Management ................................................................................................................................................ 35 4. Leadership and Strategy ............................................................................................................................................ 38 A. Regulatory Environment..................................................................................................................................... 38 B. Communication Resiliency ................................................................................................................................ 40 C. Interoperability........................................................................................................................................................ 43 5. Resiliency of the Natural Habitat ............................................................................................................................ 47 A. Climate Adaptation ............................................................................................................................................... 47 B. Environmental Resiliency ................................................................................................................................... 50 SECTION 5: KEY INDIVIDUALS INTERVIEWED/CONTACTS.................................................................................. 54 Boston Resiliency Case Study | 2 SECTION 1: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The U.S. Green Building Council® (USGBC) commissioned E Cubed Optimizers (ECO) to review the measures taken, lessons learned, and challenges facing the City of Boston in its work to create a truly resilient city. More importantly, the USGBC directed us to prepare a case study based on what we found during our study of Boston. This case study summarizes the most relevant findings of that resiliency study. Often studies of resiliency start and stop with the built environment. That is appropriate when studying only the resiliency of the built infrastructure. But as important as that is, in studying the resiliency of a city, the built environment is only a part of the larger fabric that constitutes a city’s resiliency. In the public’s mind, a city is sometimes defined in terms of its buildings, streets and other infrastructure. Nevertheless, human systems, interactions and conditions in a city are crucial to a city’s resiliency. A holistic approach to resiliency is required when working with a City. We can have the most resilient infrastructure, but if the human factors are not resilient, the city is not resilient. We call a city without people a “ghost town”. A resilient city requires resilient infrastructure, resilient systems and resilient people. One of the reasons Boston was an excellent candidate for the case study is that Boston understands this fundamental principal. In this Boston case study, we examined what has been accomplished, as well as impediments to future resiliency progress. We recognize that each city is unique and has its own set of conditions, challenges and attributes. However, there are certain central factors that do determine the level of resiliency of any city. In the case study of Boston, we examined 16 different resiliency factors. Each of these sixteen areas was separately examined and the findings are summarized in the related sections of this case study. Although these factors are separately described, they are strategically interrelated. No one factor can guarantee significant resiliency no matter how strong it may be. Each is critical to the whole. Likewise, no single factor has achieved perfection; each of the sixteen factors provides opportunities to further enhance the resiliency of Boston. The purpose of this case study is not to provide a “resiliency score” for Boston, although its progress is admirable. Boston recognizes that resiliency is an evolving process requiring continuous improvement to overcome current obstacles, adapt to future new challenges, improve systems and develop new technics and approaches. So, the purpose of this case study is to assist Boston and cities across the globe in both measuring and furthering their own quest for resiliency. Boston has made significant process that is both noteworthy and illustrative. Many lessons can be learned from Boston’s experience in this area. This case study is a tool designed to help cities enhance their own resiliency. As more and more cities accept their responsibility for their own resiliency and work towards that goal, what may be judged today to be a very high level of resiliency may in the future be considered in serious need of improvement. Les Lo Baugh, Jr. Katherine Hammack President, E Cubed Optimizers LLC Chair and CEO, E Cubed Optimizers LLC Boston Resiliency Case Study | 3 SECTION 2: BACKGROUND The recent past has seen a wide range of unprecedented assault on various cities and locals. In addition to tragedies such as 9/11, the Boston Marathon bombing, and the numerous terrorist attacks in Europe and elsewhere; natural disasters such as the Hurricane Sandy and Katrina, and more recently Harvey, Irma, and Maria force us to confront the fragile nature of our inhabited ecosystems. The consequences of climate change can be seen around the world and we are constantly reminded that we can no longer ignore the importance of resiliency. We must undertake an informed study of the level of resiliency of our cities and commit to do what must be done to enhance their resiliency. To ignore this challenge is to imperil our future and that of future generations. In recognition of the importance in focusing on resiliency, this project was developed with the following objectives: 1. Develop comprehensive case study of Boston as a foundation for the definition and guidelines for sustainable, resilient, future cities; 2. Identify characteristics of integrated future cities and identify progress and impediments to goals; and 3. Make a presentation about the results of the case study at the annual conference of the USGBC in Boston in 2017. In December of 2014, Boston was selected as one of the cities