Natural hazard mitigation saves: 2018 interim report

This 2018 interim report updates and expands upon mitigation measures studied in 2005 by evaluating a broad suite of mitigation measures that can inform decision-making around investments to reduce the impacts of natural hazards.

The report includes the work of the team for the past two year and compiles the results from three specific strategies: the benefits and costs of new buildings designed to exceed select model building code requirements provided by the International Code Council (ICC); the benefits and costs of adopting ICC’s model building codes, relative to some older code edition; and the cost effectiveness of grants by federal agencies.

Ongoing research will examine additional mitigation measures that will be incorporated into future reports. 

The project team studied four categories of natural hazard mitigation efforts to date:

1. Design of typical new buildings to exceed certain requirements of the 2015 IBC and IRC, and to conform to the 2015 IWUIC
2. Design of typical new buildings to comply with the 2018 IBC and IRC, compared with 1990-era design requirements
3. Mitigation of existing buildings funded by FEMA, EDA, and HUD.
4. Natural-hazard mitigation for utilities and transportation lifelines. 

A summary of results concludes that based on the mitigation measures the project team examined for the interim report, mitigation remains a solid investment.