We rebuild, of course. The destruction in Joplin, Mo., is now leading to the reconstruction, and in the words of the New York Times, while "there is no silver lining to a funnel cloud," there is opportunity to build back better, using money from recovery funds to help the community adapt to new risks, use less energy and maybe save money in the long run. It's possible that, having learned a lesson in the terrible process, Joplin -- and perhaps other communities startled by the event -- will adapt.
Some argue this is exactly why we shouldn't be worried about climate change. They argue some cities will be destroyed, but they -- and their neighbors -- will learn and build back better. So a few people lose their lives, reconstruction will spur the economy and the smart ones will build in such a way as to mitigate the damage of future weather events.
But, do we have to rely on this "shock doctrine" to force us to make structural improvements to our communities? Cities have ample reason to invest in smarter infrastructure and proactively adapt to climate change. Beyond the potential long-term savings, you can keep qualified talent in your community -- people who know they're living in a dangerous place have lots of other options. Greensburg, KS faced the prospect of disappearing altogether after a 2007 tornado. They rebuilt across the board, creating several LEED buildings in their small town, saving money, developing new energy sources and retaining talent, even attracting tourists. In addition, many believe that in the developing world the next technological innovations will allow them to achieve development with less energy investment. These innovations will help make it easier for communities to adapt and drive costs down, not up.
And with over 12 years under its belt, LEED certification has become more than a label, but as a top LEED architect told us, it's one tool we have to spur collaboration for adaptation. As more buildings go LEED, more manufacturers offer smarter products, the prices go down, and the technology becomes available to everyone. In the following video, what happens in Vegas is, happily, spreading far beyond Vegas.