【12】Challenges in resilience built environment

1. Lack of regulatory frameworks

Empirical evidence revealed that the existing regulatory frameworks on planning, design and construction does not adequately look into disaster impacts and resilience. Nevertheless, number of initiatives was taken at the central level to design hazard and risk maps, disaster resilience planning and construction guidelines and set back zones.

2. Unplanned cities and urbanization

More recently some countries were severely affected by floods and landslides and the impact was aggregated due to poor design and construction activities in the country. Some of the major reasons behind the increased impacts of flooding and landslips are, filling of agricultural lands, paddy fields and other low-lying areas; obstructing the natural rain water drainages for the construction of houses and other structures; widening of roads in mountainous areas without adequate consideration for the stability of the embankments; and, construction of highways blocking natural waterways, without adequate drainage structures.

3. Lack of funding

Disaster resilient built environment is all about ensuring that built assets are capable of withstanding at a time of a hazard event. It requires relocating existing vulnerable structures; enforcing resilient building codes and standards; use of hazard resilient designs, specifications, construction methods, materials and technologies; protecting critical infrastructure in the city and constructing protective infrastructure; sustainable urban planning; and land use practices All these invariably require a considerable amount of funding for satisfactory completion.