Climate Change Adaptation for A House

It’s true that climate risks are increasingly a factor  when purchasing a new or next residence. A September 2023 study by Zillow found that upwards of 80 percent of prospective home buyers in the U.S. consider climate risks—floods, wildfires, extreme temperatures, hurricanes, drought—when shopping for a new home. While all generations juggle trade-offs like budget, floor plans and commute times, younger home shoppers are more likely to face another consideration: They want to know if their home will be safe from rising waters, extreme temperatures and wildfires. It’s no wonder that climate concerns are a bigger issue now more than ever for real estate given the uptick in extreme weather events.

The air quality data is one of the categories under the “climate” tab on all Redfin listings.  The data behind this feature comes from Risk Factor, a tool that pings multiple environmental monitors to predict specific environmental/climate risks. Homes.com and Realtor.com are among the other companies also offering this info from Risk Factor in their real estate listings. Seeing all the data helps people quantify the risk when deciding if they’re going to live in one county or another county. What’s probably going to happen over time is that [poor air quality] is just another type of weather that people either can adapt to, or they say it’s not worth it.

There is no need to buy a new home to consider climate risks. There is much things one can do to mitigate climate risks at existing home. Every homeowner today should consider updating building structures and materials to improve durability and resistance to extreme weather. Landscaping appropriately for the type of climate risks in your area can also be considered. Also, homeowners should create an action plan for disaster scenarios, purchase appropriate insurance and actively participate in community-wide efforts to mitigate climate damage. By taking proactive measures before a disaster occurs, you can safeguard your home from significant destruction. Additionally, this foresight can substantially reduce the financial burden and time required for post-severe weather event recovery efforts.

So, if one is planning to buy a new home or staying put in the current one, he/she should need to consider the factor of climate risks into  decision making moving forward as the world warms. One can make changes by/while renovating the house timely. Renovation could be done by including eco-friendly buidling materials, installing machines which works through solar or natural energy, practicing day-to-day activities with and in nature in a simple manner. Thus, it will give a newness in living obviously and climate adapted house as well. Fight like this to adapt with the climate change.

Matter referenced from:

Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss, Looking for A New Home? What are its Climate Risks? 15, Feb., 2024, https://emagazine.com/looking-for-a-new-home-what-are-its-climate-risks/

By: Dr. Bhawana Asnani.

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