OTTAWA – The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) has released a guide for members looking to prepare their companies for climate risks and opportunities.
The risk guide is a companion piece to the 13-page document titled Strength, resilience, sustainability: A guide to implementing climate resilience in construction risk management, which is a best practices guide for project owners, designers and contractors in developing their understanding of climate risks and incorporating that information in the way projects are conceived, proposed, designed and built, a CCA release stated.
“CCA recognizes that every member company is operating within a specific set of parameters and that each is at a different point on its pathway to integrate climate change considerations into day-to-day decision-making. The guide is designed to be broadly applicable by setting out a framework that can help validate an already robust approach existing within an organization or can serve as a step-by-step checklist for a company getting started on its path to greater climate resilience,” the release added.
The CCA’s recommended approach to each project, according to the document, is to engage in risk identification by identifying vulnerabilities related to project commitments and the type of contract being used, and to build an understanding of the expected impacts of climate change from gradual changes like higher average temperatures to higher frequency but shorter duration events such as heat waves.
The document also encourages risk analysis through determination of relevant climate parameters and appropriate timeframes such as the lifespan of the asset. It also encourages companies to generate or purchase climate modelling data to understand how a given asset will relate to the company’s own responsibilities.
The CCA recommends mitigating risk by developing internal risk management controls and communicating both climate risks and mitigation approaches to clients and project development partners. It also recommends regular monitoring and evaluation.
To view a copy of the document, click here.
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