The urgency for resilient design has never been greater. In just the first half of 2025, the U.S. experienced 14 separate billion-dollar weather and climate disasters, causing an estimated $101.4 billion in damages This marks the costliest six-month period on record since NOAA began tracking in 1980, underscoring the escalating frequency and severity of extreme weather, from hurricanes and floods to heat waves and wildfires. [weather.com], [livenowfox.com].
Our buildings and infrastructure must be designed, constructed, and operated to mitigate risk, absorb shocks, and sustain communities. This is core to USGBC’s mission. LEED v5 reflects this priority by embedding resilience into its framework alongside decarbonization and equity. Projects are now expected to address climate risk through proactive design and operational planning, integrate hazard assessments, and deliver measurable outcomes in carbon reduction, quality of life, and ecological restoration. Resilient, sustainable buildings are not just a goal—they are the cornerstone of thriving communities in a changing climate.
Join USGBC National Capital Region for an evening of real project showcases, a cross-sector practitioner panel, and a candid policy conversation about what comes next for DC. DC has led before — this is the moment to lead again.
