In these times of uncertainty and change, the need for universities—as enclaves of students, staff, researchers and teachers—to plan for natural or man-made disruptions has never been greater. In response, forward-thinking planners and facility managers are combining mature design ideas with new technologies to make their institutions more resilient and supportive of their constituents and surrounding communities.
“Resilience” is the capacity to adapt to changing conditions and maintain or regain functionality and vitality in the face of stress or disturbance. Many think of resilience as the capacity to bounce back from disruptions. Resilient design combines sustainable design strategies with physical security improvements. It mixes infrastructure upgrades and energy efficiency projects, and combines place-making and disaster preparedness projects.