The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted and altered nearly every aspect of our lives, but perhaps most notably, it has opened our eyes to the consequences of denial.

This begs the question: What if our current health care challenge is a mere dress rehearsal for the climate change crisis?

Like the pandemic, climate change is something scientists have been warning us about for decades, but in many cases, those alarms has fallen upon deaf ears. Distressingly, the topic has become politicized, with some groups denying the science behind global warming as well as the urgency to do anything about it.

In Miami, climate change has been hard to ignore, as major weather events seem to appear with more and more frequency and force. A new study from the University of Wisconsin in Madison and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed that hurricanes are becoming stronger and potentially more deadly due to the climate crisis.

Climate change has also become more costly.

According to a recent report from consulting group McKinsey & Company, Florida homeowners in flood zones could lose between 5% and 15% of their home values in the next decade, and by 2050, that loss is estimated to be between 15% and 35%. 

With experts predicting 1 to 2 feet of sea level rise by 2060, it’s fair to say climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing the South Florida commercial and residential real estate market.

“Climate change is a reality we’re all facing, and it’s obviously very relevant in South Florida,” said Location Ventures CEO Rishi Kapoor. “While it’s difficult to think about another national emergency as we’re dealing with coronavirus spread, if anything, it’s taught us the importance of preparedness.”

For Kapoor, whose developments include single-family homes, boutique condominiums and multifamily properties, that means building projects with resiliency and sustainability in mind.

At the top of the priority list is creating a plan for onsite stormwater management and retention. “Many of the projects we’re designing now feature cisterns under the property that are designed to hold stormwater and/or release it slowly to run into toilets or as irrigation for plants,” Kapoor said. “There are practical ways to release stormwater without releasing it into the streets.”

Raising developments above the existing streetscape in order to accommodate future raised streets throughout the City of Miami is yet another tactic, as is relocating a building’s mechanicals to the second floor to protect against rising tides or stormwater surges. “It’s about mitigating the risk and also how quickly you are able to bounce back,” Kapoor added.

Part of the job of developers is to try to peer into the future. “Buildings have a practical life, and it’s about anticipating where the trends are heading during that building’s practical life,” he said. “In a flood zone, our first level of residents starts at 10 feet above the zone. That is taking into account the fact that we anticipate that structure existing 50-75 years.”

Building green is yet another way to address and reduce the threat of climate change. According to the U.S. Green Building Council, structures account for 39% of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States. Since 2010, Miami has required LEED Silver certification for all new construction projects over 50,000 square feet.

Miami’s comprehensive plan to adapt to sea level rise features other innovative solutions, like planting mangroves along the waterfront, raising sea walls, elevating roads and even abandoning certain parts of the city if necessary.

The plan also incorporates numerous incentives for builders and homeowners to get on board, including expediting permitting for green buildings and eliminating permit fees for residences looking to install rooftop solar panels.

“Solar has another purpose, which is helping a building in a community bounce back from an event where there’s no power,” Kapoor said. “The city is saying, ‘If you invest in solar to help our community get back on its feet faster, we will give you something in return, whether its credits, incentives or additional building area.’”

On a recent project, Kapoor was able to negotiate a number of incentives, such as additional height and additional FAR [floor area ratio] and was also able to qualify for many of the LEED bonus points that were available. “It’s a great example of a public-private relationship working toward a solution,” he said. “Allowing for more buildable area is a win-win for everyone.”

While building green is undoubtedly more expensive, it’s something that’s becoming more popular in Miami. And while the building industry has been slow to change, it’s an ever-evolving field and South Florida is at the forefront of the country.

“Obviously, countries in Asia and Europe have been pioneering methods and research [related to sustainable and resilient building], but in the U.S., South Florida holds the mantel. In the future, you will see more and more builders implementing technology and other systems related to carbon offset,” Kapoor predicted.

Meanwhile, the coronavirus pandemic has made us even more aware of the impact of our carbon footprints. As economies around the world ground to a halt, so, too, has pollution abated in many cases. Experts estimate that emissions in China during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak fell by 25% as factories were shuttered. In the U.S., gasoline consumption has decreased by as much as 50%, according to some estimates.

As part of its efforts to meet the threat of climate change, Miami established the Office of Resilience and Sustainability in 2016, with a mission to “lead Miami-Dade County to a resilient and environmentally sustainable future by identifying vulnerabilities, coordinating stakeholders and facilitating innovative solutions,” according to the agency’s website.

More recently, the city established a $400 million Forever Bond to increase affordable housing and pay for projects to protect homes and property from sea level rise and flooding via a 40-year mitigation strategy.

No matter the plans and solutions, climate change is a reality that’s coming, according to Miami Chief Resilience Officer Jane Gilbert. “It’s going to be accepting change as your constant and a shift in the way that we do business, the way we move, the way we live,” Gilbert said in a recent Miami Today interview.

In many ways, the coronavirus pandemic has offered a glimpse into Miami’s future, a time when extraordinary circumstances might become the new normal.

“There is no crystal ball for this, although the strength and swiftness of king tides have surpassed peoples’ expectations and major storms become more severe,” Kapoor said. “We just have to acknowledge that this is a trend that’s coming.”