The urgency for resilient design has never been greater. Weather and climate disasters cause billions of dollars of damage each year, underscoring the escalating frequency and severity of extreme weather, from hurricanes and floods to heat waves and wildfires.  

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.  

USGBC Central Plains has planned an informative afternoon with a two-fold approach to resilient buildings, looking at both pre-planning and the actual design and construction.  Panel discussions and case studies will highlight local resilience planning in the Kansas City area, including preparations for the World Cup in KC, and two local projects designed and built for resilience to withstand severe weather events, and create a safe haven for the community.  

Resilient, sustainable buildings are not just a goal—they are the cornerstones of thriving communities in a changing climate.