Costa Rica’s Construction Code currently addresses risks such as earthquakes that could affect a project. But new challenges such as climate emergencies have opened the door to a debate to update construction requirements based on threats ranging from droughts to floods.
Added to this are other variables such as rising temperatures, greater soil aridity, changes in rainfall patterns, and an alarming rise in sea level. Various expert opinions describe the situation as a crisis. As a palliative measure, a draft Construction Code for Climate Adaptation is being launched.
The Federated Association of Engineers and Architects, along with the Ministry of Environment and Energy, is participating in the work. The Green Climate Fund and UN-Habitat are also involved.
In a joint statement, the entities stated that “their objective is to achieve urban resilience through the application of criteria that are mandatory once the State adopts this Code as public policy.”
Future developments are expected to ensure the health, nutrition, and availability of natural resources for residents. To this end, guidelines for housing, transportation, and water and sanitation construction will be developed.
An important nuance of the issue is that specifications must be tailored to the specificities of each region. “Even without trying to look into the future, San José and Heredia currently face a greater risk of flooding, while Guanacaste and Alajuela suffer more intense droughts,” the statement states.
Even a color can make a difference
Engineer Vladimir Naranjo, Head of the Climate Change Unit at the CFIA, explained how adjustments from construction can make their respective contributions. As an example, he cites the use of certain colors that could have a direct impact on temperatures.
“With roofs, it has been proven, and there is research conducted by the University of Costa Rica School of Architecture that has shown that painting roofs a certain color, in this case white, can reduce the internal temperature of buildings by one or two degrees Celsius, depending on the area and other factors,” he explains.
To this, he adds other elements that could be considered in the code, such as the natural cooling of infrastructure. “It’s known as the use of cross ventilation. It consists simply and straightforwardly of placing or orienting the building in such a way that it allows for the direction of the wind,” he commented. Finally, he mentions other inputs, such as quality materials. These will be key to ensuring the durability of key interventions such as aqueducts.
Climate Change Impacts Reflected in GDP
With regard to the development of the Code, Naranjo warns that the consequences of adverse events are already being felt. In 2010, for example, infrastructure damage was around 1% of GDP. Future estimates are no more encouraging.
“According to the information available, it is projected that by 2030, those losses are projected to increase to 2.5% if we continue under the current climate dynamic of increasingly frequent and extreme events,” he indicates. “Even by 2050, there are already some figures that speak of up to 30 billion in losses from extreme weather events,” he adds.
Achieving zero risk is complex, but preparation is essential. “If there is a complete lack of adaptation due to what we are experiencing at the climate level, then protecting infrastructure through the implementation of these types of measures, while it is certainly not going to reduce the risk to zero, will certainly reduce it,” he concluded.
Combating Climate Change from the Public and Private Sectors
With the code in progress, it is expected to cover both public and private construction. The eventualities are divided into three segments:
family housing and private companies
municipal and cantonal activities
national level for activities and projects with an impact throughout the country.
“We focus on addressing current needs and trying to reduce the impact of future needs. It’s important to emphasize that the country is a pioneer in this area, so the Code can serve as a model for Latin America,” concluded CFIA President Rita Arce.
