Hazard Mitigation

Hazard Mitigation

The Office of Sustainability is working towards a hazard mitigation plan in 2025. See the preliminary assessment results below.

Preliminary Findings

The research team divided into groups, each addressing a particular hazard. This table shows Georgia Tech’s potential hazards, divided across eight parts of campus and institute operations.

Explore Potential Impacts

Air Quality

Preliminary Findings

Georgia Tech can adapt to this hazard in the next 5 to 10 years by:

  • Investing in air quality sensors and integrating an emergency response system to notify the GT community during poor air quality conditions to significantly enhance the university’s ability to address health advisories.
  • Adapting precautionary procedures to address extremely poor air quality conditions, which may involve implementing measures such as transitioning to remote learning or virtual classrooms.

Flooding

Preliminary Findings

 Georgia Tech can adapt to this hazard in the next 5 to 10 years by:

  • Implementation of Storm water Infrastructure throughout campus.

  • Completion of EcoCommons 2.0

Extreme Heat

Preliminary Findings

Georgia Tech can adapt to this hazard in the next 5 to 10 years by:

  • Adopting a heat protection policy for outdoor workers

  • Installing heat pumps that can be run with renewable electricity for cooling buildings for all buildings on campus

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Drought

Preliminary Findings

Georgia Tech can adapt to this hazard in the next 5 to 10 years by:

  • Increasing tree cover and vegetation to provide shade and sequester water

  • Creating more water management systems to convert rainwater to drinking water

High Wind Events

Preliminary Findings

Georgia Tech can adapt to this hazard in the next 5 to 10 years by:

  • Performing wind assessments on all campus buildings

  • Considering applying stricter-than-required wind resistance standards for new construction

Vector-Borne Disease

Preliminary Findings

Georgia Tech can adapt to this hazard in the next 5 to 10 years by:

  • Proactively addressing possible sources of standing water

  • Continuously improving responsive campus health resources

Thank you to Dr. Jairo Garcia and his graduate-level class for their work on the assessment.