The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) recently highlighted new strategies for rebuilding communities after natural disasters through its ASCE Interchange Live series. Participants explored the “Resilience Reimagined: Community Recovery after Disaster Strikes” event. This 2-part initiative outlines bold, climate-informed planning strategies for community recovery.
Mark Pestrella discussed recovery initiatives on the program. At the Los Angeles County Rebuild Authority, he serves as executive director. He also directs the Los Angeles County Public Works department. Pestrella noted that effective rebuilding efforts must move beyond simple structural repairs. Instead, the focus should be on establishing long-term quality of life and certainty for affected populations.
The upcoming ASCE2027 event will feature a session titled “Resilience Reimagined: Community Recovery after Disaster Strikes.” This session will examine how government agencies, industry leaders, and community organizations can collaborate on holistic recovery strategies. Pestrella emphasized that resilience is not limited to technical professionals such as engineers and architects. He argued that a broader range of stakeholders must participate to define the goals of recovery projects.
The discussion highlighted how these collaborative methods are applicable to communities of all sizes, including smaller jurisdictions. These topics will support the “Engineering at the Edge” theme during the 2027 convention. The event is scheduled to take place in Philadelphia from March 1 to March 5, 2027.
For insurance professionals, these developments underscore a shifting approach to risk management and infrastructure investment. As the industry faces more frequent extreme weather events, understanding these integrated recovery strategies may provide valuable context for assessing property risk and underwriting future disaster-resilient infrastructure projects. Insurers and brokers may find that supporting sustainable, climate-aware building practices helps mitigate long-term claims exposure while promoting community stability.
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