National / Federal

Passive solar heating is one of several design approaches collectively called passive solar design. When combined properly, these strategies can contribute to the heating, cooling, and daylighting of nearly any building. The types of buildings that benefit from the application of passive solar heating range from barracks to large maintenance facilities.

Typically, passive solar heating involves:

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Building America program has developed a series of technology-specific case studies and best practices guides that may be applicable to all climate zones.

These case studies from Building America research teams and national laboratories describe energy-saving solutions for both new and existing homes, classified into four categories.

The National Disaster Housing Strategy (the Strategy) serves two purposes. First, it describes how we as a Nation currently provide housing to those affected by disasters. It summarizes, for the first time in a single document, the many sheltering and housing efforts we have in the United States and the broad array of organizations that are involved in managing these programs. The Strategy also outlines the key principles and policies that guide the disaster housing process.

In coordination with a consultant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the University of Oregon’s Community Planning Workshop (CPW) researched four post‐disaster recovery plans (PDRPs) developed by select communities in the United States. The purpose of this research was to find innovative post‐disaster plans that incorporate effective strategies for recovery with the intent of evaluating strategies for providing credit for such efforts as part of the Community Rating System (CRS). The case studies focus on communities at risk for flooding.

This paper reviews 30 peer-reviewed academic journals articles (1986–2016) that assess the impacts of climate change on outdoor recreation and tourism in Canada. The review follows a sector-based approach, covering the various activities that have been assessed within a Canadian context. In general, climate change is expected to present increased risks for cold-weather activities in Canada, while there may be increased opportunities for warm-weather activities. A series of knowledge gaps are identified and recommendations for future research in the field are made.

Climate change will alter opportunities and demand for outdoor recreation through altered winter weather conditions and season length, climate-driven changes in user preferences, and damage to recreational infrastructure, among other factors. To ensure that outdoor recreation remains sustainable in the face of these challenges, natural resource managers may need to adapt their recreation management. One of the major challenges of adapting recreation to climate change is translating broad concepts into specific, tangible actions.

Cultural heritage-specific research is scarce within the climate change literature and climate change policy documents, challenging climate adaptation efforts to minimize adverse impacts on cultural heritage. Engaging and assessing diverse stakeholders' values and integrating those with evidence-based knowledge is critical for timely, effective and transparent preservation and climate adaptation of coastal cultural heritage.

There is a need to better characterize and promote the notion of community resilience as part of broader adaptation strategies toward a vision that is deeply rooted in climate justice and equity. Various sectors are already implementing climate adaptation programs, but these efforts are often siloed and focus on protecting natural resources or built infrastructure.