GZA Main menu SERVICES WE PROVIDE Natural Hazard Risk Management, Climate Adaptation and Resilience GZA helps our clients protect property, avoid loss, maintain business continuity and safety by identifying natural hazard risks that exist today, helping prepare for an uncertain climate future and implementing innovative, practical and sustainable risk management strategies and solutions. Daniel Stapleton, P.E. WATER 781-278-5743 Email Me Image On this page: Overview Focus Areas Featured Projects Related Insights GZA completed an estimated total of 10,000 hours over three years re-characterizing the flood hazards at 23 U.S. nuclear power plants in response to the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Fukushima, Japan. GZA assessed the flood hazards of most of the major rivers, watersheds and coastal flood zones in the country, and we helped determine which power plants could continue to safely operate with flood mitigation and contingency measures approved by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. GZA complements our core engineering, environmental and applied science services with a dedicated team of planners, scientists and engineers specializing in the practice areas of natural hazard mitigation and climate adaptation. We apply a balanced and holistic approach that includes systems thinking, risk-informed decision making, social equity and benefit-cost analysis. We integrate sustainable and resilient solutions into your projects from planning, funding and stakeholder engagement through geospatial mapping, permitting, design, and construction management. Clients and their stakeholders rely on GZA for conducting vulnerability assessments, risk analyses and emergency response plans. We help you plan, fund and design for sustainability and resilience at Essential Services, Lifeline Facilities, High Loss Potential Facilities, commercial, institutional and industrial buildings and transportation infrastructure. We also provide natural hazard mitigation and climate adaptation planning for municipalities. We get your market. Asset Managers Industry Insurers, Owners and Operators of Critical Infrastructure Municipalities, State and Federal Agencies Real Estate Developers Natural Hazard Mitigation Plans GZA assists state and local governments throughout the emergency management cycle of preparedness, response, recovery and redevelopment. Natural Hazard Mitigation Plans are the first step in the process. GZA’s Natural Hazard Mitigation Plans meet FEMA’s plan requirements and are also designed to be actionable and are integrated with dedicated user-focused web-mapping applications. Image Expertise Hazard Identification Hazard Vulnerability Assessment Climate Change Forecasting Loss Estimation, including FEMA HAZUS-MH analyses Mitigation Strategies and Actions Hazard Communication and Stakeholder Outreach Mitigation and Resilience Feature Design and Construction Plan Reviews and Adoption Geospatial Information Management and Web Development Coastal Resilience and Climate Adaptation Coastal communities are increasingly vulnerable to the effects of coastal flooding, climate change and sea level rise. This vulnerability can affect the social, environmental and economic sustainability of the community. GZA provides comprehensive coastal resilience and climate adaptation planning and design services to assess and mitigate those risks. Expertise Coastal Flood Hazard Vulnerability Assessment Natural Hazard Mitigation Plans Coastal Resilience and Climate Adaptation Plans Emergency Response Plans Resilience Feature Design Including Seawalls, Floodwalls and Natural & Nature-Based Features including Living Shorelines Stormwater Infrastructure Engineering and Design Plan Implementation Consulting and Training Financial and Cost Recovery Planning Grant Application Preparation Geospatial Information Management and Web Development Emergency Response Planning Emergency Response Plans define the specific actions to be implemented in anticipation of, and in response to, the occurrence of natural disasters. GZA develops action-oriented plans that include step-by-step approaches to protect people and conserve property. GZA’s plans are based on real-time data and multiple natural hazard scenarios. Expertise Hazard Identification Risk Assessment Development of Performance Objectives Protective Actions for Life Safety Hazardous Materials Management Health and Safety Training Emergency Response Training Hazard Warning, Notification and Communication Disaster Recovery Support Recovering from natural disasters can be a challenging and time-consuming process. GZA assists public and private clients with disaster recovery support ranging from disaster recovery plans to FEMA Public Assistance grant applications to repair and improve public infrastructure. Expertise Public Assistance Grant Application Technical Assistance Project Worksheets Technical Assistance Regulatory Compliance FEMA Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCAs) Damage Assessments Cost Estimation FEMA Hazard Map Services FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps provide the basis for establishing national flood insurance rates. GZA assists communities with the re-evaluation of Preliminary and Effective FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps and the revision or amendment of a community’s effective flood map, where warranted, through non-FEMA initiated revision processes. GZA also assists property owners with localized map revision. Expertise Flood Hazard Characterization Consistent with FEMA Guidance Community-Initiated Revision under Part 65 of the NFIP Regulations Community-Initiated Revision through the Cooperating Technical Partner (CTP) Initiative FEMA Physical Map Revisions (PMR) FEMA Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) FEMA Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) FEMA Levee Accreditation Evaluation and Certification Community Rating System (CRS) Property Asset Management The increasing risks due to natural hazards and climate change are threatening property asset operations and value. As part of GZA’s property services, we work with property owners and asset managers to assess asset vulnerability to natural disasters and implement risk management strategies. Expertise Multi-Hazard Vulnerability Assessment Regulatory Code Compliance Review Risk Analysis Benefit-Cost Analysis FEMA-Related Services Permitting Hazard Mitigation Design and Construction Insurance Support Emergency Response Plans Disaster Recovery Real Estate Development Incorporating resilience and climate adaptation into site and structure design can reduce future losses and property devaluation and maintain or improve future property value. GZA works with property owners, architects and designers to design and construct sites that are regulatory-compliant, mitigate the effects of flooding and other natural hazards, and support future climate change adaptation. Expertise Multi-Hazard Assessment Regulatory Compliance and Permitting Benefit-Cost Analysis Site Design Landscape Architecture Stormwater Management, including Green Infrastructure FEMA-Related Services LEED Certification, including Resilient Design Critical Infrastructure Hazard Mitigation & Resilience Creating and maintaining reliable and resilient infrastructure reduces the likelihood of damage, disruption of service, economic loss, and loss of life. Incorporation of climate change factors into infrastructure design and construction creates resilience, longevity, and economic value. We have assessed the natural hazard vulnerability of some of the most critical infrastructure in the United States, and have provided specialized expertise in natural hazard assessment and mitigation for transportation, High Loss Potential Facilities and lifeline systems, including multi-hazard assessment; environmental conditions analysis and design input; hazard vulnerability and life performance assessment, mitigation planning and design and Risk-Informed Decision Making. Expertise Power Generation and Transmission Transportation Water and Wastewater Facilities High Hazard Dams Communications Systems Climate Adaptation Consulting Climate change and carbon management are creating challenges to communities and business. As part of GZA’s sustainability services, GZA provides planning and technical expertise for carbon management and climate adaptation. EXPERTISE Sustainability Our work speaks for itself. Explore All Projects Previous City of Northampton Climate Resiliency and Regeneration Plan Markets Water Government Services Natural Hazard Risk Management, Climate Adaptation and Resilience Water Resources Sustainability Services Location Massachusetts Next 1/3 Related to Natural Hazard Risk Management, Climate Adaptation and Resilience BLOG New Municipal Funding for Stormwater Authorities Enabled By The Connecticut Legislature Governor Lamont’s Climate Bill, substitute House Bill 6441, passed on May 27th. On July 1, 2021, municipalities in Connecticut will now be able to establish new Stormwater Authorities to implement a... BLOG Sheltering from the Storm: “Rain Bombs” and Developing Mitigation Approaches You may have seen, read, or heard about the most recent extreme rainfall event in the United States that occurred in southeast Texas and Louisiana in mid-May 2021. Preliminary estimates of the total... BLOG How Flood Mapping Can Help You When building near waterways, large and small, developers and towns need to consider the future. Rainwater events can rapidly change the depth and velocity in the waterway, leading to flooding and... BLOG Fair, Equitable, and Legally Defensible Stormwater Enterprise Funds: Part Three of an Ongoing Series Read Part One: Be Prepared With Your Funding of Expanded Stormwater Services Read Part Two: What Is A Stormwater Utility Enterprise Fund? More than 1,000 communities have switched from general fund... View All Insights Your success is ours. Tell us about your project. Daniel Stapleton, P.E. WATER 781-278-5743 Email Me Image GZA Menu Footer Customer Tools Subcontractor Registry Large File Transfer Get In Touch! Contact Us Offices Careers Social menu © 2021 GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc.