Page 8 - CooperatorNews Las Vegas Fall 2021

8 COOPERATORNEWS NEVADA— FALL 2021 NEVADA.COOPERATORNEWS.COM Steve Kohlmann is a biologist and forester with a Ph.D. in wildlife management. He has extensive experience as an environmental con- sultant throughout the western United States. In Nevada, he says, the invasion of foreign grasses into sagebrush communities has al- tered the ecosystem in a way that significantly increases the risk of wildfires. “These invasive grasses have changed the fire regime from every 60 years to every three to five years,” continues Kohlmann. “Losing our natural sagebrush has dropped a whole component out of the ecosystem. These new grasses look green in January, but have no value for cattle. It’s changed the whole ecosystem.” Kohlmann explains that these ecosystem changes are affecting when and how fires burn. According to him, a lot of new single and mul- tifamily communities in the West are built at the edges of existing residential areas—which themselves abut native shrublands. Developers often make decisions about landscaping based more on attracting the eye of potential buyers than on what’s appropriate for the native eco- system, planting grass and trees that are more vulnerable to drought and fire than hardier na- tive species. Consequently, not only are many newly built communities positioned right at the fire front, the imported grasses and trees surrounding them feed the fires that are hap- pening more frequently. “Lack of management causes tremendous fire risk,” says Kohlmann. “These invasive grasses, the drought, and the lack of grazing land for livestock in many ar- eas all allow more fuel to build up around the edges of these developments. Whole commu- nities are burning in places where no one ever thought about it before.” On top of poor environmental manage- ment, “Forests have become too dense,” Kohl- mann continues. “Native forests had about 30 trees per acre—now we have 150 trees per acre,” which provides still more fuel for fires. “If you move up into the higher country where you have juniper and conifer trees, untended needle kill from conifers increases fire as well.” On a more global, macro level, “Hotter is hotter, and colder is colder,” says Howard Zimmerman, owner and founder of New York-based consultancy Howard Zimmerman Architects & Engineers. He explains that these new extremes in temperature add stress to our building systems, reducing their useful life and requiring more maintenance and earlier re- placement. Peter Varsalona, vice president and princi- pal of New York-based RAND Engineering, brings up yet another concern: with worsen- ing extremes of hot and cold, existing HVAC systems require more energy to maintain com- fortable (or just livable) interior temperatures. This increased energy usage in turn exacer- bates the original problem of human-made carbon emissions. So not only does climate change cause more extreme conditions, but the extreme conditions it causes require still more energy to mediate, which in turn wors- ens the problem...you see where this is going. How Much Worse? The reality is that the situation is likely to the answers fall into three broad categories: tainly not easy. get worse before it gets better. Years of inac- tion and over-politicization of the issue have ronment-conscious choices, and appropriate based Jomavi Contracting, observes that given human industry the upper hand when capital improvement planning. it comes to impact on the planet. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate sider two issues,” says Kohlmann. “One is that of climate change,” he says. “Everything from Change (IPCC) released its most recent report of having an emergency exit plan—and how paint, to compound, to insulation and other on the issue on August 9, 2021. Among its so- bering findings was that averaged over the next isting roads are now inadequate, and in the friendly green standard. Green building mate- 20 years, global temperature is expected to case of large fires, people can’t get out. No one rials with low—or even no—embodied carbon reach or exceed 1.5°C of warming—a rubicon thought this through when communities were are on the rise. These materials produce little of sorts that climate scientists say will result in built, and so this must be a major consideration to no carbon or other greenhouse gases, and increasing heat waves, longer warm seasons, for the future. The second issue is the ‘harden- and shorter cold seasons. Accord- ing to the press release accompa- nying the report’s publication, “Un- less there are im- mediate, rapid, and large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, limit- ing warming to close to 1.5°C or even 2°C will be beyond reach”— and once that line is crossed, many of the more dire consequences of a quickly heating planet will be un- avoidable. According to the accumulat- ing data, chang- ing climate is already generating disastrous weather around ing or sagging. “The thing is that we are seeing merman, “required capital funds of a certain the world. Glaciers are melting faster, dump- ing huge amounts of water into the oceans and melts,” he explains. “The footings are moving so that money is available for major capital ex- impacting weather patterns; hurricanes are and there are big cracks appearing. We have to penditures. Boards should hire architects and getting more frequent and more ferocious; un- precedented, torrential rains have unleashed potentially affected property needs ongoing as we learned from the Surfside condo collapse historic floods in China and Europe—and evaluation, and must be prepared to address in Florida, reserve funds will become more even closer to home as was seen recently when any issues immediately. If you wait 15 years and more critical. No board president wants to the New York tri-state area experienced a flash it’s not recoverable—as was demonstrated be faced with a report that says the property flood that caused dozens of deaths. Heat- waves and wildfires are scorching Siberia and ers condo\] in Surfside, Florida. Boards must $100 in the reserve account.” the Arctic, and laying waste to swathes of the be proactive. The most important step to take Western U.S. Zimmerman observes that an intrinsic structure.” problem in dealing with the impending ef- fects of climate change in our communities environmental impact of residential build- is the very structure by which our communi- ties govern themselves. “The problem is that the reduction of individual carbon footprints real, and according to both the science and the with most condo and co-op communities, the through more efficient energy use. “Ironically, practical advice of professionals working in the boards are composed of volunteers, and in rising temperatures are increasing energy use,” field, it’s past time to start acting, rather than some cases, those serving on boards have term says Varsalona. “Sadly, the impact is that you reacting. At this point, an ounce of prevention limits. Planning of this kind is looking down use more energy to combat the changes, which is worth way more than a pound of cure. Start the road 10 to 15 years—and no board wants perpetuates the cycle. For example, steam- to assess neighbors today for monies the build- ing or HOA will need 15 years from now. The we must come up with ways to update old sys- process is too short-sighted right now.” Countermeasures All of this begs the question of what can we realistically do to counter the troubling trends nalized by the new laws.” Retreating from fos- that are clearly coming. In the context of mul- tifamily co-ops, condos, and HOAs, most of like solar energy is what’s needed—but it’s cer- emergency management, energy- and envi- “To protect communities, we must con- quickly you can evacuate an area. Many ex- ing’ of structures. This Many projects are now one hundred percent means we look at the green. Architects are really stepping it up as flammability of our well, in both how they plan a job and in ad- building materials, and hering to new building requirements. They are change sidings or roofs taking climate change seriously.” to make them more fire resistant. Buildings burn because of embers our buildings for worsening conditions, the falling onto the roofs or pros say it’s critical to put capital improvement eaves. And these embers plans in effect now. Zimmerman stresses that fly a half mile in front circumstances have changed. “Saltwater rots of a fire, spreading it so out power lines,” he says. “We might not see quickly it practically ex- plodes.” According to Philip cold has a corrosive effect on all mechanical Mahan, owner and systems. We will see it in the deterioration of president of Structural roofs, facades, and infrastructure happening Technologies Inc. in that much sooner. We might have gotten 30 Bloomingdale, Illinois, years from a roof before. Now we will get 20 or regular inspections and 25 years. It’s a harsher environment—and that evaluations of build- ing systems are needed This reinforces how critical it is for communi- as well. Among other ties to have an appropriate capital reserve plan things, these assess- ments should look for structural changes like ness practice, like guidelines for what kind new cracks in walls, or anything that’s mov- this rising water table and heavier rains and percentage of value of property, for instance, evaluate whether the building is at risk. Every engineers to explore their vulnerabilities—and through the tragedy \[at the Champlain Tow- is regular monitoring of the physical plant and now,” he says. “If you don’t start now, you will Another major concern is reducing the ings. Many cities are enacting laws mandating the political divide we find ourselves on. It’s generated systems need more electricity—so tems and make them more efficient. We must start planning and retooling now, not only to achieve our climate goals, but also to not be pe- sil fuels to more sustainable, renewable sources Edwin Suarez, president of New York- changes in approach are already underway. “In today’s construction, we are very mindful materials have changed to fulfill a more eco- are overall environmentally more beneficial. The Power of Now In terms of maintaining and preparing the effect in the short term, but over the long term, driving rain, hotter heat, and colder has a very real effect on the built environment.” in place. “There should be some kind of best busi- of reserves must be maintained,” says Zim- needs millions of dollars of work and they have Varsalona concurs. “You’ve got to do it be caught late.” Climate change is no longer an abstract concept to be debated based on what side of mitigating now. n A J Sidransky is a staff writer/reporter for CooperatorNews, and the author of several published novels. CLIMATE CHANGE... continued from page 1 “Many existing roads are now inadequate, and in the case of large fires, people can’t get out. No one thought this through when communities were built, and so this must be a major consideration for the future.” — Steve Kohlmann