What is the Sustainable Disaster Recovery Initiative?

Natural disasters can be potentially devastating to communities, in regard to both physical structures and to the health and emotional state of its residents. This damage takes years to repair, but we believe firmly that within the chaos and struggle that results from natural disasters, there is opportunity for change and growth, and for people to improve upon their environment, both for their own benefit and for that of future generations.

There is great potential in orienting the recovery process to visioning and rebuilding a future with sustainable principles, as it gives people meaning, greater hope, and optimism as they undertake the daunting task of building a renewed community. The Sustainable Disaster Recovery Initiative (SDRI) is designed to help communities realize this opportunity, craft a vision built upon local input, and to implement this vision over the course of recovery. The Initiative aims to inspire individuals, community leadership, municipalities, and businesses to integrate sustainable elements into every aspect of the recovery.

We make this process easy and desirable by providing accessible, non-biased information to everyone in a community, from builders and contractors, to city leadership and the everyday resident who is faced with rebuiliding.

We are continually adding to the menu of services provided through the SDRI based on the  experience we get by working in new communities, and by consulting with other disaster-struck areas throughout the country. Please click on the links to the various aspects of the Initiative for more information on current program offerings.