Towards a protocol for built-in resilience to disasters

Designing and constructing resilient built assets requires an in-depth understanding of the expertise and knowledge on avoiding and mitigating the effects of disasters in order to secure a safe and sustainable future. For that reason, professions involved with the construction industry, and the expertise they can offer, need to become more integrated with Disaster Risk Management (DRM) if lessons are to be learnt from the past and a resilient built environment created for future generations. However, there is a lack of guidance and awareness, and poor involvement in DRM activities by key construction stakeholders in the UK. The ongoing PRE-EMPT Project aims to develop a protocol that can ensure that a more resilient built environment is attained via the structured integration of DRM strategies into the construction sector's decision-making processes. This paper outlines the research programme and explains the role that it could play in developing a more resilient built environment.