ASTM E3429-24 - Standard Guide for Property Resilience Assessments
Standard Guide for Property Resilience Assessments
| Standard number: | ASTM E3429-24 |
| Released: | 01.10.2024 |
| Status: | Active |
| Pages: | 69 |
| Section: | 04.12 |
| Keywords: | climate adaptation; climate risk assessment; natural hazard mitigation; property resilience; vulnerability assessment; ; |
1.1 This guide covers a generalized, systematic approach for conducting a Property Resilience Assessment (PRA) consisting of three stages: Stage 1, identifying the natural hazards likely to affect a property; Stage 2, evaluating the risks posed by those hazards along with the capacity of the target property to prepare for, adapt to, withstand, and recover from those hazards; and Stage 3, identifying potential conceptual resilience measures to enhance property-level performance. The PRA includes, at minimum, a baseline assessment of occupant safety, damage, functional recovery time, and a limited consideration of community resilience or other material dependencies.
1.2 Background—The intent of the guide is to increase the awareness of methods to assess property-level multi-hazard risks and property-specific resilience measures that can enhance performance and recovery of the target property, as well as to enhance awareness of the importance of community and infrastructure considerations as potential additional areas of inquiry (beyond the scope of this guide). This guide may be used for a broad variety of structures and infrastructure, though some specialized facilities may require additional expertise. Since the concept of resilience applies broadly beyond climate change considerations and since hazards interact at the property level, the PRA process includes evaluation of a broad range of hazards, including those related to, exacerbated by, and unrelated to climate change.
1.3 Natural Hazards—Hazards addressed in this guide include the following:
1.3.1 Extreme Temperature, Snow, and Hail:
1.3.1.1 Extreme Temperature:
(1) Cold;
(2) Heat.
1.3.1.2 Extreme Snow and Hail:
(1) Heavy snow;
(2) Hail.
1.3.2 Geologic Phenomenon:
(1) Seismic;
(2) Landslide;
(3) Land Subsidence;
(4) Coastal erosion.
1.3.3 Water:
1.3.3.1 Precipitation:
(1) Heavy rainfall;
(2) Drought;
(3) Wind-driven rain;
(4) Freezing rain;
(5) Rain on snow;
(6) Freeze-thaw.
1.3.3.2 Flood:
(1) Storm surge;
(2) Coastal flood;
(3) Riverine flood (fluvial);
(4) Surface flood (pluvial).
1.3.4 Wildfire:
(1) Flame exposure;
(2) Blown embers;
(3) Smoke.
1.3.5 Wind:
(1) Tropical cyclone (hurricane);
(2) Winter storm;
(3) Severe thunderstorm and tornado;
(4) Local or regional wind.
1.4 Objectives—The objectives of this guide are to: (1) develop practical and reasonable steps for conducting and preparing PRAs; (2) assist in developing an industry baseline standard for appropriate research and observations; (3) facilitate high-quality standardized PRAs; and (4) establish guidelines by which a provider can communicate observations, opinions, and conclusions to a user in a manner that is meaningful and transparent.
1.5 Application—This guide may be used for the purposes outlined herein and by the users defined in 3.2.11 who may obtain a PRA during real estate investment due diligence, development, portfolio risk analysis, climate risk analysis and reporting, natural hazard identification and preparedness, facilities management, capital planning, operations and maintenance, underwriting or financing activities. The purpose, goals, and processes of evaluation outlined within this guide are not limited to any one area, region, or country. The applications for use may vary, including:
1.5.1 Climate-Related Risk Reporting—Many organizations and jurisdictions are developing recommendations, guidance, and standards to address climate change-related property physical risks and resilience. As these risks vary by region, it is critical to maintain consistent assessment methodology, terminology, and disclosure-related outputs. Organizations such as, but not limited to, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation have developed recommendations, guidance, and standards to assess, quantify, and mitigate climate-related risks.
1.5.2 Natural Hazard Risk, Disaster Recovery, and Resilience Assessments—Many organizations have developed or are developing natural hazard risk, disaster recovery, and resilience assessment guidance. Organizations such as, but not limited to, the Alliance for National and Community Resilience (ANCR), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), International Code Council (ICC), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS), National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), World Bank Building Regulation for Resilience (BRR), and others, have developed guidance on identifying hazards, evaluating risk, and enhancing resilience.
1.5.3 Complementary Application—This guide, to the extent feasible, is intended to complement existing and future climate and natural hazard-related risk and resilience assessment guidelines, frameworks, and standards to facilitate a consistent approach to evaluating property resilience, regardless of location. This guide is not intended to replace existing guidance or programs. The information generated in a PRA is intended to be supportive of and aligned with those programs, to the extent possible. There is nothing in this guide that would prevent users from requiring more than a baseline PRA to meet their needs as part of the scope of work. Although most of the context of this guide is focused on the United States, the use of this guide is not limited to any one area or country. It should be noted, however, that geographical variances are possible in other regions. This guide is also intended to complement existing property decision-making processes involving existing ASTM standards, including Practice E1527, Guide E2018, and Guide E2026. Refer to 8.3.2.4(1) for additional information regarding seismic risk assessment and the PRA.
1.6 Flexibility and Transparency—Depending on the intended application of the PRA by the user, as well as the level of confidence required, the depth of assessment may vary. For example, site selection screening or risk awareness within a portfolio of properties may require less rigor than financial disclosures, risk quantification, and development of site-specific retrofit and resilience strategies. The guide provides flexibility to align with the user’s goals and objectives and emphasizes transparency in the depth of assessment engaged and completed by the PRA professional.
1.7 Considerations Beyond Scope—The use of this guide is strictly limited to the scope set forth herein. This guide does not address the following:
1.7.1 Hazards and the effects of hazards not listed in 1.3.
1.7.2 Federal or state, local, tribal, or territorial (SLTT) laws and regulations of building construction or maintenance. Users are cautioned that current federal or SLTT laws and regulations may differ from those in effect at the time of the original construction of the building(s).
1.7.3 Advanced (or performance-based) design for resilience and climate adaptation.
1.7.4 Socio-economic factors.
1.7.5 Transportation and utility infrastructure, except as noted in 6.17.
1.7.6 Direct human-caused impacts such as terrorism and vandalism.
1.7.7 The causes of natural hazards or climate change.
1.7.8 Secondary hazards such as pollution and pests which may be present on a local, regional, or national basis.
1.7.9 Transitional risks, cultural impacts, environmental justice, or impacts to society in general.
1.7.10 Broad sustainability considerations or climate change mitigation-related reporting requirements such as greenhouse gas emission reporting, except as noted in 9.11.8 (refer to Guide E2725) and financial disclosures (refer to Guide E2718).
1.7.11 The PRA is only intended to provide concept-level resilience measures and rough order of magnitude costs. In some cases, additional study or analysis by a qualified professional may be required following the completion of the PRA to determine the appropriate resilience measures to implement at the target property. Detailed engineering and design drawings and detailed cost estimates are not included within the PRA scope.
1.7.12 This list is not comprehensive, and additional considerations beyond scope are noted in 8.7.
1.8 Organization of This Guide—This guide consists of several sections and appendices. The appendices are included for informational purposes only to assist with implementing this guide.
1.8.1 Section 1 describes the scope.
1.8.2 Section 2 identifies referenced standards.
1.8.3 Section 3 provides terminology both unique and not unique to this guide.
1.8.4 Section 4 sets out significance and use of this guide.
1.8.5 Section 5 describes qualifications of those conducting a PRA.
1.8.6 Section 6 contains a summary of the PRA Assessment Methodology and Approach.
1.8.7 Sections 7 through 9 provide in-depth discussion of the three stages of the PRA.
1.8.8 Appendix X1 provides a list of hazard-specific and other resilience-related resources.
1.8.9 Appendix X2 provides building considerations related to each of the hazards.
1.8.10 Appendix X3 provides qualifications of the hazard specialist, if utilized, as noted in 5.2.
1.8.11 Appendix X4 provides greater detail on user engagement.
1.8.12 Appendix X5 provides recommended content of a detailed PRA report.
1.8.13 Appendix X6 provides hazard-specific mapping and modeling discussion.
1.8.14 Appendix X7 provides further detail on climate and natural hazard maps and models.
1.8.15 Appendix X8 provides a discussion of cascading and compounding hazards.
1.8.16 Appendix X9 provides example risk and benefit-cost analysis methodologies.
1.8.17 Appendix X10 outlines example resilience and adaptation measures for each of the hazards.
1.8.18 Appendix X11 provides more information regarding consideration of community resilience.
1.8.19 References and citations are provided at the end of the document.
1.9 Units—The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses after SI units are provided for information only and are not considered standard.
1.10 This guide is a compendium of information. ASTM guides are intended to increase the awareness of information, approaches, and existing standards in a given subject area. This document cannot replace education or experience and should be used in conjunction with professional judgment. Not all aspects of this guide may be applicable in all circumstances. This ASTM standard is not intended to represent or replace the standard of care by which the adequacy of a given professional service must be judged, nor should this document be applied without consideration of a project’s many unique aspects. The word “Standard” in the title means only that the document has been approved through the ASTM consensus process.
1.11 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.12 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.