“More than a decade ago, the popular phrase in the design community was sustainable communities through resilient choices. Schools of planning and design (I was on the advisory committee of one at the time) modified curriculum to make certain that students understood the responsibility of examining the basic elements of sustainable practices and how to ensure that the choices in building design were resilient.

Decades prior when I was one of those students, we were taught that form follows function (still should at least try to) and that space, commodity, and delight were achievable goals. But sustainability and resilience were not yet a part of the conversation; implied perhaps, but not overt.

What brought to mind and started me thinking about the topic during my increasingly regular walks with my aging small dog was the “return of the building cranes” in the new urban complex that is my relatively recent home after 45 years in the same house across the river. Phase Three of the complex was being completed when we moved in and the final Phase Four began about a year after our move.

I watched with considerable interest (even wrote a Correctional News article about it) and admiration as the dedicated workers would mount their equipment, strap on their safety harnesses, and begin a 12-hour workday at 6am. While I observed that some of the materials tended towards “faux”, the quality of the work was good.”

Continue reading: https://correctionalnews.com/2024/04/16/promoting-resilience-in-maintenance-planning/

Meet the Author

5577Promoting Resilience in Maintenance Planning

Stephen A. Carter

Executive Vice President

Stephen is personally involved in technical studies in the areas of needs assessment, operational and architectural programming, design review, program management, and policy evaluation, among others. He is often engaged by governmental agencies to develop analytically based studies and build consensus for a variety of project types ranging from courthouses to correctional institutions to law enforcement installations. His comprehensive experience in all sectors of the justice system assists clients in realizing the functional linkages between the various components.