Super Resilient Urban Block: From Concept to Reality

The City of Cambridge issued The Port Preparedness Plan as the second neighborhood plan in the City’s efforts to prepare for climate change. Looking to set actions for successful implementation, the City analyzed solutions at three scales: neighborhood, block, and residents. The urban block presents an opportunity for innovative projects in the neighborhood to demonstrate how resiliency efforts for buildings, drainage, energy systems, and ecosystems can be combined to reduce flooding and urban heat island effects, as well as increase energy resiliency in one defined area. This concept of the Super Resilient Urban Block pushes resiliency strategies to the maximum implementation possible to explore how efforts in strategic locations could benefit the resiliency of the neighborhood and beyond. The City is beginning to test the feasibility and techniques for implementation of this concept through public works projects combined with stakeholder education and engagement.