Updates from AIA's Disaster Assistance Program

Assisting communities following disasters

AIA and its architects, often serving as volunteers, assist communities following disasters. Updates regarding AIA's activities in disaster areas, resources, and volunteer opportunities are below. Please contact resilience@aia.org if you have any additional questions, or if your community needs support following a disaster. 

Wildfires in Hawaii

In early August, wildfires fueled by the winds of Hurricane Dora spread throughout Hawaii. The island of Maui, and more specifically the historic town of Lahaina, was particularly impacted by fires. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, with more than 1,000 individuals unaccounted for and over 2,200 buildings destroyed. If you are interested in supporting future recovery efforts in Maui, please email resilience@aia.org.

We will update this page as opportunities to provide response and recovery support become available. In the meantime, please consider donating to the Maui Strong Fund.

Preparing for the next disaster

Building safety assessment training

City staff (including building inspectors) are often overstretched during response efforts and rely on volunteers to help communities return home quickly. AIA’s Safety Assessment Program (SAP) training provides specialized knowledge and technical skills to architects, engineers, and building inspectors to determine if a home or other building is safe and habitable post-disaster. Email resilience@aia.org to be alerted of future SAP training.

Disaster Assistance Handbook

Packed with case studies, resources, and tools to guide architects, government officials, and emergency managers, the fourth edition of the Disaster Assistance Handbook addresses hazard mitigation, emergency preparation, disaster response, and recovery.

Resilient Project Process Guide

The Resilient Project Process Guide presents a series of questions for architects to engage clients and additional resources for architects to act upon. Organized by project phase, the guide identifies the points at which resilience and climate adaptation goals layer into specific design solutions.

Recent disasters

Check back here next time a disaster occurs to learn more about how you can support affected communities.