Climate Resilience Index for Housing and Settlements to be Developed

SANTO DOMINGO. – The National Emergency Commission (CNE), the Dominican Civil Defense, the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC) and the National Office for Seismic Assessment and Vulnerability of Infrastructure and Buildings (Onesvie) signed an agreement to develop the Climate Resilience Index for Housing and Settlements in the Dominican Republic.

The signing is part of the development of the Preparados Project (IRECLIVA) financed by Global Support and Development (GSD),  whose objective is to determine resilience, the way to adapt and recover from the impacts of climate change, the effects of earthquakes, floods, landslides, among other natural phenomena.

The climate resilience index is the result of INTEC's research project "Development of an Artificial Intelligence-Based Simulator for Decision-Making in Disaster and Climate Emergency Management Scenarios in Human Settlements." Through this project, the university aims to leverage its experience with global and regional risks to scale risk analysis to the local level, explained INTEC research professor Ulises Jauregui-Haza, leader of the project.

The project, also coordinated by Yanelba Abréu, seeks to determine an index that identifies vulnerabilities, serving as a basis for proposing effective recommendations and strategies, thereby improving resilience across the board.

It will last six months and will begin as a pilot project in sectors of the National District, using cutting-edge applications and professionals who make up the Dominican Structural Evaluators Network (REED).

Prior to the signing of the agreement, Jerry Chandler, Health Advisor for GSD, the U.S. nonprofit organization that provides humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, stated that the Prepared project is an initiative that marks a significant advance in collective efforts to build resilient communities in the face of natural disasters and the increasingly pressing challenges of climate change.

“At its core, the project embodies the spirit of collaboration, innovation, and preparedness by strengthening institutional capacities and fostering partnerships between governments and local communities. The intention is to ensure that decision-makers are equipped with the tools and knowledge necessary to take swift and informed action when emergencies arise,” he said.

He noted that through targeted workshops, community mapping, and resource mobilization, this project is designed to empower vulnerable communities with the strategies they need to protect lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure.

Chandler asserted that every resource allocated to the project is a commitment to safeguarding the future, fostering resilience, and creating a foundation where communities can thrive even in the face of diversity. “We are confident that with the dedication of everyone involved—the academic community represented by INTEC, local governments, the extraordinary Civil Defense teams, and community members—this project will achieve its mission and set a benchmark for disaster preparedness and response throughout the region.”

After the signing, Leonardo Reyes Madera, director general of Onesvie, described the initiative as important because it will not only determine potential damage and loss of life, but will also determine the level of risk facing the Dominican Republic.

He stated that the most important step after identification will be the ability to secure the financial resources to significantly reduce risks. He stated that Onesvie has been detecting vulnerabilities for four years, in schools, public buildings, bridges, docks, hospitals, dams, and ports, and has not initiated an effective structural reinforcement process.

He stated that there are thousands of schools in the Dominican Republic and said he fears that during the expected earthquake, which measures magnitude 7 to 5, students receiving instruction will be affected, as these educational centers are not resilient to the impact of such phenomena.

For his part, Juan Salas, President of the National Emergency Commission and Executive Director of Civil Defense, said that the institutions involved in the project are committed to resilience and solid, reliable infrastructure, "especially those that house and serve as shelters for life."  He noted that the project is an early stage of work to address risk management.

Meanwhile, Alliet Ortega, Vice Chancellor of Administration and Finance at INTEC, stated that the university's strategy established the goal of working toward a sustainable campus, and that its policy has always been to work to ensure our graduates become professionals who contribute to society.

The signing took place at INTEC's Social Security Auditorium (OSES), with the participation of representatives of the institutions involved in the project.