Buildings & Critical Infrastructure
How Heat, Flooding, and Outages Strain Our Infrastructure
Heat waves are becoming more intense and more common. When many homes and businesses run air conditioning at the same time, the electric grid can be strained, making long power outages more likely. Those outages can be especially dangerous during extreme heat and major storms, when people still need safe places to cool down, get help, and access essential services.
These conditions also put more pressure on the workers who keep systems running, including technicians who install, repair, and maintain cooling equipment, generators, and microgrids.
To reduce these risks, upgrades to existing buildings and infrastructure should focus on cutting energy demand and helping systems keep working during heat and flooding. Priority should go to the facilities and routes people rely on most, including critical buildings, roads, bridges, and other essential infrastructure that protect public health and safety and serve under-resourced communities.
Buildings & Critical Infrastructure
Smarter Design, Stronger Systems
Commercial and residential buildings, roads, bridges, and other built infrastructure may not be equipped to handle the stress of hotter days, heavier storms, flooding, and other hazards of climate change. Building codes, design standards, and best practices that strengthen the resilience of these structures include:
- Energy efficiency practices
- Climate-resilient construction materials
- Weatherization techniques
- Flood resistance measures
- A highly trained workforce to repair critical equipment in emergencies
- On-site energy generation (including solar and battery storage) to better withstand extreme weather, flooding, and extended power outages.
Resilient Buildings
Leading by Example: Raising the Standard for New Construction
Howard County has been a leader in adopting building codes that prepare homes and businesses for a cleaner, more efficient future. For example, in 2019 the County became the first in Maryland to require EV charging stations in new multi-family buildings. That approach was later adopted more broadly and is now included in the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).
In 2025, Howard County adopted the newest IECC and added several new requirements for residential and commercial construction. New homes and commercial buildings must be “solar-ready” and “electric-ready,” meaning they’re designed so adding solar panels and electric equipment later is easier and less expensive. New commercial buildings must also be “EV charging-ready,” so installing chargers in the future is simpler.
Looking ahead, most new buildings will also need to shift away from on-site fuel burning to meet Maryland’s Climate Solutions Now Act, which gradually phases out burning fuels in buildings over time.
Heat Island Reduction
Why Some Places Feel Hotter Than Others
Extreme heat is one of the most dangerous climate hazards to our health. In developed areas, the “urban heat island” effect can make temperatures feel much higher because dark surfaces like asphalt streets and parking lots absorb and hold heat. In some places, that can add about 6°F to 12°F. Hotter conditions can also make existing health problems worse, including asthma and COPD.
Reducing heat islands can protect public health and make neighborhoods more comfortable. One of the most effective tools is planting the right trees in the right places. Choosing native trees that can handle heat and drought can lower watering needs and maintenance costs as summers get hotter. In areas where trees aren’t possible, other options like shade structures and “cool” surface materials that reflect more sunlight can also help and should be explored.
Heat Island Reduction
Heat Risk Isn’t Shared Equally
Extreme heat doesn’t affect everyone equally. People in underserved communities often face higher risk, especially older adults and people with breathing problems. Lower-income households can be hit harder because they’re more likely to live in older buildings with inadequate cooling and may not have reliable air conditioning or backup power during an outage.
Expanding shade in the hottest, most heat-vulnerable areas is an important step toward a resilient and equitable community. More street trees, shade structures, and “cool” surfaces that reflect sunlight can lower temperatures where people need relief most. A larger tree canopy also supports physical and mental health, and those benefits should be shared equitably across all neighborhoods.
Heat Island Reduction
Leading by Example: More Shade Where It’s Needed Most
Howard County Recreation and Parks runs several tree-planting programs that residents can take part in, including Turf to Trees, Stream ReLeaf, the Annual Tree Giveaway, and Students Branching Out. Starting in 2023, the Department also launched a new Tree Canopy program that focuses on neighborhoods with fewer trees, especially underserved areas.
The County is also expanding shade solutions beyond tree planting. We have built shade structures in parks and installed solar canopies, including over parking areas at the Little Patuxent Wastewater Treatment Plant, the Gateway building, and the East Columbia Library.