Standard of Care in a Changing Climate: What Engineers Need to Know-Climate Change and the Standards of Care Video

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Video Summary

The ACEC MEP Coalition hosted a session titled "The Standard of Care in a Changing Climate: What Engineers Need to Know," addressing how engineers must adapt to climate change impacts amid evolving legal, client, and design demands. Yvonne Costello from Victor Risk Advisory highlighted alarming climate data, including rising carbon dioxide levels and increased billion-dollar storm events, stressing the urgent need for engineers to consider future climate scenarios in design practices. She explained climate models, their reliability, and the importance of using free online climate analytics to anticipate future conditions at project sites.<br /><br />Andy Radskin, General Counsel at Power Engineers, discussed emerging legal perspectives on engineers' liability concerning climate risks. While no definitive case law sets a new standard of care yet, courts increasingly recognize the foreseeability of extreme weather in professional responsibilities. Andy emphasized that compliance with static building codes, which lag behind climate realities, does not equate to meeting the dynamic standard of care, which evolves with professional practice and emerging knowledge.<br /><br />Joe Barbaragallo of Woodward & Curran underscored engineers' roles: clearly defining scopes, informing clients of foreseeable climate risks using credible data, supporting clients in risk-based decisions, and meticulously documenting communications and decisions. Engineers are not responsible for making risk decisions but must facilitate informed consent.<br /><br />The session concluded with practical advice: engineers should proactively assess climate risks, communicate findings transparently, and document client choices, referencing authoritative resources like the AIA’s new climate modeling tool. This approach safeguards both the profession and clients as climate impacts intensify.

Keywords

ACEC MEP Coalition

Standard of Care

Climate Change Adaptation

Engineering Liability

Climate Models

Legal Perspectives on Engineering

Risk Communication

Building Codes and Climate

Climate Risk Assessment