Plan for Climate Change with Our Cost Calculator

Federally funded hazard mitigation saves $6 for every $1 spent, and adopting current building codes saves $11, according to the National Institute of Building Sciences. Those headline numbers hide a wide spread by hazard and by type of investment. This calculator applies the institute's 2019 ratios to your budget, shows how the alternatives compare, and drafts a paragraph for a council memo or grant narrative.

Why Budgeting for Environmental Risks Matters

In our resilience work with local governments, the engineering is rarely what stalls a project. The budget conversation is: a council weighing a certain cost today against losses that may not come for years. A benefit-cost ratio turns that trade-off into a number decision-makers already use. Use these national averages to screen and rank options early; a project headed for a FEMA grant still needs its own analysis, with a ratio of 1.0 or higher.

FAQs

How accurate are the cost estimates from this tool?

The ratios are national averages from the National Institute of Building Sciences' 2019 Mitigation Saves study, and local results vary widely: NIBS found hurricane code requirements returning up to $30 per $1 in some places. Treat the results as a screening estimate for comparing options, then commission a project-specific benefit-cost analysis before you commit funds.

What kinds of climate risks can I account for in the calculator?

Five hazards from the NIBS study: river flooding, coastal storm surge, wind, earthquake and wildfire at the wildland-urban interface. NIBS didn't study every investment for every hazard, and the calculator marks those gaps. Extreme heat and drought aren't covered; to see which hazards cost your county most, use our Climate Risk Lookup.

Can this tool help with both personal and business planning?

Yes. Homeowners can see what retrofits typically return, businesses can weigh building above code against retrofitting, and local governments can screen projects and draft memo language for a council or grant narrative. The ratios count losses avoided across society, by owners, occupants, insurers and the public, so they can overstate the return to whoever pays.