Another Successful Community Event from SanCap Resilience

provided to The Santiva Chronicle

On April 8th SanCap Resilience hosted its latest community event, “Emerging from Hurricane Ian Stronger and More Resilient – Part 5: Affordable, Efficient, and Sustainable Building Practices.” The program was presented in collaboration with Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) and Community Housing & Resources (CHR).

Over 150 community members, including more than 20 local contractors, registered for the event. Approximately 60 people attended in-person at the Sanibel Community House, and another 40 watched online via Zoom. The others opted to watch the on-demand recording, which can be viewed here. The PowerPoint from the presentations is also available online here.

The program featured Dr. Jennifer Languell, Founder and President of Trifecta Construction Solutions. For more than 28 years, Dr. Languell has championed the integration of green building principles and sustainable design within the construction industry. Her presentation addressed resiliency through programs like Fortified home certifications that guarantee insurance coverage and premium discounts. She also went into depth on practical building practices that improve building efficiency, reduce energy impacts and costs, improve water conservation, increase interior air quality, and minimize negative environmental impacts – all while keeping costs similar to conventional building practices.

Following Dr. Languell’s overview were talks from the leaders of two prominent, local nonprofits. James Evans, CEO of SCCF, provided an update on how his organization is approaching renovation and reconstruction of SCCF facilities damaged in Hurricane Ian and how this aspect of resiliency relates to the core mission and strategic goals of SCCF.

Finally, Nicole Decker-McHale, Executive Director of Community Housing and Resources, described how resilient building design plays into the future development plans of her organization and why that is so important to meeting the needs of our working and lower-income island residents.

SanCap Resilience is a coalition of 16 community organizations and concerned citizens. Its mission is to lead a community-based initiative to build resilience and protect the vibrancy of our sanctuary islands long into the future. SanCap Resilience is dedicated to planning, educating, and taking action to protect our natural and built environments. It is committed to advancing mitigation and adaptation strategies to reduce risks from climate change and other environmental threats. It believes in the values of the Sanibel Plan and the Captiva Community Plan, including promoting a diverse community, conservation, and living in harmony with one another and with nature to promote a high quality of life for our citizens.