This article was previously published in the Orlando Sentinel on Oct. 16, 2021, as an op-ed titled “Make older buildings more resilient to cope with warming climate.” Read the original version.

There’s a misconception of what green buildings look like. Yes, they can be new projects that use recycled materials and run on renewable energy.

But then what happens to the 30- or 40-year-old office buildings? And what about integrating these buildings to the wider community and taking a more macro-level approach to sustainability?

Protecting our communities from the effects of climate change requires multiple strategies—resiliency planning, making existing buildings more efficient and building new spaces to green standards.

In Florida, the effects of a changing climate are real—rising sea levels, stronger hurricanes and hotter days. Therefore, it is critical to factor in infrastructure in plans to protect communities from such damage.