Civic Leadership and Disaster Resilience

Olshesky Design Group, LLC is involved in many community service and nonprofit organizations, particularly organizations that focus on disaster resilient design and sustainable design. ODG’s extensive community service experience is reflected in Ms. Olshesky’s affiliation with the following professional organizations:

• 2012, ‘11, ‘10 National Building Museum Advisory Council for Disaster Resilience
• Member 2010, ‘09, Disaster Assistance Task Force, National AIA
• Member, 2009, National AIA Board Advocacy
• Chair, 2008, Disaster Resilience through Mitigation Planning and Building Performance, National AIA
• Chair, 2008, Vice Chair, 2007; National AIA Center for Building Science and Performance, CBSP
• Chairwoman, 2008, ‘07, ‘06 Committee on Disaster Assessment, National AIA, CBSP
• Chairwoman, 2005 National AIA Building Performance Symposium, Sustainable Metrics
• 2005 National AIA Post Disaster Assessment Team, CBSP, Sri Lanka Tsunami

ODG has completed disaster assessment reports for FEMA and AIA on a national and international scale, sites include SE Texas and SW Louisiana, and Sri Lanka respectively. The site assessments involved travelling to post disaster areas and evaluating the structural integrity of damaged buildings, recommending remedial procedures, and developing disaster resilient plans for rebuilding. Disaster resilient housing construction types were provided for Haiti.

Ms. Olshesky herself has given numerous presentations throughout the United States on topics that focus on disaster resilient planning and construction. She has provided communities with recommendations on how they can rebuild sustainably and develop disaster resilient communities. Disaster resilient construction refers to construction methods or additives that can give a permanent structure the ability to resist unusually strong forces produced by a natural disaster, such as a hurricane.

The ODG firm was founded on the principles of sustainable and environmental design, and it is our belief that sustainable design is an essential part of disaster resilience. We have integrated sustainable disaster resilient design technics into a wide range of project sizes, from large master plans to small residential renovations. ODG welcomes the opportunity to share our knowledge with our clients and guide them through the procedures of disaster resilient design. See our Disaster Resilient Presentations.