3.1. Back to Building Better

Number one, back to building better; it refers to the baseline conditions that is a regular building practice with or without a disaster. For instance, if we don’t have a building practice that focuses on the DRR or the qualities of resilience, we can scarcely hope to turn the practice around overnight after a disaster, so this is the first concept.

The concept of 'Back to Building Better' emphasizes returning to baseline construction practices that exist before any disaster occurs. It's crucial because if the existing building practices do not incorporate disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies, then recovering and improving these practices in a hurry after a disaster is not realistic. For example, if a community regularly builds homes without considering their susceptibility to flooding, they are unlikely to transition to more resilient building practices just because a flood has occurred.

Imagine a small town that always builds houses out of wood because it's cheaper and quicker. After a major storm knocks many houses down, the town decides to start building brick houses. However, if the builders are not trained in flood-resistant techniques, the new homes might still suffer damage. Thus, simply switching materials doesn't ensure better resilience unless there’s a strong foundation of planning and safety standards.

Whereas, better building back; so this talks about a sense of urgency to build back. So, this is in the event of a disaster. Imagine, if we on the pretext of build back better, if we do it very slowly after a disaster, then on the pretext of build back better then, it will also compromise the community resilience because the slow process also will compromise the community resilience, so that is where the second concept is working.

The concept of 'Better Building Back' focuses on the urgency with which recovery efforts must proceed after a disaster strikes. If recovery measures are delayed under the guise of 'building back better,' the delay can lead to further weakening of community resilience. For example, if a community takes too long to rebuild its infrastructure, the residents may face prolonged hardships, leading to economic distress and loss of trust among community members. Therefore, the rebuilding process must be swift to ensure that communities can regain stability and confidence.

Consider a family that loses their home in a fire. If they take months to start rebuilding because they want to make it 'better' with more features, they might end up living in temporary housing, resulting in stress and uncertainty. If they rebuild quickly, even if it’s not perfect, they can regain a sense of normalcy and security.

The third concept which is talking about the build back better, which is one of the important subject of our whole course. It is not just in the physical sense, you know that we build infrastructure, we build housing, we build the schools, we build hospitals, this is not just only in the physical sense. But in a more complete sense incorporating other social dimensions of recovery...

The third aspect of 'Build Back Better' emphasizes that rebuilding should not only focus on physical structures like homes and schools but also address social and economic dimensions. This includes restoring community trust, enhancing cooperation among community members, and improving social capital. For instance, a community recovering from a disaster must engage its members in planning how to rebuild, foster relationships, and invest in local economies to ensure resilience is multi-faceted and long-lasting.

Think about a school damaged by a hurricane. Rebuilding might involve creating a stronger structure; however, if the community doesn’t re-establish connections among teachers, parents, and students, the school’s ability to serve its educational purpose will be hindered. Just as a tree needs sturdy roots and branches to thrive, communities need both physical and social infrastructures to recover.

So, it is not just only we build the housing and we are not only building the roads, we are not only building the infrastructure but we are also dealing with the capacities you know, of social, economic and then how this whole setup will also improve resilience...

In this segment, the speaker explains that recovery is not solely about reconstructing physical elements like homes and roads. There is a crucial need to improve social and economic capacities within communities to foster resilience against future disasters. A comprehensive recovery plan considers how economic opportunities can be created and enhanced alongside physical rebuilding. This is fundamental to ensuring that communities can better withstand and recover from not only future disasters but also everyday challenges.

Imagine a town that rebuilds its infrastructure post-disaster but does not reinvest in local businesses. If businesses do not thrive, people may still struggle to earn a living. Conversely, if the town encourages local entrepreneurship during rebuilding, it may not only restore physical structures but also invigorate the local economy, making the town stronger and more unified.

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