Development of International Diplomatic Facilities: Flood Exposure Screening and the Department of State Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations

Originally presented at StormCon 2022 on September 28, 2022, 1:00-1:30 PM

The Department of State Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) is responsible for the acquisition, design, construction, and maintenance of U.S. Government diplomatic facilities abroad. Severe flooding has the potential to negatively affect our embassies, consulates, and diplomatic residences. OBO is currently studying the potential for flooding in several cities with upcoming projects and potential flooding issues. These studies provide OBO with critical data necessary to project and adapt to flood exposure in locations where data related to historic rainfall, sea level rise, high-resolution terrain, and other information related to flood vulnerability is not compiled elsewhere or made readily available to the public. OBO will use these flood investigations to help establish areas in which new property acquisition and leasing actions have the potential for significant flood exposure and may require flood adaptation measures. In addition, OBO is studying site-specific design approaches, construction techniques, and adaptation methods for proposed development within areas identified to be exposed to flooding. This presentation will include an introduction to OBO, descriptions and project examples outlining the flood exposure screening undertaken to support OBO property acquisition and development, and a summary of OBO’s intent for improving flood exposure screening processes in the future.

Presented by:

Noelle Trent – Department of State Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations

Steven Dodd – U.S. Department of State