HONOLULU (KHON2) -- A new study at the University of Hawaii at Manoa revealed that the sea level in Waikiki is predicted to rise by one foot by 2050 and almost six feet by 2100 due to the effects of climate change.
UH researchers have developed possible adaptation strategies through architectural renderings to help "relocate critical equipment in buildings and streets, elevate utilities and walkways, and incorporate water storage tanks and bioretention areas to manage stormwater runoff."
Reports said Hawaii can suffer up to $19 billion in potential losses due to the rise in sea level.
"The process that we are using to visualize potential adaptation strategies and discuss them with the community should be replicable in other areas," explained Wendy Meguro, UH Manoa Associate Professor. "Given the long lifespan of buildings or roadways, they will likely still exist in 50 years. The decisions we make today should anticipate the flooding that we will have 50 years from now.”
Researchers utilized the community through workshops, public presentations and surveys to present their proposed strategies for Waikiki.
According to UH, over 700 stakeholders between 2021-2023 were engaged in the urban and architectural renderings.
"In our surveys, we've been able to get the public's feedback on those strategies, and have found that people are really interested in elevating critical equipment, both in buildings and at the streetscape," Meguro added.
The team will now look forward to integrating academic research, community input and policy planning into their framework.