Resilience hubs: a Maui case study to inform strategies for upscaling to resilience hub networks across coastal, remote, and island communities

Abstract

Resilience hubs are buildings that enhance community cohesion during normal operations, while also enhancing resilience during emergencies. Maui Island is part of the Hawaiian archipelago, approximately 2500 miles from the nearest major continent. Due to its remote location, Maui is ideal to pilot projects that enhance resilience in isolated communities. At the neighborhood-scale, there is a need for establishing sites that empower communities to strengthen their cohesion, resilience and self-sufficiency. This can be achieved by investing in facilities that offer critical community services during emergencies (e.g. backup power, telecommunications, medical supplies, shelter from weather, and food and water rations). Ideally, local communities have a sense of ownership of resilience hubs and frequently use them during both normal and emergency periods. This ensures that hubs are accepted and trusted. Use cases presented in this research offer a methodology for assessing the suitability of proposed resilience hub pilot sites. Resilience hubs must also be assessed for vulnerabilities to climate change impacts and natural disasters, such as flooding, tsunamis, hurricanes, wildfires, and sea level rise. Resilient power systems can be developed for resilience hubs to ensure services are powered whether the power grid is operational or down, as well as to provide additional benefits during normal periods. These methodologies can be used by communities pursuing the establishment of resilience hubs. The highlighted methodologies are particularly applicable to island communities, coastal areas and remote locations, which are disproportionately affected by climate change impacts and natural disasters. This research paper describes three sites on Maui assessed for their suitability as resilience hubs by using the aforementioned methodologies. This research provides a methodology for establishing local resilience hubs on Maui, and how to upscale for application in other communities facing similar conditions. Once established, resilience hubs become a critical part of community resilience planning, while providing year-round benefits and services to local residents and enhancing community cohesion and emergency response and recovery capabilities.