[{"id":"1329e7a","elType":"section","settings":{"gap":"no","height":"min-height","custom_height":{"unit":"px","size":600,"sizes":[]},"background_background":"classic","background_image":{"url":"https:\/\/wateradaptationeconomy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/51147658962_336423af56_5kCROP.jpg","id":288,"alt":"","source":"library"},"background_position":"center center","background_attachment":"scroll","background_repeat":"no-repeat","background_size":"cover","background_overlay_background":"gradient","background_overlay_opacity":{"unit":"px","size":0.5500000000000000444089209850062616169452667236328125,"sizes":[]},"__globals__":{"background_overlay_color_b":"globals\/colors?id=astglobalcolor8","background_overlay_color":"globals\/colors?id=0fde707"}},"elements":[{"id":"e0b2ea4","elType":"column","settings":{"_column_size":100,"_inline_size":null},"elements":[{"id":"4a79ae9","elType":"widget","settings":{"title":"About This Initiative","header_size":"h1","align":"center","typography_typography":"custom","typography_font_family":"Montserrat","typography_font_size":{"unit":"px","size":32,"sizes":[]},"typography_font_weight":"400","typography_text_transform":"uppercase","typography_letter_spacing":{"unit":"px","size":3.600000000000000088817841970012523233890533447265625,"sizes":[]},"__globals__":{"title_color":"globals\/colors?id=astglobalcolor5"},"text_shadow_text_shadow":{"horizontal":0,"vertical":0,"blur":10,"color":""}},"elements":[],"widgetType":"heading"}],"isInner":false}],"isInner":false},{"id":"26a5864","elType":"section","settings":{"margin":{"unit":"px","top":"0","right":0,"bottom":"0","left":0,"isLinked":false},"padding":{"unit":"px","top":"60","right":"0","bottom":"40","left":"0","isLinked":false}},"elements":[{"id":"d1e8ab2","elType":"column","settings":{"_column_size":100,"_inline_size":null},"elements":[{"id":"692d7ea","elType":"widget","settings":{"title":"VISION","typography_typography":"custom","typography_font_family":"Montserrat","typography_font_size":{"unit":"px","size":32,"sizes":[]},"typography_font_weight":"400","__globals__":{"title_color":"globals\/colors?id=astglobalcolor1"}},"elements":[],"widgetType":"heading"},{"id":"89d76f7","elType":"widget","settings":{"title":"Coastal Virginia will be a global leader in innovative technologies, products, and services that help residential, commercial, and industrial properties adapt to flooding, erosion, and other challenges caused by sea-level rise.","title_color":"#3a3a3a","typography_typography":"custom","typography_font_family":"Montserrat","typography_font_size":{"unit":"px","size":18,"sizes":[]},"typography_font_weight":"bold","typography_font_style":"italic","typography_line_height":{"unit":"px","size":26,"sizes":[]},"__globals__":{"title_color":"globals\/colors?id=0f65f5e","typography_typography":""}},"elements":[],"widgetType":"heading"},{"id":"b04fa38","elType":"widget","settings":{"editor":"<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Increased flooding and high value residential, commercial, and industrial assets in vulnerable urban, suburban and rural coastal communities are growing market demand for new, cost-effective adaptation solutions. Virginia has a competitive advantage \u2013 it is experiencing flooding and erosion impacts from the highest level of relative sea-level rise on the east coast thus it is developing innovative adaptation technologies, products, and services with global applications. Growing a water adaptation economy is a priority in the GO Virginia Region 6 <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/govirginia6.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2019-Growth-Diverisfication-Plan-FINAL.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Growth &amp; Diversification Plan<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, and <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vaseagrant.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GoVA_ActionPlan2021_WEB.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Action Plan<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, and the Middle Peninsula\u2019s <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mppdc.com\/articles\/service_centers\/Economic%20Development\/MPPDC%20CEDS%20update%20-%202021.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy<\/a><\/strong> <span style=\"color: #000000;\">(CEDS), and aligns with the Economic Development Authority's (EDA) equity, recovery &amp; resilience, workforce development, technology-based economic development, and environmentally-sustainable development priorities.<\/span><\/p>","typography_typography":"custom","typography_font_family":"Montserrat","typography_font_size":{"unit":"px","size":14,"sizes":[]},"typography_font_weight":"400","__globals__":{"text_color":"globals\/colors?id=astglobalcolor1"}},"elements":[],"widgetType":"text-editor"},{"id":"a0e3190","elType":"widget","settings":{"title":"In their most recent property tax assessment, rural Mathews County, VA recorded a loss of $75M in property value caused by flooding and erosion on waterfront properties.","header_size":"h3","align":"center","typography_typography":"custom","typography_font_family":"Montserrat","typography_font_size":{"unit":"px","size":22,"sizes":[]},"typography_font_weight":"600","typography_font_style":"normal","typography_line_height":{"unit":"px","size":30,"sizes":[]},"_margin":{"unit":"px","top":"0","right":"0","bottom":"40","left":"0","isLinked":false},"_padding":{"unit":"px","top":"15","right":"15","bottom":"15","left":"15","isLinked":true},"_animation":"fadeInLeft","_background_background":"classic","__globals__":{"title_color":"globals\/colors?id=astglobalcolor1","_background_color":"globals\/colors?id=e987fec"}},"elements":[],"widgetType":"heading"},{"id":"025d1c1","elType":"widget","settings":{"editor":"<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Assets needing adaptation:<\/strong> Waterfront properties remain in high demand and were estimated to be worth $134B nationwide in 2018. Home sales in coastal Virginia increased 61% on the Chesapeake Bay between 2019 \u2013 2020, and over 20% more from January \u2013 April 2021. In their most recent property tax assessment, rural Mathews County, VA recorded a loss of $75M in property value caused by flooding and erosion on waterfront properties. Businesses are impacted too; coastal shoreline counties support 37% of US jobs and contribute 46% of the GDP. Coastal Virginia is home to a growing $53M shellfish aquaculture industry and working waterfronts employ over 122,000 people, generating $8.5B of the GDP. All existing water-related infrastructure (a $650B global market) and all sectors of the shoreline economy will need to adapt, greatly increasing market demand for cost-effective adaptation technologies, products, and services.<\/span><\/p><p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vasem.org\/reports\/2021-the-impact-of-climate-change-on-virginias-coastal-areas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A Virginia Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine report<\/a><\/strong> <span style=\"color: #000000;\">on the impacts of climate change concluded, \u201csignificant innovation will be required to\u2026mitigate the impacts that coastal regions are already experiencing and are likely to experience in the future. Virginia could become a national center of expertise and innovation in this regard.\u201d<\/span><\/p>"},"elements":[],"widgetType":"text-editor"}],"isInner":false}],"isInner":false},{"id":"48490d6","elType":"section","settings":{"margin":{"unit":"px","top":"0","right":0,"bottom":"0","left":0,"isLinked":false},"padding":{"unit":"px","top":"60","right":"0","bottom":"40","left":"0","isLinked":false},"padding_mobile":{"unit":"px","top":"30","right":"0","bottom":"0","left":"0","isLinked":false},"background_background":"classic","background_color":"#B5DBF44F","__globals__":{"background_color":""}},"elements":[{"id":"e49adac","elType":"column","settings":{"_column_size":100,"_inline_size":null},"elements":[{"id":"437761d","elType":"widget","settings":{"title":"Advancing Feasible Adaptation Solutions","header_size":"h1","typography_typography":"custom","typography_font_family":"Montserrat","typography_font_size":{"unit":"px","size":32,"sizes":[]},"typography_font_weight":"400","typography_text_transform":"uppercase","typography_letter_spacing":{"unit":"px","size":0.5,"sizes":[]},"__globals__":{"title_color":"globals\/colors?id=astglobalcolor8"},"align_mobile":"center","typography_font_size_mobile":{"unit":"px","size":22,"sizes":[]}},"elements":[],"widgetType":"heading"},{"id":"6f143e8","elType":"widget","settings":{"editor":"<p>To achieve this vision, several projects are underway through collaborations among multiple partners, including:<\/p><h4><span style=\"color: #da7817;\"><strong>Supporting Entrepreneurs<\/strong><\/span><\/h4><ul><li><strong>GO Virginia:<\/strong> The Coastal Resilience and Adaptation Economy initiative that will foster innovation and growth in Virginia\u2019s water economy. The project will launch a resilience entrepreneurship competition and establish a business-focused network to engage businesses and facilitate resilient practices. The project is a collaboration between\u00a0<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/vaseagrant.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Virginia Sea Grant<\/a><\/strong>, the nonprofit<strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/riseresilience.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">RISE<\/a><\/strong>, the\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mppdc.com\/index.php\/service-centers\/coastal\/paa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Middle Peninsula Chesapeake Bay Public Access Authority<\/a><\/strong>, and\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/odu.edu\/\">Old Dominion University<\/a><\/strong>. The $2.9M project was funded in part by\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/govirginia.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GO Virginia<\/a><\/strong>, a state-funded initiative administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to strengthen and diversify Virginia\u2019s economy and foster the creation of higher-wage jobs in strategic industries.\u00a0 In addition to the workforce development supported by VASG and RISE\u2019s business plan competition, ODU is leading the development of the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.odu.edu\/news\/2021\/1\/flood_preparedness#.YdRvYBPMJqs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Coastal Virginia Consortium.<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li>The Middle Peninsula\u2019s <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/fightthefloodva.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fight-the-Flood (FTF)<\/a> <\/strong>program to subsidize shoreline protection businesses\u2019 work on coastal properties. FTF is a first in the nation approach to advance feasible adaption solutions for property owners in underserved communities.\u00a0 Among the twenty-four companies in the FTF program, there are cooperative arrangements, collaborative projects, and a need for research &amp; development (R&amp;D) capacity to further advance innovation.<\/li><\/ul><h4><span style=\"color: #da7817;\"><strong>Collaborative R&amp;D<\/strong><\/span><\/h4><p>Addressing property adaptation from a holistic, systems approach in order to achieve novel breakthroughs requires collaborative skills and competencies to integrate diverse knowledge and perspectives into innovative outcomes that transcend individual disciplines.<\/p><ul><li><strong>VASG\u2014Virginia Tech<\/strong> partnership for a resilience design extension faculty position. This position will play a critical role, as a project coordinator and facilitator, of VASG\u2019s GO Virginia award, and the design and implementation of collaborative public-private R&amp;D partnerships on the network of field stations.<\/li><li><strong>Sea Grant-CERF<\/strong> (Coastal Estuarine Research Federation) <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/cerfcompetition.vaseagrant.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Design Competition<\/a><\/strong>, a forward-facing initiative to inspire students and faculty across disciplines to work together in proposing design solutions and innovative strategies to make our coastal environments more resilient in the face of coastal impacts of climate change. The Design Competition is also intended as a complementary way in which CERF can collaborate with local communities to problem-solve together around pressing challenges. The Design Competition will focus on a specific site in Coastal Virginia on which all design proposals must focus.<\/li><li><strong>VASG\u2019s NSF-funded team science training<\/strong> is designing, testing, and implementing capacity-building training for effective team science, effectively integrating diverse knowledge and perspectives. The deeper level of knowledge integration achieves innovative outcomes, and is facilitated by <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vaseagrant.org\/nsf-award-team-science-training-coastal-ocean-estuarine-stem-graduate-students\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">VASG\u2019s training<\/a><\/strong> in visualization tactics, managing constructive conflict, effective cross-disciplinary communication and listening, and advanced taskwork and teamwork skills.<strong style=\"font-size: 16px;\">\u00a0<\/strong><\/li><\/ul><h4><span style=\"color: #da7817;\"><strong>Workforce Development<\/strong><\/span><\/h4><p>Collectively, Virginia\u2019s community college system, universities, and professional certification programs provide outstanding discipline-specific and skill-focused education.<\/p><ul><li><strong>VASG and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rappahannock.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rappahannock Community College<\/a><\/strong> are offering Work-Based Learning apprenticeships with water resilience and adaptation businesses, including winners of the GO Virginia business competition administered by RISE. Coupled with professional certification programs supported by non-profits and university entrepreneurship training, technician-level training and partnerships with businesses can form the backbone of the emerging water adaptation industry cluster\u2019s workforce.<\/li><li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/wetlandswatch.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wetlands Watch<\/a><\/strong>, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vaseagrant.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Virginia Sea Grant<\/a><\/strong>, and the <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.usgbc.org\/usgbc-hampton-roads\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Green Building Council, Hampton Roads Chapter<\/a><\/strong> have joined forces to establish an adaptation research and design collaborative, linking research and education programs at Virginia universities with local governments to help implement resilient interventions. This collaborative resilience laboratory - or \"Collaboratory\" - aims to produce innovative adaptation tools, strategies, and designs in tidewater Virginia by linking academic community programs with real-world needs in coastal communities, helping speed adaptation, and incubating a community of practice. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/wetlandswatch.org\/design-collaboratory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/wetlandswatch.org\/design-collaboratory<\/a><\/strong><\/li><\/ul>","typography_typography":"custom","typography_font_family":"Montserrat","typography_font_size":{"unit":"px","size":14,"sizes":[]},"typography_font_weight":"400","__globals__":{"text_color":"globals\/colors?id=astglobalcolor8"}},"elements":[],"widgetType":"text-editor"}],"isInner":false}],"isInner":false},{"id":"3739c4f","elType":"section","settings":{"gap":"no","height":"min-height","custom_height":{"unit":"px","size":600,"sizes":[]},"background_background":"classic","background_image":{"url":"https:\/\/wateradaptationeconomy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/49484917812_e4405878ba_oCROP.jpg","id":361,"alt":"","source":"library"},"background_position":"bottom center","background_attachment":"fixed","background_repeat":"no-repeat","background_size":"cover"},"elements":[{"id":"f0a2784","elType":"column","settings":{"_column_size":100,"_inline_size":null},"elements":[],"isInner":false}],"isInner":false},{"id":"fead66b","elType":"section","settings":{"background_background":"classic","padding":{"unit":"px","top":"40","right":"0","bottom":"60","left":"0","isLinked":false},"__globals__":{"background_color":"globals\/colors?id=e987fec"}},"elements":[{"id":"d424f4d","elType":"column","settings":{"_column_size":100,"_inline_size":null},"elements":[{"id":"874e6de","elType":"widget","settings":{"title":"Upgrading Virginia's Water Adaptation Workforce","typography_typography":"custom","typography_font_family":"Montserrat","typography_font_size":{"unit":"px","size":26,"sizes":[]},"typography_font_weight":"400","typography_text_transform":"uppercase","typography_letter_spacing":{"unit":"px","size":0.5,"sizes":[]},"__globals__":{"title_color":"globals\/colors?id=astglobalcolor8"},"align_mobile":"center","typography_font_size_mobile":{"unit":"px","size":18,"sizes":[]}},"elements":[],"widgetType":"heading"},{"id":"b4a26e2","elType":"widget","settings":{"editor":"<p>Addressing property adaptation from a holistic, systems approach requires collaborative skills and competencies to integrate diverse knowledge and perspectives into novel, innovative outcomes. Collectively, Virginia\u2019s community college system, universities, and professional certification programs provide outstanding discipline-specific or skill-focused education. However, collaborative teamwork skills are less prevalent; e.g., architectural and engineering firms have partnered with VASG to co-sponsor workforce development initiatives in part to advance students\u2019 teamwork, collaboration, and knowledge integration skills. Coupled with entrepreneurship, design thinking, and other creativity- and innovation-deriving curricula, Virginia could have the best-trained workforce for the emerging water adaptation economy. Options would include:<\/p><ul><li><span style=\"color: #005c81;\"><strong>Offering <em>community college<\/em> Work-Based Learning, apprenticeships, and, as appropriate, associate degrees or certifications for technician-level training and partnerships with businesses.<\/strong><\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #005c81;\"><strong>Support for university <em>undergraduate and graduate<\/em> work on adaptation R&amp;D, including entrepreneurship training to accompany technical expertise and collaborative research with industry partners, p<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"color: #005c81;\"><strong>roduct performance validation, and co-production of new knowledge.<\/strong><\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #005c81;\"><strong>Support for NGOs conducting certification training<\/strong><\/span><\/li><\/ul>","__globals__":{"text_color":"globals\/colors?id=astglobalcolor8"},"typography_typography":"custom","typography_font_family":"Montserrat","typography_font_size":{"unit":"px","size":14,"sizes":[]},"typography_font_weight":"400"},"elements":[],"widgetType":"text-editor"}],"isInner":false}],"isInner":false}]