NIST seeks comments on tool to select resilience projects

Gaithersburg, Md. — The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking feedback about the utility and ease of use of a software-based tool designed to help communities select cost-effective resilience projects. NIST is especially interested in comments from planners, economists, financial experts, public works and development officials, architects, and engineers who work on city, county, or regional infrastructure projects and are willing to try out the Economic Decision Guide Software (EDGe$) tool for planned or recent investments.

EDGe$ provides a transparent and flexible economic methodology based on best practices for evaluating investment decisions aimed at improving the ability of communities to adapt to, withstand, and quickly recover from natural, technological, or human-caused disruptive events. It was first made available earlier this year.

Comments are requested by June 15, 2018. After analyzing feedback from users of the current EDGe$ tool, NIST intends to offer an online version.

For information about EDGe$ and how to download the tool, visit https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2018/01/new-nist-edge-tool-can-help-communities-select-cost-effective-resilience. Questions and comments should be directed to Jennifer Helgeson, the economist leading the community resilience effort for the NIST Applied Economics Office, at: Jennifer.helgeson@nist.gov.