Any building done in areas threatened by sea level rise should be designed for a particular tie scale. Buildings of stone, concrete and big wood beams may be appropriate for higher elevations in the study area, but lower lying sites should be designed to fail. This is a difficult approach for many people because of the pressures of the housing market--a house near the beach is traditionally thought of as an investment. WHile this may be an appropriate attitude for areas with very resistant geology (like Point Judith), houses along and behind barrier beaches and producing headlands require different approaches.