Flood resilience - what more needs to be done?
The heavens have opened, depositing their watery contents onto the ground, resulting in widespread flooding across Europe. The UK has not escaped, also experiencing flooding in recent days. As we move into the winter period, these flood events are likely to increase, primarily due to significantly higher air temperatures influencing the natural water cycle.
Coastal and river flooding is not new. However, since the advent of the Industrial Revolution, the way people live and work has significantly changed. Population shifts are the most notable, with people becoming more centralised in places of work and commerce. The design and construction of our buildings and homes have adapted to our work environments and continue to evolve as places of safety, security, and comfort for our families.
Past and present
Historically, drainage infrastructure has been slower to adapt, especially in managing surface water. Water management in the past focused on bringing as much water as possible into industrial areas for use. Additionally, the Public Health Acts of the time emphasised the provision of clean drinking water to the population. There was very little understanding of surface water runoff, and any accumulated water was typically channelled and discharged into rivers and manmade tributaries. Industrialisation and urbanisation reshaped the geography of the UK, and without knowledge of climate change, we now face an increased risk of flooding in our built-up areas.
Today, through various agencies, we have a much greater understanding of surface and groundwater across the UK, enabling better management of water both above and below ground. However, we still cannot control what falls from the sky. Flood Risk Areas (FRAs) are well established through modelling, and most of these areas are located near rivers, flood plains, and estuaries (fluvial and coastal flooding). However, predicting pluvial flooding, or flash flooding, is much more difficult, and when it occurs, there is often very little warning.
As pluvial flooding occurs in urban areas, it has a significant impact on our buildings and homes. However, the greatest impact of a flood event is on people’s lives, both physically and emotionally.
Flood resilience - current steps
The Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the funded Environment Agency are developing strategies to protect our built environment in the event of a predicted flood. However, these strategies need to be translated into practical solutions. A number of stakeholders and industries have taken up the mantle to provide guidance and support for strategic planning. Current guidance for assessing flood risk, such as CIRIA C790 and BS 85500, provides advice on resistance, resilience, and recovery for surveyors and flood risk assessors working to restore flood-damaged infrastructure and properties.
More action needed
More is needed, however, as rainfall intensity and frequency continue to increase. Funded projects, steering groups, and stakeholders involved in flood resilience need support to develop better methods for minimizing flood damage, which would lead to shorter recovery times after a flood event.
Areas of development and technical support where the Property Care Association (PCA) has a voice in improving building resilience and reducing recovery times for homeowners include:
FloodRe recently published their second Quinquennial Report, which suggested that reinsurance of flood-damaged properties has become more effective and that more properties, which previously wouldn’t have been, are now covered by insurance. However, more work is needed in this area to minimise retrofit costs following a flood. The FloodRe mandate is time-limited, so finding potential solutions to mitigate flood risks and improve building resilience is critical. An area of concern highlighted in the report was the shortage of surveyors with the competence and expertise to effectively assess flood-damaged buildings. While PCA members have the competence to help homeowners and communities return to normal and support builders in creating more flood-resilient structures, more trained professionals are needed.
With this in mind, consideration is being given to reintroducing training programmes following the release of the BS 85500 flood guidance. These programmes aim to equip members and stakeholders with knowledge of water movement and its effects on buildings, enabling them to effectively assess flood risk, flood damage, and provide flood resilience and restoration solutions to homeowners and communities.
If you are interested in becoming involved in any of these steering groups or sharing your experience in addressing water or flood-damaged properties, please contact Andrew via [email protected].
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