The last two decades have seen the U.K. suffer multiple major flooding events, climate change is predicted to increase both the severity and frequency of storms, with a commensurate increase in flooding. With our growing flood risk, we as individuals, communities, and society need to understand this risk and take action and ask how can we improve our preparedness, and ability to protect ourselves and quickly recover from the devastating effects?
Each flooded property represents a financial loss, disruption to the lives of those affected, to businesses, loss of utilities, closed roads and schools, problems for the NHS, and much more. The Flood Innovation Centre, led by Hull University's Energy and Environment Institute, works with SMEs (small-medium enterprises) and stakeholders in flood innovation. Their research has shown that there are barriers to individuals, businesses and communities becoming more flood resilient. The Flood Innovation Centre explores these barriers and suggests potential ways to overcome them as we strive for a more resilient flood future.
The Humber area is particularly susceptible to flooding, from rivers, the sea, and the sky, it is the most flood-prone area in the UK after the Thames estuary. One solution is to create climate resilient places to cope with upcoming floods. The need for resilience is reflected in government policy, which has switched from promoting total flood protection to building flood resilience and the addition of steps to make properties more recoverable when a flood does occur. Current Property Flood Resilience (PFR) policy isn’t just about stopping the water from getting in, it’s about getting back to normal when it has.
As a relatively new approach, there is a lack of awareness of not only what PFR products are available but also who would benefit from such products. Householders’ ability to understand their own flood risk has usually been communicated by flood risk mapping produced by the Environmental Agency (EA). These maps are based on historical statistical data, but with climate change it is no longer a reliable approach as surface water flood risk is not accounted for.
As Flood Innovation Centre Technology Research Manager, Elena Kuvshinova reflects in her article Property-Level Flood Resilience - A growing market, the PFR market needs support in addition to a lack of product awareness and their utility, businesses are disadvantaged because of market novelty. Companies need time to build their reputation, and, as a result, there is a shortfall of information about trustworthy manufacturers and providers of PFR products and services.
So how can the PFR market be developed? Elena suggests while both government and non-governmental agencies have a role to play, individual householders are also key. With awareness-raising amongst householders and communities about flood risk, potential damage, and available PFR measures an important first step.
Take a look at Flood Innovation Centres website for more information about their services, impact and events here...