The
ever-increasing threat of flooding cannot be fully defended, so the UK must
adopt a new approach where we learn to 'live with water', argues a new white
paper from built environment science centre BRE.
BRE
welcomed the Treasury's £2.3 billion investment in flood defences, but says
that a new approach to dealing with flooding is required whereby buildings are
made flood-resilient.
BRE
argues that flooding is inevitable as climate change and urbanisation have put
more than 5.2 million homes in England at risk of flooding. Annual costs of
flood damage are currently at least £1.1 billion and are expected to rise in
coming years.
Across
Europe, flooding has been traditionally managed by large-scale engineering
solutions protecting conurbations from obvious risks such as rivers and the
sea. However floods are now occurring within these defences requiring buildings
to be adapted appropriately
Resiliency
measures
BRE
Centre for Resilience director Dr Stephen Garvin said: "Our urban
environment continues to grow apace - surface water management needs to be
embedded in the new developments we construct with things like sustainable
urban drainage systems, green roofs to decrease water run off as well as
localised flood resilient technologies."
One
of these technologies - a project known as Flood Resistant Property (FRP) -
counterintuitively allows water to gradually enter the property when it reaches
600mm depth. The controlled inundation of the property reduces pressure being
applied on the walls and thus avoids structural collapse.
The
criticism of current Government flood defence policy is nothing new, as Friends
of the Earth called the plans 'wholly inadequate', while Greenpeace said:
"The funding is still well short of what the government's own advisors say
is needed as our climate starts to change."
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