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published: 27/11/2014
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Hundreds attend first national event on resilience

Over 350 people people from organisations across the UK gathered at building science centre BRE for the first international conference and exhibition on resilience.

Resilience14 explored the challenges around adapting our built environment to the more severe and unpredictable weather patterns than are a consequence of climate change.

The event featured two conferences: Britain  Under Water and Britain Overheating with presentations from Defra, UNESCO, AXA Insurance, Oxford University, Public Health England and others which looked at the increasing threats of climate change to people, property and business as well as current and future adaption solutions.  

BRE’s Centre for Resilience launched its flood resilience policy paper  'A Future Flood Resilient Built Environment' which calls on Government to adopt a new approach for tackling flooding which is a risk to over 5 million homes* in the UK alone. Director of the Centre Dr Stephen Garvin explained 'In the past it was thought that a flood defence strategy could protect communities and individuals, and their property. This is not a viable option for the future, as climate change and increasing urbanisation create greater exposure to flooding. We need a flood management approach based on resilience where we make space for water and adapt our infrastructure for the inevitability of flooding. Critical factors are investment in research and innovation to support this paradigm shift'.

The UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK (previously the Technology Strategy Board) launched a report at the event which explored the business case for climate change adaptations within the built environment. The report includes case study examples across a range of projects: housing, schools, museums, libraries, hospitals, offices, and swimming pools; most being adaptations in new build designs, with some substantial refurbishments of existing buildings.

Dates will be announced shortly for Resilience15. For further details go to  www.resilience14.com

For further information please contact Linda McKeown, BRE, tel 01923 664569, email mckeownl@bre.co.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS

* figures from Environment Agency


Related news:

Download the BRE Flloding WHite paper now at
www.bre.co.uk/filelibrary/pdf/FutureFloodResilientBuiltEnvironment.pdf


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