Design for Future Climate, Adapting Buildings is the largest programme on climate change adaptation of buildings in the UK. This work, led by the Technology Strategy Board aims to engage the UK buildings industry in the opportunity of adapting to the changing climate.

The Technology Strategy Board has worked with partners in academia, industry and government to improve uptake of adaptation services within the buildings sector.  A programme of activities started in 2008, and running initially until 2013, is increasing client demand and developing skills within design professions for adaptation. To date we have:

• Managed an iterative process of systemic analysis and industry consultation leading to two publications of the key issues and opportunities for the built environment industry sector. Available to download on the left of this page.
• Funding to create adaptation strategies on 50 major UK building projects to improve their resilience to climate change by identifying key climate risks, favourable adaptation measures and encourage appropriate capital spend by clients through evidence of costs and value. This £5m funding is improving the climate resilience of building projects worth a total of £4.2bn.
• Publication of outputs through CIBSE, RIBA and through the online discussion forum is underway (see links below)

Background

Until recently policy and action has been directed towards mitigation - taking steps to reduce those emissions and thus to limit the extent of climate change. We have been slower to recognise that some climate change is inevitable, and that this will significantly affect our lifestyle and our environment.

The government has responded with the first departmental adaptation plans in 2010, but much more is to follow.  DEFRA are undertaking the first Climate Change Risk Assessment and DCLG plans to explore overheating issues for addition to building regulations and codes for new buildings.

The impact of climate change is particularly pertinent to the construction industry given the life expectancy of buildings and the fact that we will need to adapt our existing built environment, to deal with a climate that may be significantly different from that in which it evolved.

The buildings industry is in the early stages of developing practical responses to this agenda of adaptation, but we now need to make rapid progress. The scale and implications of the changes in climate that we can expect this century mean that existing buildings are at risk and there are significant business opportunities for those who provide services to mitigate these risks.  Design teams will need to consider innovative solutions to ensure buildings are robust, resilient, adaptable and comfortable for people to live and work in. Overheating is already a growing problem, water management in flood and drought will be ever more crucial and the structural stability and weather resistance of current building materials must be investigated.

Design for Future Climate: opportunities for adaptation in the built environment report by Bill Gething

We commissioned Bill Gething to write the report: Design for Future Climate: opportunities for adaptation in the built environment, available to download here. Hard copies have been sent to 1800 contacts within the construction and architecture sector.

The report presents the key design challenges for adapting to the future climate, and explores how to interpret the scientific climate data for building design projects. The report addresses issues around thermal comfort, flood risk management and the treatment of water as well as issues of structural and construction design.  We are pleased that it is already having an impact in framing the agenda for climate change adaptation within government and is stimulating discussion on how to adapt buildings within the industry.

Since its launch in May 2010, this report is already having an impact within government.  It is being used to inform:

• DEFRA's climate change risk assessment work,
• DEFRA's skills audit on climate change adaptation needs and
• Is being recommended by industry groups to inform DCLG on the Building Schools for the Future programme.

Links:

Click here to join the discussion forum on Design for Future Climate which will enable you to view the latest technical outputs from the programme available here.

Click here to download sections of the report by Bill Gething we commissioned in 2010 Design for Future Climate: opportunities for adaptation in the built environment.