Resilience14's Britain Under Water seminar will highlight the latest thinking on flood issues, through an international selection of expert speakers from government, academia and the commercial sector.
Headed by a keynote address from Graham Saunders of the Red Cross, speakers include representatives from DEFRA, UNESCO-IHE, BACA Architects and AXA Insurance UK plc.
The University of the West of England's Senior Research Fellow, Jessica Lamond's presentation looks at the case for resilient repair and whether it is a no regret solution. She explains: "Resilience thinking is important because it focuses on a positive attitude.
"Resilience implies we can cope with an uncertain future by accepting that things may need to change and that this can result in improved homes and communities. This transformation needs input from many stakeholders working together and making the most of adaptive opportunities. This conference is an important platform to show that the built environment sector has a big part to play in resilience and often leads the way with innovation."
Dr Antonis Toumazis, a partner in the firm Dion Toumazis & Associates, who will also be speaking, explains the importance of flood defence: "Flood damage is becoming more frequent and more intense not just because of the more frequent and more intense flood events but also because of the increased property values in vulnerable areas. Flood resilience is a promising solution to flood risk problems.
"I decided to speak at the event in order to share the experience in Cyprus with floods and the new technology developed for self- operating flip-up flood barriers."
Paul O'Hare, Lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University, reiterates the complexities of flood resilience: "The threat of flooding is substantial, and is only likely to be exacerbated in the coming years.
"Countering the effects of flooding will be no easy task given the technical and social complexities of contemporary flood risk management. In short, we need to rethink how we adapt to flooding. Resilience 14 will offer an opportunity to meet and discuss these issues, and to get a taste of the latest innovation in this field. I'm looking forward to hearing how businesses and communities are responding to the challenge of realising a more resilient future for our towns and cities of the future."
Backed by the BRE pedigree of independent, cutting edge research, Britain Under Water will cover:
- Incentivising flood resilient behaviour
- Flood resilient construction
- Flood resilience - what can the UK learn from other countries
- Flood insurance for property and resilience.
Being held at BRE, Watford on 26 November, Resilience14 is a one-day, content driven conference, showcasing the technologies and solutions that can protect and mitigate against flooding, storms and extreme temperatures. Supported by seminars and interactive sessions, the event will provide visitors with an understanding of resilience in the context of insurance and risk, design and build, health and wellbeing and repair, rebuild and rehabilitation of the built environment.
