What could happen:
Cause structural damage to your buildings. Basements and ground floor rooms are particularly at risk.
Saline flooding is more corrosive than fluvial flooding and will cause plaster to ‘bloom’ long after the wall has dried out. Lime plasters are also very susceptible to salt intrusion.
What could you do:
Consider modifying your buildings to improve flood resistance and resilience E.g. raise door thresholds and electrical, gas and telecoms points above likely flood levels. Review suitability of roof and wall surfaces - can they be waterproofed? Consider building flood-resistant fences and gates, or put barriers around your property. If sea flooding is a real risk, then cabling, junction boxes and plaster all need to be considered by specialists. Relocating services away from likely levels of water may be the simplest solution.
Where can you get further help
Kitemark flood protection products - BSI maintain a list of all manufacturers of flood protection products that have been tested and have achieved the Kitemark status.
The National Flood Forum Blue Pages is a directory of builders, suppliers and other service providers who install or provide information on flood protection and resilience products.
The Three Regions Climate Change Group has published a useful guide, ‘Your Home in a Changing Climate: retrofitting existing homes for climate change Impacts’ (2008). Although directly aimed at home-owners, the advice and information in this guide is just as relevant to business premises. It is designed to help you modify your buildings to address the issues of flooding, water stress and overheating associated with climate change.
The Environment Agency offers advice on permanent changes you can make to your property to protect it from flooding.
If you are considering making physical modifications to your buildings, you can seek professional advice from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) or Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
The Property Care Association (PCA) is the trade body for the structural waterproofing,wood preservation, damp proofing, flood remediation and structural maintenance industries in the UK and can offer advice on these issues
Contact English Heritage for advice on repairs or modifications to listed buildings. Their Climate change and Your Home website also contains tailored advice on adapting traditional buildings to the impacts of climate change.
Checklist
The checklist guides you through a series of questions to help you assess your business’ preparedness and identify practical actions you can take. Go to Checklist
Top Tips
The most important things you can do to climate-proof your tourism business. Go to Top Tips
Case Studies
Forward-thinking businesses are already preparing for climate change. To find out how, read our case studies
- Climate South East,
- Climate Southwest,
- Tourism South East,
- South West Tourism Alliance
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