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Roof guttering overflowing with rain water

Adapting for the Future With SuDS

Wet and windy weather is nothing new to us Brits, but the frequency with which it is happening is certainly changing. Global warming has increased the likelihood of intense rainfall events and poses a challenge that needs a response. In fact, in the past decade the interval for major floods has shortened from fifteen to twenty years to two to five years. Worse still, earlier this year two extreme storms: Ciara and Dennis caused nearly £425 million worth of damage across the country, affecting homes and businesses alike. Unfortunately, the situation only looks set to worsen. According to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the UK is “very likely” to see more heavy rainfall events by the end of the century. The risk of flooding in coastal areas will also heighten should the nation’s sea levels rise by 80cm by 2100, as predicted in a recent UK Climate Change Risk Assessment.

Already, one in ten new homes across Britain is built on land that’s deemed to be at a ‘high’ flood risk. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the government requires all major developments to enact effective drainage solutions through the Flood and Water Management Act of 2010. To this end, it’s important for architects and specifiers to familiarise themselves with technologies that improve a home’s resilience against flooding. In particular, Sustainable Urban Drainage Solutions (SuDS) represent an opportunity to alleviate problems associated with heavy rainfall by storing or using the surface water locally; decreasing the rate of water flow into watercourses; and/or improving water quality.

Diagram of sustainable urban drainage solution

SuDS are one of the most effective ways to handle natural water processes in urban environments. Unlike rural environments, where rainwater can easily infiltrate into the ground, in urban areas up to 95 per cent of rainfall can become excess surface water, which can cause flooding, pollution and erosion problems. Therefore, to mitigate against increased flood risks in the UK it’s important that building designs draw water away from the surface effectively.

A great example recently occurred on a major development in Hull. The 30-hectare site, which will soon feature up to 650 new homes has been designed with effective rainwater management in mind. Despite the new homes, the large Greenfield site still retains all of its natural appeal. The project team created ‘SUD streets’, to provide sustainable water drainage and retention throughout the development. As well as providing an effective way to manage rainwater, the SuDS network is also able to support cyclists and pedestrians. As a result, the project is being dubbed the ‘greenest housing development’ in the region. Therefore, as well as helping to mitigate the results of climate change, SuDS help to lessen our dependence on its causes.

Architects are also able to incorporate hardstanding SuDS options in project designs, such as permeable clay pavers. At Wienerberger, we’re proud to offer our Aquata range which provides a simple solution for rainwater drainage, whilst delivering the performance and aesthetics of our standard clay pavers. Expertly engineered to provide peak performance, the low maintenance solution can provide outstanding water drainage across a wide range of developments. In fact, just one hectare of Aquata pavers will allow 20,000 litres per second per hectare to infiltrate through the joints of the pavers into the ground. In addition, the Aquata clay pavers are able to maintain their aesthetic beauty even after exposure to extreme weather conditions. Available in a variety of laying patterns, as well as a number of stylish colour options, the clay pavers offer design-conscious specifiers ample choice, fit to suit any project.

The increased likelihood of intense rainfall events and flooding requires innovations like SuDS for effective rainwater management. At Wienerberger we support resilience in the built environment sector with high quality products suitable for changing climatic conditions. To mitigate flood risks, solutions like our Aquata range provide architects and specifiers with industry-leading products that deliver reliable and effective results. What’s more, our full service Architectural and Urban Design Studio is able to offer expertise and advice about SuDS for any forthcoming project you might be working on. To find out more about the team and their work, why not read this recent blog we’ve put together about them.