This BRE Digest sets out an overall approach to building in flood-risk areas and the design of flood-resilient buildings, using a range of measures, including elements of resistance, resilience and avoidance. The approach is based on that which has been developed in all parts of the UK in recent years. It will be of relevance to developers, designers, planners, regulators and others who need to take into account managing flood risk to new development.

The Digest is in two parts. This first part gives the background to building in flood-risk areas, and covers legislation, the principles of flood-risk assessment and the issues that define flood performance of buildings. It draws on the growing literature in this field to promote good practice and encourages responsible development that considers flood risk and addresses appropriate design and construction solutions.

The second part covers designing flood-resilient buildings, and sustainable development and flood risk, and describes features and measures that can be used to protect buildings.

Contents

Introduction

Flood legislation and planning in the UK

- EU Floods Directive

- Flood legislation

- Planning legislation (England. Scotland. Wales. Northern Ireland)

- Building legislation (Building regulations)

Flood-risk assessment for new development

- The assessment of flood risk (General principles. Requirements for risk assessment. Assessing and managing flood risk in development - Code of practice (BS 8533:2011))

Flood performance of buildings

- Principles

- Structural performance (Hydrostatic actions. Hydrodynamic actions. Buoyancy actions. Debris actions. Non-physical actions)

- Material performance (Flood water transport through the building fabric and materials. Building materials in flood)

- Impacts from contamination

Summary

References

A4 12pp

1 diagram, 1 photo

Available on or after 27/1/2012.