The impact of climate change is being felt around the world. Temperatures are rising, rainfall patterns are shifting, and vulnerability to extreme weather events such as heatwaves and floods is increasing. These pressures can affect buildings of all types, especially older properties that were not designed to withstand today’s climate conditions.
This was a significant concern for our client, a UK government department responsible for a portfolio of more than 1,200 buildings across the country. The department needed to understand not only how climate change risk could affect the physical condition of its assets, but also how these impacts—such as flooding—might disrupt day-to-day operations. This insight was essential as the department prioritized actions to mitigate and reduce associated risks, forming a foundation for an effective climate adaptation plan.
To help our client respond to the scale of the challenge, we needed a consistent methodology that could reflect site-specific building details while maintaining a holistic, portfolio-level view of wider climate risks. This approach had to be accurately applied across all 1,200 assets owned and managed by the client.
Assessing climate change risk
We began by mapping existing data on the location, size, and operation of buildings across the portfolio. This helped us identify data gaps, validate assumptions, and set the stage for developing a standard methodology for climate risk assessment that could be applied to existing and future assets.
Our approach has given the client a deeper understanding of both current and future risks associated with the impact of climate change across its property portfolio. By applying Arcadis’ expertise in climate risk assessment, we created a flexible and scalable approach that maximizes both accuracy and long-term usefulness.
The adaptation framework outlines a comprehensive strategy to identify, manage, and mitigate near-term risks while supporting continuous improvement as new data becomes available. This enables evidence-based decision-making and the development of new adaptation pathways over time.
Ultimately, our work provides the client with the knowledge it needs to better manage its buildings and future-proof its portfolio under varying climate change risk scenarios—ensuring resilience today and in the decades ahead.
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