Report calls for better flood protection products as millions more properties face increased risk

The blueprint for flood resilience calls for greater innovation to more effectively protect commercial and public properties as well as vital infrastructure. While a growing range of flood protection technologies, including flood doors, barriers, water-resistant building materials and smart monitoring systems, already exists, many are designed primarily for residential use and do not fully address the complex operational, safety and accessibility requirements of commercial and public buildings.

A Blueprint for Innovation in Property Flood Resilience (PFR), identifies key opportunities for development in product design and deployment in flood resilience solutions.

Professor Stuart McLelland, Deputy Director of the Energy and Environment Institute and research leader at the University’s pioneering PFRlab, said: “The University of Hull is committed to developing real-world solutions to increasingly urgent climate challenges.

“This blueprint is the first step in an ambitious research partnership with Intact Insurance to help businesses and property owners adapt to the growing threat of flooding. It draws on our extensive expertise in flood resilience and leverages world-class research facilities at our PFRlab.

“Greater innovation in the market is essential to drive wider adoption in commercial properties. This blueprint identifies both opportunities and barriers within a growing market to develop integrated solutions that meet technical, regulatory, and usability standards.

“It sets out actionable solutions, offering manufacturers practical ways to help businesses mitigate impacts, recover faster and reduce the long-term economic and social consequences of flooding."

Commercial buildings often face significant operational disruption during flooding, with damage to stock, equipment and infrastructure leading to costly business interruption. Innovative cross-product solutions – bringing flood resilience, fire safety, physical security and accessibility together in intelligent systems that enable both passive and sensor-driven activation could significantly reduce flood damage and accelerate recovery following flood events.

Innovation in flood resilience technologies has been held back by fragmented standards, limited testing facilities and misalignment between product certification, planning frameworks and insurance recognition, the report finds. It recommends strategies to address regulatory and market gaps that currently impede innovation and adoption.

Graeme Smith, Chief Underwriting Officer, Commercial Lines at Intact Insurance UK, said: “We’ve set out a clear commitment to building resilient communities by helping them better prepare for extreme weather. Flooding is one of the most significant climate risks facing businesses and communities across the UK, and improving property-level resilience is fundamental to protecting the millions of properties facing increased risks.

“This research is a key step in advancing our mission, highlighting a clear opportunity to accelerate innovation in flood protection for commercial buildings. New solutions are needed to meet multiple requirements around safety, accessibility and operational continuity.

“By bringing together insurers, manufacturers, researchers and policymakers, we can help enable the development, testing and adoption of new and more effective technologies, ultimately helping businesses recover faster and strengthening resilience to the impacts of climate change.”

The report marks the first stage in a collaborative research programme between the University of Hull and Intact Insurance aimed at accelerating wider PFR adoption, especially in commercial settings. Additional findings from the partnership will be released later this year.