Our skills and expertise cover the technology and science behind the different strands of sustainable and integrated catchment flood risk management.
Sustainable decision making must consider a wide range of environmental, economic and technical issues. HR Wallingford offers services in sustainable option appraisal - including decision support and optimisation tools that cover whole life costing, environmental and social costs and benefits, carbon accounting, and resilience to climate change. Current research includes:
Natural flood management includes enhanced flow resistance strategies, wetland and floodplain restoration and catchment land use planning. HR Wallingford is at the forefront of research into sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) and has written a large number of the national hydraulic assessment protocols, design and construction manuals, whole life cost approaches, and standards for their implementation.
HR Wallingford provides the Kitemark test facility on behalf of the British Standard Institute and the Environment Agency, assessing the performance of flood protection products. We have also carried out laboratory testing of different building construction materials and techniques, and this has been used in the production of guidance on resilient construction methods.