A new facility showing how future cities should be designed to reduce the risk of flooding in the face of climate change has launched in Newcastle.
The UK’s largest testbed for sustainable drainage systems was officially opened on Friday by Universities Minister Chris Skidmore.
The UKCRIC National Green Infrastructure Facility will allow engineers to test the performance of new technologies that can slow the flow of water in the event of extreme rainfall and reduce the risk of flooding in cities.
Designed by engineers at Newcastle University and funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation, the facility integrates a range of naturally engineered systems such as green roofs and rain gardens together with a full-scale swale which is fitted with a series of ‘leaky barriers’ designed to hold back floodwaters.
These include a range of slotted barriers that can be modified to replicate natural conditions, alongside a wetland area.
Situated in the heart of Newcastle, the swale is fitted with a network of sensors and cameras to monitor flow, water levels, soil moisture, rainfall and other meteorological conditions.
This data is then fed into Newcastle University’s Urban Observatory, the UK’s largest set of real-time open data, and will be used to inform future flood management and help policy makers and emergency services make decisions in real time if, and when, flooding occurs in the future.
Based on the Newcastle Helix site - a 24 acre ‘living laboratory’ and innovation hub – the Facility is the latest addition to Newcastle’s Blue-Green City initiative.
Launching the project, Mr Skidmore said: “This new facility at Newcastle University will put the UK at the forefront of innovation in flood defences, helping us reduce the damage we have seen too often across the country.
“Our approach to climate change must not just be reducing emissions, but also to tackle its impacts like milder, wetter winters and rising sea levels, so we can save our planet and protect it for future generations.”
Co-director of the National Green Infrastructure Facility (NGIF) Dr Claire Walsh, a lecturer in Green Infrastructure at Newcastle University, said the aim was to use this site as a demonstrator to help protect other urban areas from flooding.
“The UK has seen an increase in the number of extreme weather events over the past decade and we have seen the devastation and distress that flash flooding causes.
“Naturally-engineered schemes should work hand in hand with flood defences. In this way, we can disperse the water and reduce the flood risk rather than simply moving the problem downstream.
“At Newcastle University we are working on designing a number of natural flood management schemes to help our urban environment cope with a changing climate and future development pressures.”
Co-director Dr Ross Stirling, a lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering at Newcastle University, added: “Through the NGIF, we are not only considering the benefit that ‘green infrastructure’ can provide in terms of reducing flood risk, but also looking at its economic, social and environmental benefits.
“We are exploring how green spaces may be exploited for renewable heat generation, adding value beyond their role in surface water management. We are investigating the treatment of polluted runoff from our streets and the carbon capture potential of green infrastructure. And we are considering how these approaches compare with traditional methods such as pipes by evaluating the cost of constructing these features and maintenance regimes over time.
“Flooding can be extremely costly from both an economical and emotional perspective and investment in mitigating floods upfront using green infrastructure can bring a wide range of benefits.”
