High level symposium to discuss pragmatic and innovative responses toclimate change
Leading experts from the United Kingdom and the Netherlands will cometogether during the Ecobuild conference in London on 2 March to publiclydiscuss construction approaches to the higher water levels associated withclimate change.
Among others, Phil Rothwell (Environment Agency), Marnix de Vriend (RoyalHaskoning) and Robert Barker (Baca Architects) will take a pragmatic, yetinnovative approach to assess practical solutions now, and in the future.Chaired by the Homes and Communities Agency, the symposium is intended todraw interest from the construction industry as well as local, regional andcentral government.
The symposium will deal with traditional methods of water management, aswell as look at fundamentally different ways dealing with water as aresource of value rather than merely a threat.The symposium follows on the success of the 'Design to live with futureflooding' last year, which stimulated lively debate and generated positiveintent to make the necessary changes at a technical and policy level. The Ecobuild conference in London, which describes itself as 'the biggestevent in the world for sustainable design, construction and the builtenvironment' is an ideal setting for the continuation of this discussion.
The science officer at the Dutch Embassy, Mr Henk Hoefdraad, emphasises theurgency of these discussions: "It is simply too late to wonder whetherwaters will rise or not. The likelihood is that Global Warming exists and weneed to develop appropriate strategies to protect our populations. To adopta Wait and See approach would be too late for such an important concern forthe construction industry and the people of the United Kingdom and the theNetherlands."
Netherlands British Chamber of Commerce spokesperson Jochem Geheniau is keento emphasise the value in sharing the evident wealth of Anglo-Dutchexpertise: " As these two countries have been very much shaped by water, theevent will be a valuable opportunity to share the very best of British andDutch experience on flood proof design and build."
Flood-proof design and build will take place at 14.30 in the Press Room, 1stfloor of Earl's Court Exhibition Centre, London, SW5 9TA on 2 March 2010.Entry to the event is free. Please register athttp://www.ecobuild.co.uk/register.html.