[01 July 2020]

Creating sustainability for our communities

Hear from our Technology Research Manager, Elena Kuvshinova 

As the world around us changes continuously and rapidly, here at the Flood Innovation Centre we aim to protect communities by creating a sustainable environment, reducing the risks that come from natural disasters.  

During the current global pandemic, as a society, we’ve found ourselves in the situation we weren’t ready for and that we couldn’t predict. We don’t have time to resolve the problem in traditional autocratic manner so we must react quickly before it’s too lateFrom this it’s clear that we must stop reacting to events; we need to learn how to predict possible scenarios and try to improve our resilience to these disastrous changes. 

Our multidisciplinary team at the Flood Innovation Centre is tackling the challenge head-on and working towards building a better future. With the aim to engage manufacturers and other SMEs with our scientific colleagues, we will be developing flood-resilience products to help protect our communities 

Whilst our scientists at the University of Hull and the Energy and Environment Institute work hard to dig up new knowledge about climate change, societal development and new processes and materials, entrepreneurs are busy making and supplying goods to customers. They co-exist in parallel worlds and know little about each other, and usually they don’t have mechanisms or institutes which could bring them together.  

Bridging the gap between business and academics

Financed by the European Regional Development Fund, the Flood Innovation Centre looks to unite businesses and academics to help tackle the flood-related problems that the Humber region faces.

In the region, our land is subject to flooding by rivers, tidal and surface waters, possibly all at once. Instead of having serious floods once in 50 years, now we have these types of floods almost every 3 years. A centralised response to environmental change, rising sea levels and climate change will take time, so this is an opportunity for those interested in flood prevention and mitigation to take responsibility and get involved.  

Get in touch with the team to find out how we can help your business develop a flood-innovation product, service or process.  

Elena Kuvshinova, Technology Research Manager, Flood Innovation Centre