Integrated approach to risk management of future climate change impacts

The vulnerability of the built environment will be influenced by global-scale climate change. However, there are large uncertainties associated with the future performance of buildings due: to changes in regional- and local-scale climatic impact. The use of modern risk-management theories is discussed for developing cross-disciplinary strategies to meet the challenges of future climate change. It is shown that there are benefits to be gained from the introduction of risk-management strategies within a greater extent of the construction industry. Cross-disciplinary risk-based management strategies (ensuring cooperation along vertical decision-making lines), together with design guidelines that account for both historical local climatic conditions and scenarios for future changes, can be an important step towards a more active and dynamic way of ensuring a high-quality construction process and a sustainable built environment. Reducing the potential for defects or damage through the development of technical and organizational preventive measures (a risk-based management strategy) while at the same time applying the precautionary principle and discursive strategies in the design, construction and geographical localization of buildings, is likely to increase the robustness of the built environment in the light of the unknown risks of future climate change.