Bringing the Mediterranean to Birmingham: impact and adaptation for 8-12 degrees of warming

Lead Research Organisation: University of Birmingham
Department Name: Civil Engineering

Abstract

Extreme weather causes damage to our infrastructure services such as energy supply, information and communications technology (ICT), transport, water supply, and more. Many of our infrastructure services are interdependent, and a failure in one sector leads to failure in other sectors. For example, failure of an electric substation due to extreme heat or flooding could lead to power cuts, reduced ICT services, and transport disruption because our road (eg. traffic lights) and railway networks need electricity to operate. Finding these infrastructure weak points that have a disproportionate impact across several infrastructure networks is essential for infrastructure resilience. Moreover, as our infrastructure has an operational lifetime of several decades or more we must act now to be prepared for future extreme weather. However, current adaptation plans are often done separately by each infrastructure sector (e.g. rail, ICT) and therefore by design do not consider infrastructure interdependencies.

This proposal presents an alternative approach to adaptation planning that breaks down industry silos and uses H++ ("worst-case") extreme climate change scenarios. High emissions and H++ scenarios predict the equivalent of Mediterranean heat for Birmingham and the West Midlands in the future. This proposal will consider the impact that extreme heat would have on infrastructure of the region as a whole. Particularly, it will look for weak points that could cause multiple failures across several infrastructure sectors. The project will use best-practice examples of heat-resilient infrastructure from Mediterranean cities to identify potential adaptation strategies that could be used in the Midlands. Best practice examples will be those that deliver long-term sustainability and multiple benefits, such as urban greening, which can provide climate regulation to build heat resilience, but also improve air quality, provide sustainable urban drainage, and positively influence health and well-being.

The weakest infrastructure links and examples of best practice will be shared with infrastructure operators/owners to facilitate holistic, evidence-based adaptation planning. The adaptation approach can be used in other cities and for other extreme weather types. Guidance documents will be created so the method can be applied nationally and internationally in different situations and regions. The library of best practice examples of sustainable heat-resilient infrastructure and heat adaptation measures will be available online for global dissemination.

This proposal specifically addresses the LWEC challenge by applying a system-of-systems approach to develop heat resilient infrastructure at a city and regional scales. Birmingham is an excellent demonstrator; HS2 and the new terminus station will arrive in the city by 2026. 51,000 new homes are required for the growing population. It also faces multiple challenges that will be exacerbated by extreme heat including increasing demand for electricity and utilities, an urban heat island effect, and transport networks which are currently operating at capacity. Now is the time for effective adaptation planning before long-term decisions and irreversible infrastructure development are undertaken. Crucially, as the West Midlands moves to devolved government there is the opportunity for leading regional research like this to shape governance plans.

Dr Emma Ferranti undertakes challenge-led research in urban climatology and infrastructure meteorology. She holds a NERC Knowledge Exchange Fellowship with networks including infrastructure operators, local authorities, planners, and professionals passionate about urban-greening. This Fellowship will enable her to establish a new multidisciplinary research area in decision-centric adaptation planning that utilises research excellence from the Schools of Engineering, and Geography, Earth and Environmental Science at the University of Birmingham.

Planned Impact

This proposal presents a systems approach to adaptation planning that considers the impact that the 'worst-case' climate scenarios of future summer temperatures would have on the infrastructure of Birmingham and its rural hinterlands. UKCP09 'high emissions' and H++ extreme scenarios predict that maximum summer temperatures could be 8-12 degC warmer; this would change the climate of Birmingham and the West Midlands similar to what is presently experienced in the Mediterranean. Considering the worst-case scenarios across infrastructure sectors will identify 'single points of failures' (e.g. a critical substation) that leads to failures cascading across other infrastructure sectors. Identifying these weakest links and understanding the risks of cascading failures are key action points from the Brown Review on Transport Resilience (DfT, 2014) and 2017 UK Climate Change Risk Assessment Report (CCRA 2016). The project will incorporate outputs from the £12 million Defra-commissioned UK Climate Projections Project (UKCP18) when they become available. The proposal will also produce a library of case studies of best practice examples of heat-resilient infrastructure or adaptation measures from cities that already experience Mediterranean heat. Best practice will be considered in terms of long-term sustainability and multiple benefits, e.g. natural-based solutions such as urban greening. The impact and implications of worst-case scenarios, and examples of best practice will be shared with adaptation planners to inform evidence-based decision making. For the infrastructure owners/operators the proposal will provide asset-level information on the impact of extreme heat, by comparing the 'theoretical' operating thresholds of different asset types with the projected climate. This will be combined with temporal analogues used to investigate the 'actual' (i.e. including interdependencies and external factors such as wear and tear) impact of previous hot days. The spatial analogues will provide sector-relevant examples of best practice, ultimately to drive stakeholder led infrastructure improvements (e.g. Ferranti et al., 2016). The presence of infrastructure operators and local authorities on the Steering Group and as Project Partners will make certain that research undertaken by the project is relevant and applicable to the stakeholders, and ensure information is appropriately distributed to inform sector-level decision making. Regionally, Ferranti will work alongside the Climate Change and Sustainability Manager at Birmingham City Council (Nick Grayson) and Business Engagement partners at the University of Birmingham to ensure outcomes are disseminated to the Local Enterprise Partnerships (Black Country, Greater Birmingham & Solihull; Coventry and Warwickshire) and to the West Midlands Combined Authority. Ferranti will lever her roles as Midlands TDAG facilitator and NERC Knowledge Exchange fellow to regularly distribute project outcomes to local stakeholders via seminars or meetings. Crucially information gained at these seminars will be used to inform the direction of project research. Project updates and outcomes will be disseminated nationally via networks including the Adaptation and Resilience in the Context of Change, Infrastructure Operators Adaptation Forum, Transport Catapult, Future Cities Catapult, and UK Committee on Climate Change. Regular contact with these networks will also ensure that contributions and requirements for those stakeholders not directly involved in the project can be included. This will make certain that the project is recognised nationally as an innovative adaptation planning approach that can be repeated in urban areas worldwide, for other extreme weather. Information exchange with international partners will deliver international impact by sharing case studies of best practice between cities and hinterlands whose infrastructure faces similar challenges to extreme heat.

Publications

10 25 50

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Crossfield A (2024) A longitudinal perspective of climate adaptation from the UK water sector, 2013-2023 in Infrastructure Asset Management

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Dora J (2024) Infrastructure resilience under a changing climate: the urgent need for engineers to act in Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Civil Engineering

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Ferranti E (2022) Transport resilience to weather and climate: an interdisciplinary view from Rio de Janeiro in Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Urban Design and Planning

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Ferranti E (2022) Rail Infrastructure Resilience

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Ferranti EJS (2021) Climate Change Communication in the UK and Hong Kong in Weather, Climate and Society

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Ferranti, E.J.S. (2022) Blue Green Infrastructure

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Ferranti, E.J.S. (2022) Transport Resilience to Weather and Climate: a perspective from Rio de Janeiro in Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Urban Design and Planning

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Ferranti, E.J.S. (2021) First Steps in Urban Heat

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Fisher R (2023) Climate change resilience beyond the mainline railway: a review in Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Civil Engineering

 
Description This award considered the impact of high temperatures on infrastructure and our built environment in order to to develop heat resilient infrastructure at a city and regional scales. The research took place before, during, and after the Covid 19 pandemic, which changed the mode of delivery of some of the objectives. For example, instead of travelling overseas to explore best-practice examples and create spatial analogues, there was a greater focus on delivering change within the UK, by working with regional and national stakeholders. The rise of zoom and other video-conferencing software made it possible to create a professional online knowledge resource consisting of guides and seminars. However, the overarching aims of the award remained the same: (i) to understand the impact of extreme heat on Birmingham and its surrounds; (ii) to understand the impact of extreme heat on interconnected infrastructure systems, (iii) to support decision-centric adaptation planning for heat and other climate hazards; and (iv) to explore the role of green infrastructure to enable heat and climate resilience. A Fellowship is also a personal award, and this funding allowed me to progress from a Research Fellow, to a tenured position as an Associate Professor in Civil Engineering, alongside my caring responsibilities, throughout a global pandemic.
Specific achievements are listed below.

Developing a decision-centric approach took place over four steps:
- Firstly, the project worked with regional stakeholders to build understanding and support around extreme heat, climate change impacts, and climate resilience. These included climate walks around Birmingham, a climate resilience away day with the city design and planning team, and presenting at/attending city standing meetings (planning/urban forestry/net zero). This built consensus and showed where climate resilience aligned and improved existing policy areas (e.g. levelling up/environmental justice) leading to climate resilience being mandated in decision-making via its addition to the corporate risk register.
- The project then developed an overheating risk decision support tool. High temperatures and heatwaves are becoming more frequent, but heat vulnerability is not routinely included within local authority decision making. The approach uses open access data and GIS techniques that are available for built environment practitioners working in the public and private sector. Four datasets are combined using map algebra to understand heat vulnerability, namely; surface temperatures, Local Climate Zones, green space, and, Indices of Multiple Deprivation. The assessment shows that central and eastern areas of Birmingham, that have the most compact urban form, least green space and highest levels of deprivation are most vulnerable to heat.
- This prototype approach with heat led to the development of a climate risk and vulnerability assessment (CRVA) with Birmingham City Council. This was done in collaboration with researchers on a separate NERC-funded project to align research agendas and maximise resources within this impactful area. The climate risk and vulnerability assessment we produced is available on the city website, and the city GIS team now own and update the map, and the CRVA supports current and future decisions. The CRVA map led to Birmingham being upgraded from a B-graded city for climate action, to an A graded city, as assessed by the international Carbon Disclosure Programme.
- The work is now being scaled regionally. Moreover the approach and datasets are open access, and the GIS method is replicable by other UK local authorities/organisations. We share the work nationally and internationally.

The project originally aimed to explore infrastructure interdependencies, and look for causality within infrastructure dataset (e.g. a power failure causing knock on effects on the railway network) for extreme heat and other weather impacts. Unfortunately, due to the quality and resolution of industrial datasets (that are not designed for weather and climate research) this particular aim was not realised. Instead, the project worked alongside infrastructure operators and owners, to undertake small case studies that explore the impact of weather on operations, and to build awareness around climate adaptation, to feed into organisational preparation and reporting on climate adaptation. This included understanding heat and temperature extremes on the London Underground, developing fragility curves for an electricity distributor to understand wind impact, working with rail and power sector datasets to understand temperature failure thresholds for co-located infrastructure, working with a ports authority to understand the climate risks along their supply chain, and reviewing adaptation progress within the water sector. Through this portfolio of projects I could share best practice, advocate for adaptation pathways and the urgent need for engineers to adapt to climate change within the organisations themselves. These and other projects feature in a special edition of the Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers on Infrastructure Resilience, which I am guest Editing, to be published in March 2024.

To build stakeholder knowledge on the role of Nature-based Solutions in climate resilience I have produced two guides with an influential network and charity, the Trees and Design Action Group (TDAG). These are First Steps in Urban Water, and First Steps in Urban Heat. These form part of a broader body of open access knowledge base that includes a range of topics and seminars on the design and maintenance of urban green space that professional practice (and anyone) can access as part of Continuing Professional Development. Trees and other green infrastructure are only an effective Nature-based Solution when health (and alive). Following the hot temperatures of summer 2020, I convened a day long knowledge exchange event on trees in a changing climate attending by 100 people in person, and more online. This pulled together a range of academic and practice research related to developing climate resilient treescapes.

Lastly, I have supported the professional development of over fifteen early career colleagues and PhD students working on various topics in this area, to build a broad knowledge base on a range of related topics.
Exploitation Route Research related to high temperatures and climate resilience in Birmingham was undertaken in collaboration with Birmingham City Council and is currently being embedded in decisions related to net zero, urban forestry, and city design and planning. In collaboration with a NERC funded project I am developing the climate risk and vulnerability assessment with West Midlands Combined Authority to map the region. Moreover, the approach can be applied within any urban area in the UK, using the open access datasets, or globally, using locally applicable data sources.

The portfolio of infrastructure projects will feed into the next UK Climate Change Risk Assessment, and Adaptation Reporting within organisations. Information built on adaptation pathways has fed into two reports for the UN ECE Inland Transport Committee and will support a workshop for transport professionals and government officials on adaptation pathways.

The TDAG resources on green infrastructure are regularly used by a range of professionals to support decision-making in urban areas.
Sectors Education

Environment

Government

Democracy and Justice

Transport

Other

 
Description Regional - Birmingham City Council, for the first time, are embedding climate resilience within city policy. This led to the city being graded "A" for climate action by Carbon Disclosure Programme -Transport for West Midlands are embedding green infrastructure for climate resilience within their next local Transport Plan. -Electricity Northwest have improved understanding of the impact of wind on faults at higher spatial resolution for the next round of ARP reporting. - Peel Ports have, for the first time, and understanding of climate risks associated with their supply chain, and their dependencies, for ARP reporting. -Following a successful PhD project, Transport for London have a greater understanding of the impact of heat on underground infrastructure under a changing climate to feed into their adaptation decision making. National -I was a contributing author on the 3rd Climate Change Risk Assessment (2021; CCRA), which features several of my key papers on infrastructure meteorology and climate adaptation. The CCRA forms the evidence base for the National Adaptation Programme. I wrote the section on infrastructure interdependencies for the Infrastructure Chapter. - I evaluated Network Rail's 2019 Weather Resilience and Climate Change Adaptation plans on behalf of the Office for Road and Rail (ORR) and provided recommendations for their development moving forward. - Project outputs have been presented to the Infrastructure Operators Adaptation Forum to increase knowledge and share best practice. International - I curated several sessions at COP26 in the Blue Zone with the Resilience Hub, presenting research findings and shaping the narrative. - I developed UNECE guidance on adaptation pathways for transport resilience for transport professionals in Central Asia, Europe and North Africa.
First Year Of Impact 2020
Sector Environment,Government, Democracy and Justice
Impact Types Cultural

Societal

Economic

Policy & public services

 
Description Birmingham Urban Forestry Master Plan
Geographic Reach Local/Municipal/Regional 
Policy Influence Type Membership of a guideline committee
 
Description Embedding climate risk in city level planning and design
Geographic Reach Local/Municipal/Regional 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to new or improved professional practice
Impact Locally, this programme of work embedded climate resilience in city decision-making, for the first time, and for the long term. Climate Resilience is now on the Corporate Risk Register, and the CRVA provides the means to measure current and future climate risk and vulnerability across the city. It is owned and maintained by BCC, and our co-developers from planning, GIS, climate, and urban forestry teams use the CRVA to support decisions. Link: https://maps.birmingham.gov.uk/webapps/CRVA/. For example, the CRVA was used to evaluate plans on active (and sensitive) development sites in the city to understand how these changed the climate resilience, and supports tree planting decisions. A regional collaboration with West Midlands Combined Authority is delivering two regional CRVA maps (built environment/transport) with citizen engagement. Following a presentation to the TfWM Scrutiny Committee (Ferranti - Jan 2024) climate resilience is in the next regional WM Transport Plan. Link: https://governance.wmca.org.uk/mgIssueHistoryHome.aspx?IId=10499 Internationally, in November 2023, Birmingham was graded an A-list city by the international not-for-profit charity, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). Cities receive an A-rating if they can demonstrate transparency and bold climate action, and the list is a means to celebrate the achievements, vision, and commitment of these cities in the fight against climate change. The city had previously reported to CDP, but only received a grading of B. The difference in 2023 was the CRVA map developed by this team. The A grade establishes Birmingham as an international leader on climate action. Link: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2023/uob-research-turns-birmingham-into-an-a-list-city-for-climate-action
URL https://doi.org/10.25500/epapers.bham.00004259
 
Description Evidence-based research into practice with TDAG
Geographic Reach Multiple continents/international 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to new or Improved professional practice
Impact TDAG provides a forum to share best practice and support built environment decision makers in their daily practice. For example, encouraging the better consideration of trees in urban developments, better planting of trees, better knowledge of how to use trees to maximise their ecosystem services, linking across silos in local authorities, business and more. We are shaping the narrative in how urban green space should be designed and managed
URL https://www.tdag.org.uk/
 
Description FWAC & Urban FWAC
Geographic Reach Local/Municipal/Regional 
Policy Influence Type Membership of a guideline committee
 
Description Independent Climate Risk Assessment Technical Report 2021
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to a national consultation/review
 
Description Participation at COP26
Geographic Reach Multiple continents/international 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to new or Improved professional practice
 
Description Support local transport planning
Geographic Reach Local/Municipal/Regional 
Policy Influence Type Participation in a guidance/advisory committee
Impact Following a members vote at the meeting, green infrastructure and the principles, Reduce Extend Protect, and the role of green infrastructure in delivering climate resilience will be included within the forthcoming transport plan. Specifically from the WMVA documents produced in preparation for the meeting in January where the vote took place: Key Points for Consideration as part of development of the new LTP5 3.1 There are two main areas for consideration of inclusion into LTP5: i. The "Reduce, Extend, Protect" principle for green infrastructure ii. The role of green infrastructure in supporting climate resilience 3.2 The "Reduce, Extend, Protect" principle is covered in some detail in the presentation, but in essence, is based on firstly reducing the emission of air pollutants from urban transport. The next approach is to extend the pathways of air pollutants emitted by road transport. Longer pathways from the source mix and dilute emissions. The final strand is to protect vulnerable groups such as older adults, children and people with asthma. This can be achieved by measures such as relocating waiting areas for school childrens' collection and drop off. 3.3 With this approach for the design of transport infrastructure and urban design there also needs to be mindfulness of other transport design issues such as available space for bus infrastructure and ensuring good community safety. 3.4 Green infrastructure supports climate resilience through reducing exposure to heat by , for example increasing shade from trees, and helps reduce flooding through measures which retain and slow down the release of rain run-off. 3.5 Consideration of these two aspects in the development of LTP5 will support the LTP5's five overall aims of sustaining economic success, tackling the climate emergency, creating a fairer society, supporting local communities and places and becoming more active.
URL https://governance.wmca.org.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=240&MId=877&Ver=4
 
Description Advancing climate mitigation policy solutions with health co-benefits in G7 countries
Amount £4,000,000 (GBP)
Organisation Wellcome Trust 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 09/2023 
End 09/2026
 
Description Birmingham International Engagement Fund
Amount £2,000 (GBP)
Organisation University of Birmingham 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 11/2019 
End 03/2020
 
Description Developing a toolkit for the heat sensitive planning and design of urban areas
Amount £35,000 (GBP)
Organisation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 03/2021 
End 03/2022
 
Description EPSRC GCRF IAA funding
Amount £16,000 (GBP)
Organisation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2018 
End 03/2018
 
Description EPSRC IAA Policy Impact Programme
Amount £25,000 (GBP)
Funding ID Peel Ports 
Organisation United Kingdom Research and Innovation 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2023 
End 07/2023
 
Description HORIZON-CL5-2023-D1-01
Amount € 12,000,000 (EUR)
Funding ID 101137851 
Organisation European Commission 
Sector Public
Country European Union (EU)
Start 02/2024 
End 01/2028
 
Description Informing weather risk management for Electricity Northwest
Amount £7,000 (GBP)
Organisation United Kingdom Research and Innovation 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 03/2021 
End 08/2021
 
Description Infrastructure Grant
Amount £40,000 (GBP)
Funding ID Southern Region Lineside Asset Performance 
Organisation Network Rail Ltd 
Sector Private
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2023 
End 03/2023
 
Description Investigating Opportunities To Minimise The Impact Of Streetworks And Roadworks On Climate Change - Phase 2
Amount £140,000 (GBP)
Organisation Department of Transport 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 06/2022 
End 02/2023
 
Description JSPS Summer Program 2019 (Sarah Greenham, PhD student)
Amount £1 (GBP)
Organisation Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) 
Sector Public
Country Japan
Start 05/2019 
End 08/2019
 
Description Petroleum Technology Development Fund PhD Scholarship
Amount £130,000 (GBP)
Organisation PTDF Petroleum Technology Development Fund Nigeria 
Sector Public
Country Nigeria
Start 02/2023 
End 01/2026
 
Description QR Funding for Policy Engagement
Amount £10 (GBP)
Organisation United Kingdom Research and Innovation 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2022 
End 03/2022
 
Description QR Funding for Policy Engagement
Amount £42,000 (GBP)
Organisation United Kingdom Research and Innovation 
Department Research England
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 12/2020 
End 03/2021
 
Description QR Funding for Policy Engagement
Amount £40,000 (GBP)
Organisation United Kingdom Research and Innovation 
Department Research England
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 12/2019 
End 03/2020
 
Description Research - Non CASE Studentship
Amount £37,000 (GBP)
Funding ID Maximising the biodiversity of the linear forest 
Organisation Network Rail Ltd 
Sector Private
Country United Kingdom
Start 09/2022 
End 09/2025
 
Description Review of Network Rail's Weather Resilience and Climate Change Adaptation Plans
Amount £15,000 (GBP)
Organisation ORR Office of Rail Regulation 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 12/2020 
End 03/2021
 
Description School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences pump priming fund
Amount £4,000 (GBP)
Organisation University of Birmingham 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2018 
End 06/2018
 
Description Travel Fund for carers
Amount £250 (GBP)
Organisation Royal Meteorological Society 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 04/2019 
End 05/2019
 
Description UKRI creating opportunities funding
Amount £260,000 (GBP)
Organisation Natural Environment Research Council 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 09/2023 
End 06/2024
 
Description Visiting Professors Scheme
Amount £30,000 (GBP)
Funding ID Awarded to John Dora 
Organisation Royal Academy of Engineering 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 08/2022 
End 08/2025
 
Title CVRA built environment - open access approach 
Description The CVRA approach combines open access datasets to allow local authorities to determine the vulnerability of their region to climate change. It combines 11 layers (surface temperature, fluvial flood risk, surface water flood risk, IMD, Local Climate Zones, green space, open access green space, tree canopy, PM2.5, NOx, excess years lives lost) using GIS. The approach hsa been developed in collaboration with Birmingham City Council, and the GIS team will maintain the database for the long-term to ensure it is embedded within city planning and design decisions. 
Type Of Material Improvements to research infrastructure 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? No  
Impact Locally, this programme of work embedded climate resilience in city decision-making, for the first time, and for the long term. Climate Resilience is now on the Corporate Risk Register, and the CRVA provides the means to measure current and future climate risk and vulnerability across the city. It is owned and maintained by BCC, and our co-developers from planning, GIS, climate, and urban forestry teams use the CRVA to support decisions. Link: https://maps.birmingham.gov.uk/webapps/CRVA/. For example, the CRVA was used to evaluate plans on active (and sensitive) development sites in the city to understand how these changed the climate resilience, and supports tree planting decisions. A regional collaboration with West Midlands Combined Authority is delivering two regional CRVA maps (built environment/transport) with citizen engagement. Following a presentation to the TfWM Scrutiny Committee (Ferranti - Jan 2024) climate resilience is in the next regional WM Transport Plan. Link: https://governance.wmca.org.uk/mgIssueHistoryHome.aspx?IId=10499 Internationally, in November 2023, Birmingham was graded an A-list city by the international not-for-profit charity, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). Cities receive an A-rating if they can demonstrate transparency and bold climate action, and the list is a means to celebrate the achievements, vision, and commitment of these cities in the fight against climate change. The city had previously reported to CDP, but only received a grading of B. The difference in 2023 was the CRVA map developed by this team. The A grade establishes Birmingham as an international leader on climate action. Link: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2023/uob-research-turns-birmingham-into-an-a-list-city-for-climate-action 
URL http://epapers.bham.ac.uk/4259/
 
Title CVRA transport 
Description Following on from the CRVA for built environment, we are currently collaborating with West Midlands Combined Authority and other regional stakeholders including Transport for West Midlands to develop a transport-focussed climate risk and vulnerability assessment. The approach will be made available to others later this year once it is finalised. 
Type Of Material Improvements to research infrastructure 
Year Produced 2024 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact the impact will emerge once the map and approach is released later this year. 
 
Title Heat vulnerability assessment - open access approach 
Description The heat vulnerability approach combines open access datasets to allow local authorities to determine the heat vulnerability for their region. It combines 4 layers (surface temperature, IMD, Local Climate Zones, green space) using GIS. The approach has been developed in collaboration with Birmingham City Council, and the GIS team will maintain the database for the long-term to ensure it is embedded within city planning and design decisions. It sits within a broader piece of work (led by Ferranti) that has developed a Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (CVRA). 
Type Of Material Physiological assessment or outcome measure 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? No  
Impact Impact is emerging. We will test the heat vulnerability approach this year with the local authority and make the approach available to others. The approach can be replicated by any organisation in the UK as it uses open access datasets. The approach is replicable globally using locally relevant datasets. 
 
Description Birmingham City Council 
Organisation Birmingham City Council
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution I work closely with the climate change and sustainability manager to develop collaborative projects between the city council and the university. In 2017 we met with the Ordnance Survey in an advisory role to discuss geospatial datasets for the new OS Green Space Product under development to support several cross government policy initiatives (e.g. access to nature, valuing natural capital (Defra); role of trees in ameliorating air pollution (Defra/DfT); physical/mental well-being (Public Health). We will meet again with the Ordnance Survey in March 2018. The Council also asked me to provide verbal and written evidence for the Tree Policy Scrutiny Committee in November 2017. From December 2019-March 2020 I have been undertaking a policy secondment at Birmingham City Council in the Urban Design Team, building links between academia and the council, in the areas of green infrastructure, air quality, and climate resilience.
Collaborator Contribution The Council provide the link to non-academic organisations, such as the ordnance survey, consultancies, other local authorities. They look for opportunities to integrate academic research in daily operations, such as the Tree Policy Scrutiny Committee in November 2017. They regularly attend TDAG meetings, a forum for knowledge exchange on green infrastructure, and provide a venue for these meetings at the Council. Birmingham City Council continue to support research applications made by the department. They are also providing qualitative evidence (in the form of interviews) on the mainstreaming green infrastructure, which aims to understand the barriers to implementing green infrastructure policies in the city.
Impact I gave evidence (written, and 20 minutes oral presentation) to the Tree Policy Task and Finish Group Scrutiny Committee at Birmingham City Council. The meeting was attended by local councillors, civil servants, members of the public, and consultants, and was live-streamed for the general public. I was quizzed for about 20 minutes on the role that trees play in air quality, both positive (i.e. improve air quality) and negative (can under very specific circumstances exacerbate poor air quality) by the local councillors. This opportunity was a direct consequence of my KE Fellowship and work with Nick Grayson at Birmingham City Council (who supported by Fellowship application). I believe that without my KE Fellowship, green infrastructure and air quality would have been discussed in less detail, or may not have featured within discussion at all. I am waiting to see the written report of the Tree Policy Task and Finish Group, and will have a further opportunity to commit on the policy proposed by the council.
Start Year 2016
 
Description Electricity North West 
Organisation Electricity North West
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Analysing ENW data as part of PhD and MSc research to understand the resilience of energy distribution infrastructure to weather and climate
Collaborator Contribution Time in kind Data
Impact MSc project that provided new information for ENW on the relationship between faults and wind speed and direction that can be used to inform operational and strategic decision-making. This was developed into a publication. Donaldson, D.L., Ferranti, E.J.S., Quinn, A.D., Jayaweera, D., Peasley, T. Mercer, M. 2023. Enhancing power distribution network operational resilience to extreme wind events. Meteorological Applications, 30(2), e2127. https://doi.org/10.1002/met.2127
Start Year 2020
 
Description Highways England 
Organisation Department of Transport
Department Highways Agency
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution I analyse Highways England data as part of my Fellowship
Collaborator Contribution Highways England provide time in kind and data.
Impact I am 6 months into a Fellowship. Outputs to follow.
Start Year 2018
 
Description Met Office 
Organisation Meteorological Office UK
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution The Met Office supported my fellowship and I worked with them in the early stages to understand how how i could involve high-end scenarios in my Fellowship.
Collaborator Contribution The Met Office are supplying time in kind.
Impact This relationship started in my fellowship helped build links with the Met Office. The relationship became more deeply established in 2023 when the University entered into the Met Office Academic Partnership. I was involved in tendering for the contract. The relationship was further formalised when we received EU Horizon funding to work in collaboration with the Met Office in 2023 on the Carmine project looking at climate resilient pathways.
Start Year 2018
 
Description Network Rail 
Organisation Network Rail Ltd
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution I undertake analysis on Network Rail data as part of my Fellowship.
Collaborator Contribution Network Rail supported this Fellowship and are a member of the steering committee. They have provided data and time in kind.
Impact I am 6 months into this collaboration. Outputs will follow in due course.
Start Year 2018
 
Description Peel Ports Group 
Organisation The Peel Group
Department Peel Ports Group
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution This research project was developed in partnership with Peel Ports Group, one of the largest port operators in the UK, handling nearly 70 million tonnes of international cargo per year. As part of the climate change adaptation reporting process mandated by government, Peel Ports identified that they lacked an understanding of the critical interdependencies between their infrastructure and other infrastructure networks (e.g. energy supply, road transport). This includes a poor understanding of the potential for cascading failures between interlinked natural and socioeconomic systems and sub-systems (Peel Ports, 2021). For example, severe weather can affect the transport network that may then have an impact on the availability of and access for port personnel and lorry drivers, compromising vessel loading and unloading efficiency, and creating a backlog that ultimately affects the wider supply chain. Alternately, a power outage may affect the function and safety of the port operations. How can Peel Port manage these interdependent risks? This project will address this critical knowledge gap by undertaking a short research project that will; identify the local climate change risks, assess the interdependencies, and evaluate the potential for subsequent cascading impacts. Liverpool Port has been selected as a case study location and the project outcomes will be shared across the company, to support their climate change adaptation policymaking, and increase awareness of the urgent need for adaptation with their company shareholders. As such, this project will act as an exemplar for Peel Ports and for the wider sector. Peel Ports have an international reputation as a leading organisation who can drive innovation and change within the sector. In the conversations and email exchanges that have led to this conversation, Peel Ports have repeatedly indicated their desire for a longer-term collaboration, and we anticipate this short project will seedcorn further substantive stakeholder engagement and policy-driven research in this area.
Collaborator Contribution Peel Ports co-created the research project, providing funding (£3,000) and time/resources in kind (£5,000)
Impact Successful EPSRC IAA Award We provided a report for Peel Ports that will feed into their ARP reporting. Publication in draft.
Start Year 2022
 
Description Transport for London 
Organisation Transport for London
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution I am supervising a PhD student (Sarah Greenham) who is working with TfL to understand the impact of heat on their infrastructure. The PhD project is directly linked to my Fellowship and funded by EPSRC.
Collaborator Contribution TfL are providing data, time in kind, and an office space for my PhD Student.
Impact This PhD studentship started in October 2018. Sarah completed her PhD in 2023, and then received further funding to translate the impact of her PhD research into TfL operations. Greenham, S., Ferranti, E., Powell, R., Drayson, K. and Quinn, A. (2023), The impact of heat on London Underground infrastructure in a changing climate. Weather, 78: 170-175. https://doi.org/10.1002/wea.4421 Greenham, S., Ferranti, E.J.S., Quinn, A., & Drayson, K. 2020. The impact of high temperatures and extreme heat to delays on the London Underground rail network: An empirical study. Met Apps, 27(3).
Start Year 2018
 
Description Trees and Design Action Group 
Organisation Trees and Design Action Group
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution In 2016 I became the Midlands facilitator for the Trees and Design Action Group (TDAG), with a remit to grow the size and influence of the Midlands network. TDAG connects individuals and public and private sector organisations to assert the important role of green infrastructure in the built environment.I organise the 2-monthly meetings, and arange an external speaker to come and present. In December 2016 I organised a joint event with the RTPI (Royal Town Planning Institute) on the subject of green infrastructure and health that over 60 people attended. I am building a strong network in the Midlands that will prove a useful pathway for knowledge exchange between a range of stakeholders. In 2017, TDAG Midlands have continued building links with the RTPI in order to raise awareness of the importance of urban green infrastructure, and the long-term management of green infrastructure. Planners are essential for incorporating and maintaining high quality green infrastructure within urban areas. Consequently, at the Annual Planning Summit for the West Midlands (Nov 17) TDAG were offered 2 presentation sessions for green infrastructure topics, and Prof Rob Mackenzie and Nick Grayson presented on trees and air quality and Natural Capital, respectively. This is a direct consequence of the networking and facilitating that I can do as part of my KE Fellowship, and I am certain that the presentations by Prof Rob Mackenzie and Nick Grayson would not have taken place before the links were established between TDAG and RTPI. The RTPI collected feedback on the event and I hope to be able to evaluate this - either quantitatively or qualitatively in early 2018. We will also host a joint TDAG/RTPI event in Spring 2018. I look to develop a similarly mutually beneficial link with Landscape Institute Midlands in the coming year.
Collaborator Contribution The TDAG network includes very useful stakeholders for research co-creation and public engagement. The TDAG trustees in London support and encourage the growth of the Midlands group, in particular its strong links to to academic research. TDAG continue to support my role as facilitator of the Midlands Group and support research applications. With TDAG I have been able to co-create a guidance document of value to the practitioner community in 2017. TDAG brought together a range of stakeholders with interests in air quality and green infrastructure including the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, Urban Design Group, and Capita for a meeting at the UoB with myself and Prof Rob Makenzie in June 2017. We discussed the information gap and I produced the 4-page guidance document "First Steps in Air Quality for Built Environment Practitioners". This was reviewed by academics colleagues working in air quality, and planning, and by practitioners. The guidance document is endorsed by TDAG and uses their branding, and is promoted by their webpage. TDAG have arranged for this guidance document to be launched at the practitioner conference: Ecobuild, in March 2018, and at 2 separate day-long workshops in London and Birmingham on resilient urban forests, also in March 2017 (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/selecting-species-for-a-better-urban-treescape-growing-a-more-resilient-urban-forest-tickets-42669233827). Going forward we hope this will be the first in a series of leaflets on green infrastructure and air quality.
Impact I have collaborated with TDAG since 2016. I currently co-run the network. We produced guidance documents, seminars as part of a CPD programme, and respond to policy consultations. Guides include: Ferranti, E.J.S., MacKenzie, A.R., Ashworth K., and Hewitt C.N. 2018. First Steps in Urban Air Quality. A Trees and Design Action Group (TDAG) Guidance Document. UK: London. Available from: http://epapers.bham.ac.uk/3069/ Jaluzot, A. and Ferranti, E.J.S. 2019. First Steps in Valuing Trees and Green Infrastructure. A Trees and Design Action Group (TDAG) Guidance Document. UK: London. Available from: http://epapers.bham.ac.uk/3226/ Ferranti, E.J.S., Futcher, J. Salter, K. Hodgkinson, S. and Chapman, L. 2021. First Steps in Urban Heat. A Trees and Design Action Group (TDAG) Guidance Document. UK: London. https://doi.org/10.25500/epapers.bham.00003452 Jaluzot, A., James, S., Ferranti, E.J.S. 2022. First Steps in Trees and New Developments. A Trees and Design Action Group (TDAG) Guidance Document. UK: London. https://doi.org/10.25500/epapers.bham.00004109 Stevens, P.J., Stevens, A.J., Ferranti, E.J.S. Sharifi, S. and James, S. 2023. First Steps in Urban Water. Technical Report. University of Birmingham & TDAG. http://epapers.bham.ac.uk/4284/
Start Year 2016
 
Description Western Power 
Organisation Western Power Distribution
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution This is a new collaboration that has provided new data for analysis for the EPSRC project
Collaborator Contribution time in kind data
Impact This collaboration provided a publication. Jia, Z., Donaldson, D.L. and Ferranti, E., 2024. December. Weather-related fragility modelling of critical infrastructure: a power and railway case study. In Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers-Civil Engineering. Emerald Publishing Limited. https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/10.1680/jcien.23.00115
Start Year 2020
 
Description BBC Midlands July 2022 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Interview at BBC Midlands on extreme heat and the impact of high temperatures on the urban environment
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description BBC Midlands November 2021 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact Interview on BBC Midlands (tv) in run up to COP
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Presentation to Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation to support their forthcoming design guidance on climate change adaptation.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.ciht.org.uk/event/ciht-masterclass-resilience/
 
Description Futurebuild Conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact 2018- presentation on First Steps in Urban Air Quality
2019 - presentation on First Steps in Valuing Trees and Green Infrastructure and manned the TDAG exhibit stand
2020 - presentation and manned the TDAG stand
2022 - co-organised the TDAG Tree Knowledge Hub exhibition stand and 3 presentations:

(1st March) 1: How to work with trees on developments; a new TDAG guidance note,
(1st March) 2: Why planning must include urban heat and flooding
(2nd March) 3: Incorporating air quality and climate resilience into local authority decision-making; "how to" examples from Birmingham
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018,2019,2020,2022
 
Description Futurebuild Newsletter 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Guest Editor for the Futurebuild Newsletter going out to 90,000 people on 26th November 2023.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description London Climate Action Week 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Impact of climate on urban areas. Keynote Speaker for an international interdisciplinary audience of academics and practitioners on action to adapt
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description Network Asset Performance Conference (Energy sector) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Presentation on the impact of floods on Storm Desmond to professional practitioners in energy sector.
Outcome - new engagement with power distribution, Electricity Northwest, and joint MSc project, commencing March 2020.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description RTPI CPD Urban Trees to Help Address Climate Change and Air Pollution 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Online presentation for regional RTPI (Royal Town Planning Association) as part of their professional CPD programme
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description THINK Seminar: transport resilience to climate change in the UK 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Invited presentation to THINK network
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description The Edge Debate (online): The nexus of clean air and urban climate resilience 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Short presentation then part of the debate panel
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description West Midlands Climate Change Adaptation Working Group 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Developing a Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment for Birmingham - presentation to working group.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023