The adoption of new Flood Performance Certificates for new-build properties would provide a step change in documenting the resilience of new developments and bring much-needed clarity to developers, builders, homeowners, insurers and lenders, according to new research from Ardent Consulting Engineers, commissioned by Flood Re.
Whilst planning presently assumes flood risk has been mitigated, and, according to the research, that is generally the case, an overall lack of transparency means that gaps cannot be identified nor good practice recognised. Building regulations do not mandate PFR and planning conditions are vague – PFR is often an afterthought, and rarely included, even after risk has been identified through modelling.
Ardent has proposed a new framework to deliver FPCs through the planning system, creating a deliverable means of improving flood resilience outcomes in new-build housing. The move to adopt FPCs, says Ardent, would transform the delivery, verification and long-term transparency of flood mitigation and property flood resilience (PFR) measures in new-build housing in England, boosting England’s resilience to flood.
FPCs - similar in concept to Energy Performance Certificates - will provide a formal assessment of a property’s resilience to flooding, accelerating investment in adaptation and enabling installation to be recognised in insurance premiums in the future, providing a material incentive and benefit for household resilience.
Whilst Flood Re, the joint initiative between the Government and insurers set up to make flood cover part of household insurance policies more affordable, does not subsidise properties built after 1st January 2009, it is campaigning for flood-resilient new builds and the wider take-up of PFR. It believes FPCs are critical to driving uptake, as they will provide clear, property-level evidence of risk and resilience, allowing insurers to differentiate between properties and recognise and credit the value of any PFR installed.
The first pilots of the FPC will start by the end of 2026, with the potential for new builds to be a subsequent pilot deployment. Flood Re is planning to deliver a discounted premium structure by 2028, which would allow for recognition and uptake of the FPC framework. This would make FPCs an accepted part of the market well ahead of Flood Re’s scheduled exit from the insurance market in 2039, when flood insurance will return to risk-based pricing.
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Ardent Consulting Engineers’ research looked at how FPCs could be supported by the planning system to improve the delivery, verification and long-term transparency of flood mitigation and PFR measures in new-build housing in England. It reviewed policy and literature, looked at five recent housing developments, and interviewed practitioners across planning, development, flood risk and the insurance sector.
Whilst national policy requires flood-resilient development, there is a lack of clear guidance for PFR measures, leading to infrequent interpretation by local planning authorities. Flood Risk Assessments presently have no post-planning mechanism to confirm implementation or create a durable property-level record once development is complete. FPCs would create a systemic mechanism to validate and document flood resilience at the point of occupation, sale, or underwriting.
Proposed framework for FPCs
The study proposes a proportionate framework which would not introduce new design requirements or alter planning policy, focused on verifying that flood and PFR mitigation measures approved through the planning process have been delivered.
The proposed post-construction verification stage would be undertaken by independent accredited professionals, with developers submitting relevant as-built information – much of it already collected under other requirements – for review. A Verification Report would confirm flood mitigation measures and inform the FPC, while planning authorities would only verify submission of evidence within existing frameworks, ensuring a proportionate approach without the need for a new regulatory body.
The framework also aligns with emerging proposals for digital property logbooks and property information packs, providing a mechanism to store and transfer verified resilience information, and filling the information/documentation gap identified through the research.
Jonathan Kassian, Head of Flood Resilience, Flood Re commented:
“Flood Re is committed to the introduction of FPCs and believes the FPC framework can also work for new builds as part of our wider work towards a market that values actions to increase flood resilience. New builds are not covered by Flood Re, but FPCs for new builds would complement the planning system and provide a clear, standardised and transferable record for householders, insurers, lenders and other stakeholders. Integrating post-construction records of flood mitigation would strengthen the transparency, confidence, and recognition of flood resilience measures across new housing.”
Brian Cafferkey, Director at Ardent Consulting Engineers commented:
“While flood resilience is taken account of in the planning system, Flood Performance Certificates provide that step change that ensures independent verification that flood mitigation and property flood resilience measures have been delivered as designed. By creating a trusted, transferable record of as-built resilience information, this will improve transparency, strengthen confidence for homeowners, insurers and lenders, and support more resilient new homes.”
[Image credit: Steve Mann / shutterstock.com]