CREDO EXTREME HEAT
The Climate Resilience Demonstrator (CReDo) is a pioneering climate adaptation digital twin project that provides a practical example of how connected data can improve climate adaptation and resilience across a system of systems. Find out more here
The Ofwat-funded CReDo Extreme Heat project in particular aims to address the water sector’s uncertainty around the impact of extreme heat events on asset failure.
Why is this project Important?
The UK water sector is only just beginning to understand the effect of extreme heat on asset failure. This lack of understanding is primarily due to temperatures of over 40°C, as seen in summer 2022, having never previously been experienced in the UK. During this event, many water assets were impacted by heat or required emergency cooling to maintain normal operation.
By 2070, summer temperature increases of up to 6.8ËšC are expected in the UK alongside an increased frequency of prolonged extreme heat events. Without a better understanding of how these extreme heat events will impact water company assets and associated critical utility infrastructure, and better resilience planning across systems and sectors, the impact to communities will only increase.
Are you a water industry professional who would benefit from a better understanding of extreme heat on your assets?
the goal
The aim of the CReDo Extreme Heat Project was to improve the water sector’s understanding of the impact of extreme heat on assets through the development of:
- Probalistic Asset Failure Models, supported through expert elicitation methodology to obtain data on the impact of extreme heat on assets which was not otherwise available.
- The CReDo Asset Risk Tool, an online extreme heat projection module developed for use by the water sector to forecast future extreme heat events and their probable impact on assets and systems.
who can benefit from the credo asset risk tool?
Strategic Planning – The Tool can be used to understand asset resilience and vulnerabilities to extreme heat scenarios throughout the planning cycle. This will help with prioritisation of organisational investment and decision making, and support resilience reporting.
Emergency Planning – The Tool can provide users with a better understanding of risk to assets and vulnerabilities in the instance of extreme heat scenarios such as a heatwave.
Infrastructure Design – The Tool can be used to support and inform the design of water assets. It can support resilience assessments required during the design phase and help the design team to design and deliver assets that are more resilient to extreme heat scenarios.
what’s next for the credo journey
Climate change is a systemic challenge, and it demands a systems-based solution. To-date, CReDo has demonstrated in principle the benefits of a joined-up approach and how better information and coordination across infrastructure enables providers to identify better solutions. Collaboration through connected digital twins is key to tackling climate change.
The CReDo vision is to make systems-based decision optimisation on climate change a reality. As CReDo develops, it will enable asset owners, regulators and policymakers to collaborate using the CReDo digital twin to make decisions that maximise resilience across the infrastructure system.
The CReDo Asset Risk Tool is the first step towards enabling that vision within the water sector.
For more information about CReDo’s ongoing development and opportunities to get involved, please contact credo@cp.catapult.org.uk