Climate-Change-Ready Rooftops: NFRC Policy Position
Existing safeguards will continue to falter as extreme weather grows more frequent. One overlooked yet vital defence is sustainable roofing, which can help shield buildings from the mounting stresses of a warming climate.
The report's executive summary stated, “Adaptation is needed now to ensure that the UK is prepared for today’s extreme weather as well as the rapidly increasing severity of future risks... The costs of these impacts are already being felt, and the risks will continue to grow even if international targets to limit global warming are met. Action is needed now whilst we still have the opportunity to address these risks in a way that is both cost-effective and timely.”
The roofing sector is already investing in solving these problems. In 2021, the NFRC conducted research with the University of Southampton, examining how climate change will affect the roofs that protect current and future buildings. It found that climate change must be considered within the government’s home building and infrastructure targets. How we construct, maintain, and upgrade our roofs will be pivotal for adaptation to a wetter, warmer climate.