Science news reports lab's efforts to predict climate change effects

Science news from the University of Bristol's School of Geographical Sciences reports on efforts to predict what effects climate change might have on the built environment.

While many estimates have been made already of the impact climate change might have on the natural environment - from melting ice caps to higher sea levels and global temperature rises - the knock-on effect on the buildings in which we live is less clear.

Now a team including University of Bristol scientists is using advanced scientific techniques to determine how buildings are likely to suffer in the years to come.

Their latest science news focuses on heritage buildings in the UK, with scanning lasers used to map terrain data at high resolution at sites including York, Winchester and Tewkesbury.

On to this data, predictions of flooding - including its expected depth and velocity - are mapped to allow forecasts to be made of the likely damage.

The impact of flooding on famous landmarks was highlighted internationally with the recent flooding of the Grand Ole Opry, the spiritual home of country music in Nashville.