Innovative ideas to combat the threat of flooding

Running on the 27-28 September, the he largest flood exhibition and conference in the world will showcase the innovative products and infrastructure reinventing the way that flooding across the globe is predicted, prevented and managed. GB looks ahead to the Flood Expo

With climate change increasing the risks of extreme weather and floods, finding the latest solutions to help mitigate this rising threat is something that both public and private sector organisations are growing increasingly concerned with - and for good reason. In England alone, one in six homes are at risk of flooding and 40 per cent of businesses fail to reopen after suffering a catastrophic loss due to flooding. The average person is also more likely to have their property flooded than burgled in their lifetime.

That’s why around 2,500 professionals working in flood defence, prevention, resilience and risk management will attend the Flood Expo and transform the capital into the hub of the industry over two unmissable days. This highly targeted audience will be made up of some of the brightest and most prominent minds, engineers and authorities within the flooding world; as well as decision makers from county councils, governmental organisations, major transport authorities, construction companies, and more.

These visitors will all attend looking for that flood innovation or piece of expert insight that will allow them to predict, prevent and manage a flood more effectively than ever before. The impressive profile of the audiences attracted to the show down the years hasn’t gone unnoticed by some of the most progressive and relied-upon suppliers in the flood industry - who have added their names to the growing roster of inventive organisations choosing to reveal their most recent offerings at this year’s event.

As well as getting the exciting opportunity to sell their existing products face-to-face to a room full of prospective buyers, they can also get immediate feedback from their target market on any new products launched directly to the flood sector. That’s why 200 firms working in flood mitigation, resilience and rescue will once again make up an unparalleled lineup of exhibitors; all looking to strike up partnerships with the show’s visitors.

Not only will the audience get to touch the latest flooding solutions these companies have to offer, they’ll also get to truly understand the product’s potential and evaluate its performance in the numerous live demos happening over both days of the show. These sessions will run on the banks of the Thames just outside the venue, where attendees will be able to discover first-hand the reliability and functionality of Vikoma’s latest flood barriers; ADC’s attention-grabbing vacuum tankers; Pontoon Works’ most recent offerings; Meercat Work Boats’ most advanced vessels; and much more.

Professional flooding advice
Back under the roof of the ExCeL, the impressive lineup of exhibitors is only matched by the exciting schedule of 100 expert-led, CPD-accredited seminars taking place in the show’s nine theatres.

Unrivalled in the depth of knowledge and information it offers its attendees, talking at the event will be the likes of TEN Ltd’s William Montgomery on how good storytelling can inspire flood action; the MOD’s Colonel Drummond on the department’s support in response to flooding; and the University of Exeter and Centre for Water Systems’ Albert S. Chen on flood risk modelling and assessment for community resilience. Also imparting their expertise and wisdom on the audience will be revered industry names such as the ‘queen of floods’, Mary Dhonau OBE, and Ambiental’s Daniel Cook.

The chance to hear from some of the leading experts in the flood profession doesn’t end there. In the show’s Live Debates area, panels of the brightest minds in the sector will discuss the hottest global issues surrounding the industry and highlight, debate and challenge the most advanced flood defence theories around.

Key issues impacting the flooding industry such as technology, insurance, emergency response/resilience and climate change have all been debated by the panelists in previous years; with the audience also getting the opportunity to have their say on the topics.

For those looking to make new contacts in the sector, Flood Expo provides visitors with the chance to network with flood industry innovators and thought leaders in the Environment Agency Networking Area. Here, attendees will interact with, and learn from, experts from the most prominent organisations in the UK.

As the principal flood risk management operating authority, the Environment Agency’s networking area is a fascinating educational platform for visitors - with the public body’s continued sponsorship of the zone also highlighting Flood Expo’s growing reputation. If all that isn’t quite mouthwatering enough, there is also a plethora of interactive masterclasses, one-to-one advice and insightful real-life case studies; making this the most comprehensive, exciting and influential event on the flood sector calendar.

Awarding innovation and excellence
With so many cutting-edge products, systems and services all packed under one roof, the show also houses the Flood Expo Awards. These recognise the innovations on display at the event to have made the biggest impact on how flooding is predicted, prevented and managed in the previous 12 months.

Each nominee in the three award categories - Innovation Award, Mitigation Award and Resilience Award - will get the opportunity to pitch their product to a judging panel composed of four esteemed professionals from prestigious firms, with one winner being chosen for each category.

Furthermore, a visitor’s free ticket to the show will not only give them access to the Flood Expo, but also to the two other industry-leading events running alongside the exhibition - the Marine & Coastal Civil Engineering Expo (M&CCE Expo) and the Contamination Expo Series. The close relationship between the three shows means that flood professionals will find information and innovations relevant to them and their business at all three events.

At the M&CCE Expo, visitors will find the UK’s most exciting platform for global infrastructural solutions and innovative engineering concepts in coastal and marine projects. Attracting thousands of marine and coastal engineers, flood authorities, coastal management professionals and business owners; the show gathers the foremost and economically viable solutions to challenging civil engineering projects under one roof.

The likes of Tideman Boats and Meercat Workboats will be exhibiting and running live demonstrations on the Thames, while talks by experts such as EDF’s Marine Area Construction Manager, Rob Holtom, will provide an exceptional level of industry knowledge.

In the neighbouring Contamination Expo Series is the standout event of the year for contamination professionals and showcases the latest strategies, techniques and technologies that further the protection of the environment and management of contaminated land, water and air. It’s audience is made up of high profile visitors from some of the world’s largest and most relied-upon environmental organisations and decision makers from: major international airports, councils, specialist consultancies, construction firms, and land and property owners.

With all this and more packed into one room - at the show that has become the home of innovation in the flooding sector - you can’t afford to miss this event if your work, business or land depends on you predicting, preventing and managing potential floods.