Hanson helps tackle UK’s growing flood risk

A new flood defence system from Hanson is setting the standard for innovation in offsite construction.

Hanson Floodwall™ consists of aesthetically pleasing prefabricated panels of clay brickwork, concrete blockwork or natural stone, produced offsite and offering a high quality, water tight defence.

Paul Rogatzki, head of building systems at Hanson, said: “Over 2.5 million properties in the UK are at risk of flooding and, with winters becoming wetter as our climate changes, this risk is increasing.

“Floodwall offers all the benefits you would expect from offsite construction – consistent quality, rapid onsite build times, reduced noise during construction – with the added health and safety benefits that come from minimising the time spent working next to a watercourse.”

Hanson was the first company to construct a house using prefabricated brick and block cavity walls in 2005 and, two years later, the Hanson EcoHouse™ at BRE Offsite moved this innovation on a stage further. Now the company has developed this technology to produce prefabricated wall panels for use in flood defence systems.

Hanson Floodwall™ has been used in Carlisle where, after a two-day trial, panels were installed at the rate of 18 a day, including the placement of temporary propping, pouring the concrete and striking the props.