Smart Flood Innovations
We are a community-based project specialising in smart monitoring systems to reduce floods.
Working with Communities to Develop Smart Flood Monitoring Solutions
Climate Action, fundamental among all other sustainable development goals (SDGs), connects with some of the defining issues of our time and the environmental issues associated with the change cannot be considered in isolation.
This space focusses on narrowing down the gap in the evidence of sustainable progress in the field of risk management, the access to information, preparedness, and ownership of local communities over environmental issues.
We strongly believe in this community-driven model in which we look at the catchment as a whole and identify and involve all stakeholders in the local ecosystem.
Therefore, human centric community focused design thinking methods are adopted for finding risk reduction solutions. As a result, the data can be used (and re-used) by the different players, meaning the cost goes down and the benefits up.
Design Thinking and Impact
“Design thinking is a process for solving problems by prioritizing the consumer’s needs above all else. It relies on observing, with empathy, how people interact with their environments, and employs an iterative, hands-on approach to creating innovative solutions.”
(MIT Sloan School, 2008)
The steps for design thinking start with understanding the problem clearly, developing possible solutions and generating prototype (test and revise) by involving users. For both issues (waste and flood) which affects a community is made up of different actors.
The UK government’s focus on ‘Green Future’ (25-year Environmental Plan) emphasises looking across the whole lifecycle of environmental challenges and environmental degradation such as flood risk.
Our research area situates within the core theme of Sustainability and Environment and engages an experienced and committed multi-disciplinary team to provide cross cutting and excellent research and advance knowledge to enhance practice in the service of the society.
Recent and upcoming events
In collaboration with local communities of Kirklees, Ashton Hayes and Aston Ingham as well as Andel ltd a technology solutions company, Dr Namrata Bhattacharya Mis (Senior Lecturer in Geography and Environment) from university of Chester will be organizing the following events over the summer:
Thursday 16th May 2024
Community Consultation on Water Management in Aston Hayes Church Hall
Monday 24th June 2024
Community Consultation on Water Management in Kirklees.
Between 4th-7th July 2024
Workshop on flood risk perception and water security using immersive technology in Chester Festival of Ideas 4-7th July 2024 (exact date TBC)
Testimonials
Contact Us
If you have any questions about our work, or would like to know more about how to collaborate with us on a project, please get in touch with us.
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