Climate resilient church

Even if all greenhouse gas emissions were to stop today, climate change would continue to become more severe for another 30 to 40 years, due to the greenhouse gasses already in the atmosphere. After this period, the climate would slowly start to stabilise. 

It is therefore crucial that we protect our communities and buildings from existing and future climate change, and the associated severe weather events which come with it.

We need to become ‘Climate Resilient’ so we can respond to more extreme, changing weather.

Read more about climate change here. 

The following general changes in climate can be expected. The longer we keep releasing greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, the more severe and frequent they will become:-

Headline climate changes:

• Greater risk of warmer, wetter winters
• Greater risk of hotter, drier summers
• Greater risk of severe weather event

Likely changes in severe weather events:

• Increased risk of very hot days and intensity of heatwaves.
• Increased risk and intensity of droughts.
• Increased risk of intensive rainfall and flash (pluvial/urban) flooding over short periods, mainly during the summer period.
• Increased risk of high daily rainfall totals and (fluvial/river) flooding, especially during the winter.
• Reduced risk of wintry conditions, snowfall and frost.
• Increasing frequency and severity of severe weather events, including storm surges.
• Increasing rate of sea level rise.

You can find more on this on the Met Office website.
 

The first step is to check the condition of your building. Look at your past Quinquennial Inspection reports, to see what may have already been highlighted.  Discuss any points you are unsure of with your Quinquennial Inspector.

Review your existing maintenance plan, and find out if it is being followed. A well maintained and thermally insulated building will not only be more climate resilient it will also be more energy efficient and so have a lower carbon footprint (see the Practical Path to Net Zero for more details). 

Use the diagram below to learn more about the potential risks, and what actions can be taken to become more resilient.  

If changes need to be made, it would also be wise to seek advice from your church architect on any proposed alterations to the building. 

If your church contains any sensitive fixtures and fittings, such as stained glass windows or wall paintings, make sure you have checked with your DAC and any appropriate specialists about how climate change, and any actions you take in response, might affect them.

Prior to taking any of the potential resilience actions, ensure you have appropriate permission such as List B (Archdeacon’s permission), faculty or planning permission. Check with your DAC if you are unsure. 

Regarding any type of flood risk, please contact your Local Authority, Environment Agency, and water company. These organisations often work together as a Resilience Team to tackle and advice on all types of flood protection.

Below, you can find links to the recordings of these two very valuable and practical webinars on climate resilience; (1) for our buildings and (2) for our communities. 

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Webinar 1:  CHURCH CLIMATE RESILIENCE - HOW TO PREPARE YOUR BUILDINGS FOR MORE EXTREME WEATHER

Watch the recording here, from 10th November 2022

The UK climate in 2050 is going to look quite different to how it is now. We will be facing hotter summers, wetter winters, more storms and multiple other changes. This webinar recording details how we can begin the process of adapting our churches to this new climate.

Using case studies from churches large and small from across England, we discuss how changes in our climate will impact our churches, what practical steps some churches have already taken to adapt their buildings, and what kind of actions we can all take now to ensure our churches are well protected in the future. 

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Webinar 2: COMMUNITY CLIMATE RESILIENCE - HOW TO USE YOUR CHURCH TO PROTECT YOUR COMMUNITY
Watch the recording here, from 25th November

As our climate changes, many of our homes and neighbours will be affected by heatwaves, floods, and extreme winds among other impacts. This webinar looks at the role churches can play in protecting their community (enhancing community climate resilience).

Using case studies of churches that have already provided community services regularly and as a result of emergencies, we unpack what role the church has in community resilience and practical steps to create a resilience plan for your church. 

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Speaker: Chris Walsh is a researcher from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research who spent 12 months embedded in the Church of England. Chris gathered case studies of churches already dealing practically with climate change (see below) and developing guidance on these issues (to be shared here by end Jan 2023). 

• Speak to your local 'Resilience Team'; the local authority, the water company, and the Environment Agency 
• Contact your own inspecting architect.
• Get advice on your building from your local DAC Secretary. If you don’t have their contact details, look on the map here. 
• Find your local Diocesan Environment Officer.
• At a national level, contact Catherine Ross, who leads on environmental matters for the Cathedral and Church Buildings Division

• Flooding in historic buildings.
• Emergency Response Plans
• How to treat and store items after an emergency
• Lighting protection
• Webinar recording - flooding part 1.
• Webinar recording - flooding part 2
• Webinar recording - flooding, lessons from the past
• Webinar recording - Climate adaptation, whole house approach to retrofit
• Webinar recording - Assessing Future Summertime Overheating Risk

Download Historic Environment Scotland's "Short Guide to Climate Adaptation for Traditional Buildings" and "A Guide to Climate Change Impacts"

For pests, look at What's Eating Your Collection? and Integrated pest management.