Climate resilience digital twin targets data sharing in new phase

The CReDO team says it will continue its work with the UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Hartree Centre and the Data and Analytics Facility for National Infrastructure (DAFNI). They will provide the project with crucial data and cyber security expertise and provide secure hosting for the system.

The appointments signify the start of a new six-month work programme for the CReDo team. This is in combining data and insights across sectoral and organisational boundaries, to improve coordination of operational and investment decisions, mitigate the effect of flooding on network performance, and ensure reliable service delivery to customers.

CReDo looks specifically at the impact of flooding caused by climate change on energy, water and telecoms networks. But its longer-term aim is to secure the participation of new sectors to help realise an integrated infrastructure innovation ecosystem that delivers an even greater level of resilience.

Professor Kate Royse, director of the STFC Hartree Centre, said: “Trying to predict and mitigate the effects of climate change when you can only see a small part of the bigger picture is almost impossible, and therefore connected data is the key to building climate resilience. We’re excited to be continuing our collaboration with the network of CReDo partners by providing our data science expertise to explore how to work across sectors and systems to address climate change challenges.”

STFC Scientific Computing’s Dr Brian Matthews, who leads DAFNI, said: “Using the secure collaboration space that DAFNI provides, the CReDo partners can work together and share data safely, and so explore the impact of floods on our vital utility networks.

“This digital twin will help partners to provide rapid responses to emergencies and inform planning decisions, and so it will enhance the resilience of our society as we face the challenges of extreme weather as a result of climate change.”

A collaboration between UKRI, Connected Places Catapult and the Centre for Digital Built Britain funded the first phase of CReDo. Connected Places Catapult has taken over as lead organisation for this next stage of development.

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