Xiao, H.; Proverbs, D. G.; Joseph, R. and Adedeji, T. (2026) Property flood resilience (PFR): Exploring the experiences of commercial property owners. International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, 44(4), pp. 935-949. ISSN 2398-4708
Abstract
Purpose – This research explored the current views and experiences of commercial property owners and users towards the practice of property flood resilience (PFR) to identify the barriers and develop improved implementation strategies. Design/methodology/approach – The research adopted an exploratory approach using six recently flooded commercial properties as case studies and examined them through site visits, interviews and documentary evidence to achieve triangulation of the enquiry. Findings – The findings revealed that while PFR measures had thus far been sparsely implemented, where PFR had been installed, these had been designed to meet particular business needs and had brought about positive outcomes in reducing the impact of flooding and speeding up the recovery process. However, businesses were found to be lacking a coherent strategy and lacked the required understanding and support for PFR implementation. Research limitations/implications – This research provides robust evidence for commercial property owners and other stakeholders to facilitate improved decision-making in the design and implementation of PFR measures. This research was conducted based on six commercial properties from two UK regions and therefore the findings are limited in this respect. Practical implications – This research extends current insights into PFR and presents a much-needed in-depth understanding of issues in PFR implementation in commercial properties. This not only provides valuable lessons for commercial properties owners on how to implement PFR for effective flood risk management but also allows policymakers such as governments and professional bodies to better design incentives and support mechanisms for businesses. Originality/value – The application and implementation of PFR has focused on residential properties, and there has been a dearth of research on its application to commercial property. This paper presents the commercial property owners' flood experience and explores the potentials of PFR and the barriers to its implementation.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | case study; commercial property; flood experience; property flood resilience |
| Index terms: | flood risk management, strategy, flooding, interview, triangulation, evidence, methodology, decision-making, commercial property, owner, residential property, case study, support mechanism, recovery, implementation |
| Subjects: | research design and methodology, data collection methods, sociology, decision analysis, management, contractual arrangements, operations management, organization, construction type, evaluation and assessment methods, environmental hazards, financial risk, research methods |
| Topics: | Construction Technology, Stakeholder Management, Research Practice, Cost Management, Business Strategy, Sustainability, Procurement, Risk Management, Project Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here