Rethinking Flood Risk: An Interview with NOAH’s Founders
Steve Van Haren and Chris Godsall are seated in the head office of NOAH Intelligence, looking out the window at Union Station across the street. The co-founders have very different backgrounds, but you could easily assume they’ve known each other all their lives – and might comfortably finish the other’s sentences.
“The flooding last summer – and in 2013 and 2018 – was predictable,” says Van Haren, a former Principal Water Resources Engineer with WSP. He points to the train station that was shut down last July 16th when three hours of heavy rain from trailing thunderstorms caused widespread flooding in Toronto (and $990 million of property damage).
NOAH’s Flood Risk Scorecards for Individual Properties: A Physics-based Approach
NOAH Intelligence has developed dynamic flood modeling and flood simulation technologies to provide greater accuracy and scalability for property managers, real estate agencies, insurance companies, financial institutions and municipalities. The company is on a mission to help all property owners manage the reality of their flood risk using accurate data and achievable flood defense.
What are “100-Year Flooding Events”? Does it Mean Once Every 100 Years?
For decades, the term “100-year flooding event” has been used to describe catastrophic floods that are statistically expected to occur, on average, once per century. However, this terminology is increasingly misleading in today’s world of climate change, urbanization, and shifting weather patterns. What was once considered an event with a 1% chance of happening in any given year is now occurring far more often, rendering the description outdated and even misleading in flood risk planning and communication.
Why is Pluvial Flooding the Biggest and Least Understood Risk for CRE
Flooding is the most damaging and most costly climate change risk in Canada. Asset owners planning flood defense are faced with several challenges and choices, including potential investments in dry and/or wet floodproofing, stormwater detention systems, drainage improvements, flood barriers, retention basins, as well as natural flood management options, early warning systems and guaranteed flood response contracts.
Are You Safe from Flooding?
The answer is No (and Yes).
Last July 16th, a summer rainstorm swept into Southern Ontario and seemed to pause over Toronto. Three hours later, flooding had displaced 500,000 people and caused damage that experts say could reach $4 billion (including $990 million of insured losses). That’s roughly $1.3 billion per hour of rain. A month later, another once-in-a-century storm hit Ontario just days after catastrophic flooding in Quebec resulted in over 70,000 insurance claims