Buildings and other common structures designed with modern standards should last 50 years with anticipated maintenance but without major repair, and monuments and bridges should last 100 years. Therefore, buildings designed in 2020 should withstand climatic actions and extreme events expected between 2020-2070, and monuments and bridges between 2020-2120. Adapting the design of infrastructures to Climate Change is essential to minimise the risk of disasters and be cost-effective over their lifespan, and this need has been duly recognised in the new EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change.

To promote interdisciplinary collaboration between experts in the fields of climate change, structural design, standard writers and policy makers, the JRC has established a scientific network with the aim to update and harmonise the European design maps for climatic actions taking into account the changing climate.

The JRC is also participating in activities of the European Commission’s standardisation request to the European Standardization Committee (CEN) on Adaptation to Climate Change (Mandate/526), which deals with the incorporation of future climate information in infrastructures standards. As part of the Mandate 526, a workshop took place on 17-18 March 2021 addressing “climate resilience and design codes factoring in climate projections” aiming at aligning infrastructures standards with information about future climate.

Useful Links

EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change:

Mandate M/526:

Climate resilience and design codes - factoring in climate projections:

JRC Report “Expected implications of climate change on the corrosion of structures”:

JRC Report “Thermal design of structures and the changing climate”: