site.btaEU Joint Research Centre Study Reveals Climate Change Impact on Buildings in Bulgaria

An EU Joint Research Centre (JRC) study on the impact of climate change on the corrosion of Europe's reinforced concrete building stock reveals the effects of climate change-induced corrosion on buildings in European countries, including Bulgaria, the JRC press office said on Saturday.

The study predicts that under a severe climate change scenario with a projected warming of 3C by the year 2100, Bulgaria could face total repair costs due to corrosion of EUR 11 billion.

This would mean that 99% of the approximately 383,174 buildings surveyed would need repairs. The projected welfare impact is expected to be 0.23% of the country's GDP by 2100, taking into account the estimated annual repair costs of EUR 0.2 billion. The corrosion process caused by carbonation in buildings is expected to start around 2065. Under a moderate climate change scenario, buildings are not expected to be affected by corrosion.

The JRC study is the first assessment of the impact of climate change on European concrete buildings, in particular with regard to the chemical process called carbonation, which can weaken the structure over time. The study calculates the time to onset of corrosion due to the depletion of the coating on the steel reinforcement, and estimates the associated repair costs and annual welfare loss. The European Commission's proactive approach to climate risk management highlights the importance of incorporating adaptation and climate resilience into building standards, the press release states.

Bulgarian researcher Dr Sylvia Dimova, Deputy Director of Building Safety and Security at the JRC, is among the authors of the study.