Climate Risks in Focus: How DEKRA Prepares Buildings for Climate Change
Sep 16, 2026Sustainability StoriesJune this year was the hottest ever recorded in Western Europe. The consequences are visible: cracked asphalt, forest fires and health risks. Whether heatwaves or heavy rainfall, these are the extremes that, in the view of experts, will increasingly shape Europe and the world. “Such events will occur more and more frequently,” says Alexis Murgat. “That makes it all the more important to act now.” As Head of Construction Control Business Line at DEKRA, the civil engineer works, among other things, on how buildings can be adapted to climate-related risks. In Murgat’s view, climate adaptation is at least as important as climate mitigation when it comes to climate change.
In Times of Climate Risk: when Railway Stations Come Under Pressure
For Alexis Murgat, buildings are more than mere structures. They are places of work, interaction and public life. This becomes especially clear where many processes come together, for example at railway stations. “If operations slow down here, it affects a great many people at once and, in turn, society as a whole.
The railway station in Tours, France – around 250 kilometers southwest of Paris – was the focus of the first Climate Risk Assessment (CRA) carried out by DEKRA Performance & Patrimoine this year (see info box). Its proximity to the Loire increases the risk of flooding at the station in the heart of the city. At the same time, the listed status of the historic building makes structural changes much more challenging. “We cannot always influence these conditions,” says Murgat, “but there are other levers we can use.
With its Climate Risk Assessment (CRA), DEKRA evaluates how strongly sites, buildings, infrastructure and processes are affected by climate-related risks such as flooding, storms, heat, wildfires or landslides. The analysis examines both hazard exposure and vulnerability, identifies weak points and recommends concrete adaptation measures. The collaboration with SNCF Gares & Connexions was the first real-world project in which all climate risks were assessed together in a holistic way.
More information: www.dekra.com/en/analyzing-and-addressing-climate-risks
Climate Risk Assessment: how DEKRA Analyzed Tours Railway Station
To identify exactly these levers, SNCF Gares & Connexions – the station division of the French state railway company SNCF – commissioned DEKRA last May to carry out a comprehensive analysis. The aim was to gain a better understanding of the climate risks facing the station, its vulnerability to those risks and how it can adapt to changing climate conditions. The company had already commissioned a higher-level risk assessment in 2023.
Why On-Site Analyses Make the Difference
“Macro-level analyses provide a solid basis. But they rely mainly on location data and climate projections. That is helpful, but it does not automatically reveal the most important real-world issues on site,” explains Alexis Murgat. For the Climate Risk Assessment, he and his colleagues first looked at climate trends in Tours, such as heat and precipitation, over a longer period of time. In the second step, they moved on to the site itself. At the station, the team analyzed and assessed the building’s construction, materials and architecture, with a particular focus on sensitive areas. At the heart of the assessment, however, were the conversations with the people on site: office staff, maintenance and service technicians. “Together with those responsible at SNCF, we identified the facilities and operational functions that are particularly important for ensuring business continuity,” Alexis Murgat sums up.
The key finding was this: the macro-level analysis highlighted major risks mainly linked to flooding and land subsidence. On site, however, DEKRA found that heat in particular is likely to become the main challenge for the future at Tours railway station, as it is already a very tangible issue today.
1. Identify risks: What climate-related impacts threaten the site?
2. Assess vulnerability: How vulnerable are the building, technical systems and on-site use?
3. Define measures: Which adaptation steps make sense and how can they be integrated into planning?
From Analysis to Adaptation: how Climate Risks Become Concrete Measures
DEKRA’s Climate Risk Assessment does not end with identifying the risks. “In the third – and probably most important – step, we propose possible adaptation measures to the client,” explains Alexis Murgat. This includes not only a comprehensive set of specific measures and adaptation scenarios, but also an estimate of the costs involved. “That provides an important basis for decision-making.” For Tours railway station, DEKRA recommended, among other things, installing external sun protection in front of the windows. Long-term cooling solutions for the building, for example through an urban network supplying cool water, would also make sense. Given the risk of flooding caused by surface runoff, it is crucial to work closely with the municipal technical services of the City of Tours and the intermunicipal authority to prevent risks associated with the drainage system.
Our findings should not be viewed in isolation. Ideally, they become part of the client’s existing maintenance, renewal and investment plans. They are one step within long-term strategic planning.
Alexis Murgat, Head of Construction Control Business Line at DEKRA
DEKRA’s analysis forms part of the climate adaptation strategy of SNCF Gares & Connexions. It is based on the French reference pathway for adaptation to climate change (trajectoire de référence pour l’adaptation au changement climatique, or TRACC for short). This pathway assumes an average warming of +4 degrees Celsius in France by 2100.
Which of the proposed measures the French railway company will implement at Tours railway station remains to be seen. “The analyses delivered were highly relevant for us,” says Paul BENECHET, Project Director - Maîtrise d’ouvrage Emergence at SNCF Gares & Connexions. “DEKRA provided us with a demanding assessment that addressed our key challenges very well and effectively. The constructive and insightful discussions definitely added value to the project.”
Which of the proposed measures the French railway company will implement at Tours railway station remains to be seen. “The analyses delivered were highly relevant for us,” says Paul BENECHET, Project Director - Maîtrise d’ouvrage Emergence at SNCF Gares & Connexions. “DEKRA provided us with a demanding assessment that addressed our key challenges very well and effectively. The constructive and insightful discussions definitely added value to the project.”
Taking Climate Risks Seriously Before It Is Too Late
A successful premiere and a strong basis for further projects. “We are currently waiting for feedback on other possible projects for additional railway stations,” says Alexis Murgat. The next project in Marseille has already been confirmed, and more are expected to follow. After the first project, the Head of Construction Control Business Line remains convinced of the value of DEKRA’s Climate Risk Assessment. Two things matter particularly to him: “It is important to go on site and speak with the people there.” And: “Too often, we only take climate risks seriously when they are right on our doorstep. We need to be prepared before it is too late.“