Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-2020-30
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-2020-30
16 Mar 2020
 | 16 Mar 2020
Status: this preprint was under review for the journal NHESS. A final paper is not foreseen.

Beyond the stage-damage function: Estimating the economic damage on residential buildings from storm surges

Lea Skraep Svenningsen, Lisa Bay, Mads Lykke Doemgaard, Kirsten Halsnaes, Per Skougaard Kaspersen, and Morten Dahl Larsen

Abstract. Given the predicted global increase in extreme weather events, such as storm surges, the design of effective response strategies requires a very detailed and accurate understanding of the major factors driving damage costs. The costs of climate hazards are usually estimated using engineering approaches, which, based on different levels of building-specific information, link water inundation levels to the costs incurred by building owners. More recently, a number of scientific papers have pointed to the 5 limitations of such approaches because they omit important information about key context-specific factors such as emergency response options and a range of social factors reflecting age and social networks in the affected communities. This study contributes to this growing literature by providing rigorous and detailed econometric estimates of damage costs for residential buildings resulting from a storm surge that impacted large parts of Denmark in December 2013. We collected a comprehensive data set consisting of insurance cost data, the characteristics of individual buildings (size, age, construction 10 materials, heating source and distance from bodies of water), emergency services, previous experience with storm surges in the municipality and socio-economic factors. Our results indicate that the isolated effect of inundation depth on damage costs is highly sensitive to the inclusion of other explanatory variables. In our models the isolated effect of inundation depth is more than halved when our full set of control variables is included. Furthermore, our findings highlight the importance of controlling for spatial effects, such as the level of emergency services and socio-economic conditions. Discussing the transferability of our 15 findings, we highlight key sensitivities when using our damage functions in other contexts.

This preprint has been withdrawn.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
Lea Skraep Svenningsen, Lisa Bay, Mads Lykke Doemgaard, Kirsten Halsnaes, Per Skougaard Kaspersen, and Morten Dahl Larsen

Interactive discussion

Status: closed
Status: closed
AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment
Printer-friendly Version - Printer-friendly version Supplement - Supplement

Interactive discussion

Status: closed
Status: closed
AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment
Printer-friendly Version - Printer-friendly version Supplement - Supplement
Lea Skraep Svenningsen, Lisa Bay, Mads Lykke Doemgaard, Kirsten Halsnaes, Per Skougaard Kaspersen, and Morten Dahl Larsen
Lea Skraep Svenningsen, Lisa Bay, Mads Lykke Doemgaard, Kirsten Halsnaes, Per Skougaard Kaspersen, and Morten Dahl Larsen

Viewed

Total article views: 1,242 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total BibTeX EndNote
737 438 67 1,242 70 64
  • HTML: 737
  • PDF: 438
  • XML: 67
  • Total: 1,242
  • BibTeX: 70
  • EndNote: 64
Views and downloads (calculated since 16 Mar 2020)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 16 Mar 2020)

Viewed (geographical distribution)

Total article views: 1,111 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 1,111 with geography defined and 0 with unknown origin.
Country # Views %
  • 1
1
 
 
 
 

Cited

Latest update: 05 Dec 2024
Download

This preprint has been withdrawn.

Short summary
This study provides rigorous and detailed econometric estimates of damage costs for residential buildings resulting from a storm surge in Denmark, December 2013. Our results indicate that the isolated effect of inundation depth on damage costs is highly sensitive to the inclusion of other explanatory variables. Our findings highlight the importance of controlling for spatial effects, such as the level of emergency services and socio-economic conditions.
Altmetrics