An EU Joint Research Center (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 3 degrees Celsius by 2100, Bulgaria could face total repair costs due to corrosion of 11 billion euros.

This means 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 gross domestic product by 2100, taking into account annual remediation costs of €0.2 billion.

The corrosion process caused by carbonization 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, particularly in relation to a chemical process called carbonation, which can weaken the structure over time.

The study calculates the time to onset of corrosion due to coating depletion in steel reinforcement and estimates the associated repair costs and annual welfare loss. The European Commission's proactive approach to climate risk management underlines the importance of incorporating climate adaptation and resilience into building standards, the press release said.

Bulgarian researcher Sylvia Dimova, deputy director of Building Safety and Security at the JRC, is among the authors of the study. /BTA