The aim of the project was to develop methods to analyze and understand cascading natural hazards and their multiple effects and impacts. We designed scenarios and developed visualisations of the natural and societal consequences in a Swedish watercourse. We collaborated with secondary school students and additional public stakeholders.

A motivation for the project was to investigate how we can communicate and visualize nature-related information in a better way and change perspectives. We wanted to create commitment, interest and a sense of what is possible to achieve and thus counter and prevent feelings of helplessness.

On the RISE end of the project, the practical outcome was a web-based visualization which was designed around so called scrollytelling and which was used as an opportunity to explore the opportunities and challenges of using prominent digital tools for image generation to visualize natural events and hazards.

Participants from RISE included Arianit Kurti, Nina Lemon, Daniel Eriksson, Gustav Backhans and László Sall Vesselényi.

The quantitative modelling of the social, environmental and economic return on investments (SEROI) in social innovation aims at supporting investors and decision makers by answering questions such as:

• How much does productivity and entrepeneurship increase when modernising a region's infrastructure?
• How are jobs and CO2 emissions affected when we build a fiber network?
• What cost savings and quality of life improvements are made possible by digitalising a community service?
• How are factors such as crime, school results and social exclusion affected in a municipality or district when an area is redeveloped? What are the consequences on municipal finances?

We answer these questions and put numbers on innovation benefit. Depending on what data is available and exactly what we need to analyse, we use tools such as:

• multivariable regression analysis (top-down)
• exploratory factor analysis (top-down)
• extrapolation of descriptive models (bottom-up)

The evaluation of expected effects is characterised per definition by uncertainty, therefore we review causality and conduct sensitivity analysis in the studies where this is appropriate.

We develop models and implement them in online tools to calculate the benefits in different scenarios. Examples of customers are SKL, OECD, PTS, MfD, SSNF, and Tillväxtanalys.

FUTURE - evaluations of  PFAS-free extingushing agents

During two years, more than 100 extinguishing tests were conducted with PFAS-free extinguishing agents in the fire halls at RISE in Borås. The tests were conducted according to ICAO Level B. The tests showed that the PFAS-free extinguishing agents extinguish a liquid fire (e.g. a burning fuel) within the specified time. The results were used directly in practice by allowing the Air Force to decide to use a new extinguishing agent that does not contain PFAS. The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) was then tasked with procuring a PFAS-free extinguishing agent to be used in the new rescue vehicles (delivered at the end of 2022).