Healthy Soil Systems in Tree Pits Are the Foundation of Climate-Resilience
When we think about the infrastructure that keeps cities running, we picture roads, drains, cables and pipes. Yet beneath our feet lies another form of infrastructure that is just as critical, though it often escapes attention: soil. In the context of urban environments, soil should be understood as an active, living system rather than simply […]
Drought today, deluge tomorrow – but there’s a solution for climate whiplash
It wouldn’t be a British summer without a crop of news platform articles about how hot, cold, wet or dry it is. And there’s more to hit the headlines than in the past, too. Britain’s summer weather patterns – so long associated with rain that jokes about a Bank Holiday correlating with a certain downpour […]
Shaping Safe Streets with Urban Trees
Cities in the UK are changing. New developments are expected to serve multiple functions, from moving people efficiently, to offering access to nature and keeping communities safe from both crime and climate-related risks. As this shift continues, there is growing recognition that trees are essential to how we build safer places to live and work. […]
The Importance of Urban Trees in Stormwater Management
When heavy rains hit urban areas, traditional drainage systems can become overwhelmed within minutes, turning streets into rivers and overwhelming sewage systems. As cities continue to expand and climate change intensifies weather patterns, this problem is only getting worse. Street trees, however, present a proven natural solution to these urban stormwater management challenges. The Problem […]
Tree Pits and Raingardens are Transforming Climate-Resilient Urban Design
Urban communities across the UK are experiencing more frequent and intense flooding events that challenge the capacity of conventional drainage networks. As weather patterns evolve, and rainfall becomes more unpredictable, traditional infrastructure approaches are reaching their operational limits. This changing landscape presents an opportunity to rethink how we manage stormwater in our towns and cities, […]
Building Resilient Streetscapes: Infrastructure Endorsed by Test Data Offers Best Value
Urban trees are fundamental to vibrant and sustainable streetscapes, offering shade, reducing air pollution, enhancing biodiversity, supporting community wellbeing, and contributing to the efficacy of nature-based drainage systems. However, while the stability and resilience of these trees in urban environments is critical, it is often overlooked. Changing weather patterns, heavy traffic and poor soil conditions […]
Why Green-Blue Infrastructure is a Win-Win for New Developments
UK construction sector insiders have been paying close attention to government announcements over the past week or so – there have been quite a number of them – and preparing to ramp up as a result. From the new homes target of 1.5 million by 2029, to the New Hospital Programme, via National Planning Policy […]
Smart, Scalable SuDS: Strength in Numbers
Climate change and urbanisation are pushing our drainage networks to the edge of their capabilities – and beyond. A combination of a preference for impermeable surfaces, population growth and more intense rainfall events (owing to climate change) has left our sewer networks struggling to cope. The result? More frequent surface water flooding, overwhelmed wastewater treatment […]
Are Sponge Cities the Future of Urban Resilience?
The concept of the sponge city has emerged as a sustainable way to tackle the mounting challenges of climate change, including the mitigation of urban flooding and offsetting the increasing difficulty of living in urban areas. By enabling the flow of natural water cycles through the use of sustainable drainage solutions (SuDS) installed on a […]
2025: The Year of Green-Blue Innovation
Last year, 2024, was meant to be a threshold moment for sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), with the long-awaited implementation of Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 in England poised to transform how new developments manage surface water. The year began with optimism, fuelled by rising awareness of (and urgency around) climate […]