Sustainability

  • How professionals design rain gardens to effectively control stormwater runoff

    In the urban environment, hard or impervious surfaces often block the natural process of infiltration, which means rainwater can’t soak into the ground. One very effective solution to this problem is a rain garden, a small stormwater control installation that mimics the natural environment as rainwater evaporates, gets absorbed by plants or soaks into the ground. A…

    Drainage design

  • Our essential guide to the CIRIA 753 SuDS manual for water management

    If you’re a drainage designer in the UK, you probably already know about the CIRIA SuDS manual: To help our customers interpret these guidelines, we’ve created “A Guide to Representing SuDS in InfoDrainage”, which explains all of the settings and options in the software that can help you meet the recommendations of the CIRIA manual.…

    Drainage design

  • The role of wet ponds and infiltration basins in sustainable drainage design

    Ponds and infiltration basins are two of the most effective strategies in sustainable drainage design, offering multiple benefits beyond simple stormwater control. By capturing runoff from impervious surfaces and either storing it for gradual release or allowing it to soak back into the ground, these systems reduce flood risks, improve water quality, and recharge groundwater…

    Storm, sewer, flood
  • illustration of a soakaway sustainable drainage feature

    What are soakaways and how should they be designed?

    Evolving weather patterns and increasing rainfall lead to water and drainage challenges for homes, businesses, and infrastructure. Developers must incorporate drainage systems in their planning that can solve current water challenges and meet tomorrow’s unknown water management needs. Soakaways can create safer, more resilient communities while protecting the environment. What are soakaways? Soakaways reduce the…

    Drainage design
  • illustration of sustainable drainage project. The image shows a bioswale, which is a landscaped feature designed to manage stormwater runoff and promote groundwater recharge. The bioswale includes a variety of plants and grasses that help filter pollutants from the water. The area is green and lush, with various types of vegetation interspersed throughout. The ground has a gentle slope directing water flow toward the plants, which aids in natural water purification and absorption. The setting appears to be part of an urban or suburban environment, with some paved surfaces visible nearby.

    Smart City SuDS: How I built a practical toolbox for evaluating bioswales

    We are pleased to spotlight guest author Mariya Bodylevskaya, who discovered InfoDrainage in the course of her studies around sustainable drainage at HFT Stuttgart. She shares her experience building a framework for better understanding and evaluating the performance of bioswales in urban environments. For several years, I have studied the topic of Sustainable Drainage Systems…

    Drainage design

  • What is a bioretention system and how does it help control stormwater runoff?

    Bioretention is a stormwater management practice that harnesses natural processes to treat and manage stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces such as rooftops, driveways, and parking lots. If you live in a city, you may have seen many of these types of systems. By utilizing a combination of vegetation, soil, and beneficial microorganisms, bioretention systems capture,…

    Sustainability

  • 3 top trends from the 2025 State of Design & Make report

    Every year, Autodesk releases its State of Design & Make report. This annual report compiles the thoughts and opinions of professionals across architecture, engineering, construction, and operations (AECO), design and manufacturing (D&M), and media and entertainment (M&E). The new 2025 version of the report collected more data than ever before, surveying 5,500 industry leaders to…

    Industry news

  • How does cellular storage work for stormwater control?

    Certain stormwater controls are designed in ways that effectively divert water away from a site – but not cellular storage systems. Sometimes also called geocellular systems, geocellular attenuation tanks, or soakaway tanks, these Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS – aka LIDs/BMPs/WSUDs) capture stormwater in large underground containers for slow release. But why utilize a stormwater control…

    Drainage design

  • The benefits of porous pavement in drainage design

    Sometimes called permeable pavement, porous pavement is an innovative and environmentally friendly approach to managing stormwater runoff in urban areas. As cities have grown, the sheer number of impermeable surfaces like roads, parking lots, and sidewalks has only increased, leaving traditional drainage systems struggling to cope with the volume of runoff. It leads to increased…

    Drainage design

  • What is a swale – and how do they manage stormwater?

    Swales are essential components in modern drainage design and play a significant role in managing stormwater runoff, rainwater runoff, and promoting sustainable drainage practices. These shallow, vegetated channels are designed to slow down, capture, and filter stormwater by controlling the flow of water through the swale, reducing the risk of flooding and improving water quality.…

    Drainage design