SuDS features

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…

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…

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…

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,…

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…

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…

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.…

As the world’s drainage challenges grow, designers are constantly looking for new ways to handle stormwater. Commonly known as stormwater controls (SWCs), a subset of sustainable drainage systems, known as SuDS (LIDs/BMPs/WSUDs), have grown popular globally. SuDS work with nature, rather than against, and can be seen as more sustainable means of handling stormwater inflow…