Sustainable earthworks

Overview

Earthworks, like most other human activities, need to become much more sustainable. This includes minimising carbon emissions and other environmental impacts from earthworks construction; restoration of biodiversity through use of regenerative and nature-based solutions; maintaining water quality and minimising its use; preservation and carbon sequestration of topsoils; minimising use of natural resources and greater use of circular economy; and developing resilient earth-structures.

Alan and Niall are the UK’s technical experts on the CEN (European Committee for Standardisation) working group developing an important new document - the first European standard on Sustainable Earthworks. The first step in the process is to prepare a CEN "Technical Report". This will be framed around the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and will also refer to the key policy areas of the European Green Deal.

It will summarise the state-of-the-art for sustainable earthworks, some innovations which are currently being developed; and will sign-post key references. This talk will discuss some of the main themes in the development of this new document.

Programme