Insights and Sustainability Route Map
THE HEAT IS ON FOR GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMPS
A look at the increased demand for GSHP installations
WHAT IS PAS2080 AND HOW IS IT RELEVANT TO GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERS? A detailed explanation
January 2025
Image Credit: BAM Ritchies
Q&A: DIPALEE JUKES
The AGS Magazines peaks to the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Ground & Water
Happy New Year and welcome to the bumper January issue of the AGS Magazine. I hope you all managed to take a break over the Christmas period.
Our working groups have been busy and have produced a variety of informative articles for this edition. I would like to thank everyone for their efforts. We present our AGS Piling and AGS Sustainability Roadmaps, take a look at Ground Source Heat Pumps, PAS 2080 and we hear from Dipalee Jukes about her work towards Gender Equality.
We are also pleased to anounce a renewed collaboration with the BDA to improve Health and Safety across the Geotechnical Industry.
We also have a response to ‘Thoughts from the regulatory front line: How can SiLCs and the NQMS help to get it right first time?’ The AGS supports the use of the NQMS scheme which should help to resolve common quality issues.
We have several events coming up, starting with A Client's
Guide to Cone Penetration Tests on 29th January 2025 and Effective Procurement of Ground Investigations on 26th March 2025, both free to attend for members. On 1st May we have our Annual Conference, an in-person event which will have an overarching theme of ‘The Future’. I hope you will be able to join us.
We are always on the lookout for additional, informative content for the magazine, so if you have an opinion piece, a case study, a technical article or a wider issue that you think the geotechnical and geoenvironmental public would find beneficial, please do get in touch.
We would be interested in your feedback on the magazine and our future plans. Please contact ags@ags.org.uk if you have any comments.
The Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists (AGS) is a not-for-profit trade association established to improve the profile and quality of geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering. The membership comprises UK organisations and individuals having a common interest in the business of ground investigation, geotechnics, geoenvironmental engineering, engineering geology, geochemistry, hydrogeology, and other related disciplines.
EDITORIAL
Vivien Dent, AGS Chair
Sally Hudson, Coffey Geotechnics
Caroline Kratz, Forum Court Associates (FCA)
Katie Kennedy, FCA
Julian Lovell, Equipe Group
Calum Spires, Equipe Group
David Entwisle, BGS
Chris Vincett, Retired
Lauren Hunt, Arcadis
Adam Latimer, Ian Farmer Associates
Dimitris Xirouchakis, Structural Soils
Emma Anderson, HaskoningDHV UK
EDITORIAL STORY
To submit an article for inclusion in the AGS Magazine, please contact the AGS on 020 8658 8212 or ags@ags.org.uk. Please note that articles should act as opinion pieces and not directly advertise a company. The AGS is under no obligation to feature articles or events received.
CONTACT US
Association of Geotechnical & Geoenvironmental Specialists Forum Court, The Alexander Centre, 15-17 Preston Street, Faversham, Kent, ME13 8NZ
ags@ags.org.uk
020 8658 8212
Vivien Dent AGS Chair
Association of Geotechnical & Geoenvironmental Specialists
@agsgeotech www.ags.org.uk
FEATURE
PAGE 18
COVER STORY
PAGE 21
Results from the recent AGS Sustainability Survey are shared, including the AGS Sustainability Route Map.
Response to ‘Thoughts from the regulatory front line: How can SiLCs and the NQMS help to get it right first time?'
George Baggott (AECOM); Tom Henman (RSK) and Paul Nathanail (LQM) offer a response to a recent article about SiLCs and NQMs.
WHAT IS PAS2080 AND HOW IS IT RELEVANT TO GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERS?
PAGE 28
An explanation from Michael Trubshaw of Ramboll. THE HEAT IS ON FOR GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMPS
PAGE 34
A look at the increased demand for GSHP installations.
Q&A: DIPALEE JUKES
PAGE 40
The AGS Magazine conducts a Q & A with Dipalee Jukes, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Ground & Water.
MORE INSIDE
PAGE 4
News in Short: Incl. Publication Updates
PAGE 5
Carbon Net Zero Reporting Requirement for AGS members
PAGE 13
AGS Annual Conference Update on content
In June last year the AGS Loss Prevention Working Group undertook a survey of AGS members, requesting comments on their recent and current commercial, contractual and legal issues that have affected their organisations in the past 12 months. 17 comments were received that covered a variety of topics.
Six comments were made on issues regarding Professional Indemnity (PI) Insurance and liability caps, in particular the level of PI insurance cover requested, and the ability to obtain such cover at reasonable rates.
Three comments were made on issues regarding the requests from clients for Reassignment and Collateral Warranties, such as unlimited reassignments.
There were two comments about the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations. These related to whether the organisations being requested by the client to be the Principal Contractor were the appropriate organisations to undertake that role and were competent to do so.
Six other comments were received regarding issues relating to the general trading situation. These covered changes to government policy, slow planning decisions, lack of information, increased risk, shorter programmes, increased overheads, insolvency of other companies in the project, overall project management issues, and 'pay when paid' clauses.
The members of the LPWG would like to thank all those who submitted their comments. The working group are currently reviewing these comments, and will use them to help guide the LPWG in their choice of topics for future work, including producing Magazine articles and guidance documents.
Article contributed by Murray Bateman (Director, Geo-Integrity Ltd)
The UK government has set a target to achieve carbon net zero by 2050, compelling businesses to drastically reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. To support this, larger companies are required to disclose their environmental impact through frameworks such as the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) and the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).
Companies with over 250 employees, annual turnovers exceeding £36 million, or balance sheets over £18 million must comply, reporting their energy use, carbon emissions, and sustainability strategies. This reporting covers Scope 1, direct emissions from fuel use, Scope
2, indirect emissions from electricity use, and Scope 3, business travel. TCFD also requires companies to disclose the financial risks to their business from climate change and decarbonisation.
These regulations are expected to extend to smaller companies as the UK intensifies its climate action. By the mid-2020s, mediumsized enterprises may also be required to report on their carbon footprints and implement sustainability measures. This expansion will affect members of the AGS, as they will need to adopt comprehensive environmental management practices and increase transparency in their operations.
Early compliance and proactive adaptation will be essential for AGS members. They will need to invest in cleaner technologies and enhance their sustainability initiatives to align with the upcoming regulations. This shift not only helps in meeting regulatory requirements but also positions these companies competitively in a market increasingly driven by environmental consciousness and sustainability.
The top three downloaded AGS publications in last month:
1. AGS Guide: The Selection of Geotechnical Soil Laboratory Testing
2. Bitesize Guide – EC7 Next Generation 07 – Geotechnical Reporting
3. AGS Guidance on Waste Classification for Soils - A Practitioners Guide
Recent AGS publications available on the AGS website: LPA 78 – Document Retention: Is your Document Retention Policy Sufficient?
• Safety Guidance – Unexploded Ordnance
• Safety Guidance – Access, Egress & Working Areas
• Safety Guidance – First Aid Provisions
• Bitesize Guide – EC7 Next Generation 09 – Stiffness, Compressibility and Consolidation
Bitesize Guide – EC7 Next Generation 10 – Slopes, Cuttings, and Embankments
• Bitesize Guide – EC7 Next Generation 11 – Implementation of Design
• Bitesize Guide – Movement Monitoring Data
Bitesize Guide – Foundation Selection
• Bitesize Guide – The Reuse of Building Foundations
To download the publications for free; click here.
Article contributed by Murray Bateman (Director, Geo-Integrity Ltd)
Recent changes to the Safety Schemes in Procurement reflect a growing emphasis on social value and Legal, Compliance, Risk, and Management issues. SSIP accreditation, traditionally focused on health and safety standards within the supply chain, is now evolving to incorporate broader social value considerations. This shift underscores the importance of ethical practices, environmental sustainability, and community impact in procurement processes.
Social value in SSIP accreditation involves evaluating how organizations contribute positively to society. This includes commitments to environmental sustainability, promoting diversity and inclusion, and supporting local communities. Organizations seeking SSIP accreditation will need to demonstrate their initiatives in these areas, showcasing how their operations generate
social benefits beyond mere compliance with safety standards.
Legal, Compliance, Risk, and Management issues are also receiving enhanced attention. Companies must ensure they meet legal requirements, adhere to compliance standards, and effectively manage risks. This includes thorough documentation, regular audits, and proactive risk management strategies. Integrating Legal, Compliance, Risk, and Management into SSIP accreditation ensures that organizations maintain high ethical standards, minimize legal risks, and foster a culture of transparency and accountability.
These changes in SSIP accreditation reflect a holistic approach to procurement, recognizing that organizational success and social responsibility are intertwined. By addressing social value and Legal, Compliance, Risk, and Management issues, SSIP accreditation aims to promote a sustainable, ethical, and legally compliant supply chain.
AGS members, particularly Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) companies that may not have taken Legal, Compliance, Risk, and Management or social values issues into account before, should be aware of these changes before they are required to produce evidence for accreditation purposes.
The British Drilling Association (BDA) Health and Safety Sub-Committee and the Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists (AGS) Safety Working Group have announced a renewed collaboration that will see them once again working together to improve health, safety and wellbeing in the ground investigation industry.
Members of the AGS and BDA met in London on 5th November and an incredibly positive outcome was achieved. It was agreed that in January 2025, representatives from each organization will sit on both BDA Health and Safety Committee and AGS Safety Working Group meetings, with the aim of sharing knowledge and expertise to ensure a joint approach is taken to industry guidance and practice.
Paul Breslin, Chair of the BDA Health and Safety
Committee, spoke enthusiastically about the collaboration, stating, "I am delighted that this partnership between the BDA Health and Safety Committee and AGS Safety Working Group has been renewed. By working together, we can ensure that the highest standards of health and safety are embedded across the industry. This collaboration is a significant step forward for the industry and will support both our missions to promote a safe and healthy working environment for all those who work in the sector. By sharing best practices and aligning industry guidance, the two organisations are paving the way for a safer, more secure future for the industry”.
Elizabeth Withington, Chair of the AGS Safety Working Group, welcomed the renewed collaboration, commenting that “Safety is at the core of everything we do in the industry. By the AGS and BDA working closely together there will be a deep understanding of all activities in the sector, helping to keep everyone from the newest operative to the seasoned HSE manager safe”.
As the industry prepares for this new era of collaboration, stakeholders can look forward to a unified approach that prioritises the wellbeing of all those involved in geotechnical and geoenvironmental work. With the BDA and AGS once again joining forces, a brighter future for health and safety in the industry is on the horizon.
The Procurement Act 2023 will come into force from February 2025 and it will change how public sector organisations procure services. If your work streams are based on such clients, you will probably have seen changes and requests for information where buyers are starting to implement compliance processes. If you are looking to become a supplier to such clients, then understanding the requirements of the Act will be essential, so that your business is ready. If you are unaware of and unprepared for the forthcoming changes, then your public sector work stream may be at risk.
There is plenty of information, including videos, from the Cabinet office, leader of the Transforming Public Procurement programme, on the gov.uk website.
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ transforming-public-procurement
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ procurement-act-2023-guidance-documents
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMln_ FclCKM
Some of the benefits of the new regime include the following, but it is recommended that companies familiarise themselves with and understand the changes resulting from the Act, so they can position their businesses accordingly:
Î a central platform to register and to store your core business details, for use in multiple bids;
Î improved transparency and access to information. (All public procurement opportunities published in one place to simplify searching for procurements of interest);
Î better visibility of procurement plans, engagement events and tender opportunities;
Î greater visibility on details, bidders and winners of large public sector contracts (above £5 million);
Î simplified bidding processes to make it easier to bid, negotiate and work in partnership with the public sector-including a new ‘competitive flexible’ procedure;
Î more flexible frameworks, so prospective suppliers are not shut out for a long time;
Î a new duty on contracting authorities to have regard to and try to overcome the particular barriers facing SMEs through the procurement life cycle (“levelling the playing field”);
Î strengthened provisions for prompt payment throughout the supply chain (SMEs to benefit from 30-day payment terms on a broader range of public sector contracts); and
Î a stronger exclusion system to take tougher action on underperforming suppliers.
AGS Piling is a data transfer format for piling data, which includes design schedule information, the construction record, as-built information and pile testing data. It is being developed by the AGS Data Management Working Group, in collaboration with the Federation of Piling Specialists (FPS), with support from the Deep Foundations Institute (DFI).
A roadmap for the future of AGS Piling has recently been issued. This identifies the processes and actions required to get AGS Piling ready for formal publication, before going on to look at what needs to happen to achieve the ultimate goal of establishing the use of AGS Piling in our industry, for the benefit of the industry.
The roadmap can be downloaded from here. Further information including the current draft of AGS Piling can be accessed from here.
AGS Piling is being developed by a working group made up of AGS and FPS members. We are keen to expand and strengthen the group and would be interested in hearing from piling contractors or specialists involved in pile testing or rig instrumentation. Please contact AGS if you wish to join the group or get involved in some other way, e.g. corresponding member.
The working group is also on the lookout for potential industry sponsorship or collaboration opportunities to help to push things forward a little faster. If you are able to help, or have some suggestions, then please get in touch.
To contact the AGS, please email ags@ags.org. uk
The AGS Early Careers Poster Competition is returning for a second year, this time with a new theme of workplace innovations.
This year, we’d like to see examples of innovations in your line of work designed into a captivating and eye-catching poster. Examples could include using remote sensing, incorporating Artificial Intelligence into projects, adopting innovative ground investigation techniques or practicing unique innovations in digital technology.
The poster should be colourful, eye-catching and aim to inspire businesses to become more innovative.
The winner will receive a Selfridges hamper worth approximately £100, free entry to attend the Annual Conference and Networking Reception on Thursday 1st May in London, plus have their poster and an accompanying article printed in AGS Magazine, which reaches over 6,500 industry professionals 6 times a year. All posters submitted will be displayed at the Annual Conference.
To enter, email your A4 poster alongside your full name and Company to ags@ags.org.uk. Entry closes on Friday 11th April at 9pm.
For full details and entry information visit: www.ags.org.uk/2025/01/ags-early-careers-poster-competition-2025
The organisers of Geotechnica 2025, Equipe Group, are pleased to announce the sponsors confirmed so far for the UK’s leading geotechnical conference and exhibition. These sponsors represent a wide spread of geotechnical expertise, that underscores the Geotechnica's role as a must-attend event for geotechnical professionals.
The event will take place on the 9th & 10th July 2025 at the Warwickshire Event Centre.
So far, the Gold Sponsors for Geotechnica 2025 are Davis Trackhire, GenAir, Grassform Group, John Lawrie Tubulars, and MGS. These companies bring significant industry influence and will play a prominent role in the event, showcasing their innovations and services to a wide audience.
Currently supporting the event as Silver Sponsors are QED Environmental Systems, Robertson Geo, Soil Engineering, and Structural Soils. These organisations contribute valuable knowledge and solutions across the geotechnical sector and will add depth to the exhibition.
At the Bronze Sponsor level, the lineup includes European Geophysical Services, Geoterra, Leca UK, Pebble Geo, Soil Instruments, and TerraDat. Adding further diversity and technical insight to Geotechnica 2025's sponsor line-up, all six of the current Bronze Sponsors will enhance the event’s appeal to attendees across the industry.
Equipe Group has confirmed that sponsorship opportunities are still available at all levels.
Sponsors benefit from extensive branding and engagement opportunities, enabling them to connect with geotechnical professionals and decision-makers in a focused environment.
In addition to sponsorship, almost 50% of exhibition space has already been snapped up. Geotechnica 2025 offers exhibitors a platform to present their services and solutions to a targeted audience, fostering collaboration and business development within the geotechnical community.
To support the Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists (AGS), Equipe Group is offering AGS members an exclusive 10% discount on all sponsorship and exhibition packages. This initiative reflects the organisers’ commitment to fostering connections and opportunities within the professional geotechnical network.
Geotechnica 2025 will once again bring together a diverse range of participants from across the geotechnical sector, making it a cornerstone event for professionals seeking to exchange knowledge, network, and explore the latest industry innovations.
If you are interested in exhibiting at or sponsoring the event, email info@geotechnica. co.uk to find out more information, or visit www.geotechnica.co.uk.
Date: Thursday 27th March 2025
Time: 9.30am - 1pm
Price: Tickets are £72 for SiLC Members, £32.40 for Retired SiLC Members, and £111.60 for Non SiLCs. For Affiliate Schemes the rate is £70 per ticket, with Local Authority & Other Public Sectors, Jobseeking/Graduates and Students welcome to register free of charge. All prices include VAT.
Save the date for this half day event chaired by Louise Beale, Chair of the SiLC PTP (SLR Consulting).This event will bring together industry professionals for a stellar programme of presentations and discussions.
The provisional programme includes a range of topics to support those working in the land condition sector including current issues such as climate change risk assessment updates, materials reuse updates, experiences of working on a site in the media, how we communicate risk and uncertainty and also
future considerations such as innovative remediation of PFAS and how we best apply AI and big data solutions. The event will also include an interactive panel discussion on recent changes to planning, the grey belt and brownfield development to enable land condition professionals to promote competence and technical expertise within the industry.
To register, click here. All bookings must be paid in full by Thursday 20th March to be accepted.
We have both Gold and Silver Sponsorship packages available for companies who wish to have a presence during the Annual Forum and recording. Prices start from just £450 plus VAT. For package details please email Amy on Silc@ silc.org.uk
Date: Thursday 1st May 2025
Time: 09:15 – 20:30
Location: One Great George Street, London
We’re pleased to announce that the AGS Annual Conference will return once again to One Great George Street in London’s Westminster this spring.
Chaired by Vivien Dent, this full day, CPD event will feature a series of expert speakers from across the geotechnical and geoenvironmental sector, each presenting on a topic with an overarching theme of The Future. The conference will also include short reports from each of the AGS Working Group Leaders, who will summarise their aims and accomplishments over the past 12 months.
The day will conclude with a networking drinks and canapé reception.
Confirmed speakers include Dipalee Jukes, (Co-Founder and Co-CEO at Ground & Water) who will be providing a presentation entitled, Leading from the Fringes – A Journey From Fear to Courage. Ben Gilson, (Associate, London Transport at Arup) will also be providing a presentation on AI within the Construction Industry. Further speakers will be announced in due course.
This event is sponsored by Soil Engineering, Igne, Efrigs, Pebble Geo, SOCOTEC, Brimstone, Groundsure, Equipe Group, Huesker, Envirolab, BAM Ritchies, In Situ, AFITEXINOV UK, Geosense, Geotechnical Engineering,
Landmark, i2 Analytical and Dr Sauer.
For further information on the event, or to register your attendance, please click HERE
This event will once again feature an Early Careers Poster Competition, this time with the theme, Innovations in Your Line of Work. Further details will be announced in due course.
The AGS is proud to announce that they will be donating a percentage of profits generated from the Annual Conference to Projects for Nature, an initiative which aims to restore nature recovery in the UK.
AGS Member companies are entitled to a limited number of complimentary tickets. For details, please visit the AGS website. Additional tickets are priced at £115 for AGS Members, and £185 for Non-Members (ex VAT). To register click HERE.
Students and retired AGS Members may attend the conference for £25 (ex VAT). To secure a ticket at this rate, please email ags@ags.org.uk.
Registration strictly closes at 10am on Tuesday 22nd April. All tickets are offered on a first come, first served basis.
The sold-out AGS We Need to Talk About Groundwater Conference took place at etc. venues, Manchester on 6th November 2024 with 120 delegates in attendance.
Chaired by AGS Chair, Vivien Dent, the conference had ten guest speakers with presentations looking to raise awareness of how groundwater can impact construction.
Dr Andrew Bond (Director at Geocentrix) opened the conference by explaining how groundwater pressures are determined in the Second-Generation Eurocodes. This was
followed by Will Capps (Technical Manager at Lucion Delta-Simons) who discussed groundwater and geohydraulic properties in the next generation of Eurocode. Steve Wilson (Technical Director at EPG) explored various methods of infiltration testing that are viable alternatives to the BRE365 test, and Len Threadgold (Geotechnical Adviser at Geotechnics) presented on groundwater in slopes and its relationship to stability. Dr Stephen Thomas (Founder, Director and Chair of OGI Groundwater Specialists) went on to provide a presentation on Stabilisation of Steep
Slopes in Saturated Ground using Groundwater Control & Passive Drainage Anchors.
The morning ended with a Q&A discussion with all Session One speakers. This was chaired by Claire Howarth (Senior Principal Engineering Hydrogeologist at Mott MacDonald).
In teh afternoon session, Chris Raison (Director at Raison Foster Associates) gave a brief overview of some of the updated rules and requirements of BS EN 1992-1-1:2023, FprEN 1997:2024, other British Standards and BRE SD1, and how AGS members can provide the required input and guidance for assessing groundwater. Dr Majdi Mansour (Groundwater Modeller at the British Geological Survey) went on to present on groundwater extremes under climate change, followed by Clive Everett (Technical Claims Surveying Manager at National House Building Council (NHBC)), who discussed the investigation journey of several residential basement failure case studies. Dr Martin Preene (Technical Director at Coffey Geotechnics) presented on the Challenges of Permeability Assessment for Geotechnical Purposes and the available methods to assess permeability values, and this was followed by Stephen Walthall BEM (Retired Engineering Geologist) who provided a presentation on intriguing observations and their significance in groundwater management.
The conference ended with a Q&A discussion with the Session Two speakers which was chaired by Georgina Donbroski (DirectorTechnical and Quality at RSK Geosciences).
It was a well received event and an excellent opportunity for the industry to gather, network and exchange ideas.
Following the conference, the AGS have made the decision to donate £2,500 to the Projects for Nature Midland WILD Revival fund, a project focusing on rewilding the River Blythe in Warwickshire.
This project will aim to restore the ecosystem and create climate resilience in the local area whilst also creating a haven for people to reconnect with the great outdoors in the heart of England.
Projects for Nature, an initiative which aims to restore nature recovery in the UK, believe that as a collective, we need to turn a corner towards protecting and restoring nature by recognising its value and supporting its path to recovery. They bring together a unique collaboration of businesses, eNGOs, expert environmental bodies and government to bring Projects for Nature to life and accelerate urgently needed nature recovery.
For further information please visit www. projectsfornature.com or to learn more about the Midland WILD Revival fund click HERE.
The AGS would like to take this opportunity to thank our speakers and sponsors including Geosense, AFITEXINOV UK, Landmark Information Group, Soil Engineering, BAM Ritchies, HUESKER, i2 Analytical, Groundsure, Normec DETS and Envirolab.
SPONSORED BY
Date: 26th March 2025
Time: 11:30 – 13:30
Price: Registration is FOC for AGS Members and £50 for Non-Members. Prices exclude VAT.
Chaired by Julian Lovell, Managing Director, Equipe Group, this virtual event will take place on Wednesday 26th March 2025 between 11:3013.30, and will be free to attend for members of the Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists.
Join our expert speakers, Matthew Baldwin (Independent Consultant), Neil Parry (Director, Geotechnical Engineering), Dr Phil Smith (Associate Director, Geotechnical Consulting Group), and Adam Latimer (Operations Director, Ian Farmer Associates (1998) Limited), where they will be presenting on the planning, identifying and managing risk, procurement approaches and much more in this insightful webinar.
In 2025 ICE Publishing will publish what will be a key reference document for the industry. Authored by the AGS in collaboration with the BGA and BDA, Effective Procurement of Ground Investigations is a client’s best practice guide to procuring good quality ground investigations to ensure that ground related and other risks are suitably and sufficiently assessed, and that the required data is obtained to meet the project objectives.
To register for the event, or for further information please click HERE.
We have both Headline and Associate Sponsorship packages available for companies who wish to have a presence during the live webinar and recording. Prices start from just £150 for AGS Members. For package details please email Amy Hart on ags@ags.org.uk.
Date: 29th January 2025
Time: 11:00 – 13:00
Price: Registration is FOC for AGS Members and £50 for Non-Members. Prices exclude VAT.
Join webinar Chair, Emma Bell (Senior Geotechnical Engineer at SOCOTEC Ltd) and speakers, Darren Ward (Managing Director, In Situ Site Investigation) Saeed Askarian (Principal Geotechnical Engineer, Royal HaskoningDHV) and Suleyman Bilge Parlak (Senior Geotechnical Engineer, Fugro GB at the upcoming AGS webinar, A Client’s Guide to Cone Penetration Tests (CPT’s).
This webinar takes place on Wednesday 29th January 2025, 11:00- 13:00 and will provide an introduction for those looking to gain a basic understanding of what CPT’s are and the
general requirements of CPT when specifying. Our expert presenters will also be introducing the Client Guidance Note, and as well as giving an insight into a data assessment tool.
The event will be supported with case studies and personal practical experience from the presenters and will provide a strong introduction to the concepts and terminology surrounding CPTs whilst highlight the usefulness of the new guide.
To register for the event, or for further information please click HERE.
This webinar is sponsored by SOCOTEC.
On Wednesday 25th September 2024, the AGS held a webinar on How Can We Achieve an Equitable, Diverse, and Inclusive Industry?
The webinar was chaired by Bradley Falcus (Principal Administrator at Central Alliance and Co-Chair of the RSK Pride Network) and featured presentations from Charity Rose (Engineering Geologist at AtkinsRéalis), Martin Griffin (Principal Geotechnical Engineer and EDI Advisor with GHD), Hollie Taylor (GeoEnvironmental Engineer and Co-Chair
at Women@Amey at Amey) and Ebenezer Adenmosun (Director at Geofirma and CoFounder of the Ground Forum Undergraduate Mentoring Scheme). The speakers discussed personal experiences, allyship, affinity networks and how to make positive change within organisations.
The webinar replay is free for AGS members and £50 + VAT for non-members. For more information, please click here.
Article contributed by George Baggott (Associate Director, AECOM); Tom Henman (Director, RSK and past SiLC PTP Chair) and Paul Nathanail (Director, LQM and past chair SiLC Board of Directors).
This is the second of two articles developed by the SiLC Professional & Technical Panel (PTP) regarding the standard of land contamination reports submitted through the planning system. Here the authors respond to the quality issues raised by David Carr in AGS Magazine's July 2024 issue, and explain how SiLCs and the NQMS can help.
With increasing targets to build more houses to address the housing shortage in England and beyond, and a growing focus on developing brownfield sites first, getting land contamination reports right first time is critically important. Doing so will positively impact all parts of the sector by reducing costs and cutting time to get assessments approved by regulators, as well as enabling regulators to focus their time on the more complex sites and their wider duties.
In ‘Thoughts from the regulatory front line’ 1 , David Carr set out the most common issues with land contamination reports submitted to regulators, in particular that more effort
is needed to meet the requirements of Land contamination risk management (LCRM). George Baggott’s LinkedIn article ‘Contaminated Land Reports for Planning - A Peer Review’ 2, which was informed by his experience peer reviewing reports on behalf of several Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) in England echoed David’s findings. There is also evidence from across the sector that the standard of land contamination reporting varies across the UK. The recent National Brownfield Forum (NBF) 2023/24 Sector Review Summary Report highlighted ‘a pervasive problem with the quality of reports submitted by consultants.’ Many reports were described as ‘minimum viable products, lacking in-depth analysis and leaving room for doubts about their conclusions. This often leads to prolonged back-andforth communications to resolve issues’. Respondents had varying views on the quality and competence of land contamination advice being provided.
Like many current challenges, this is a multifaceted issue. The SiLC Professional Technical Panel (PTP) has also been looking into the issue that many land contamination reports submitted under planning are not of sufficient quality to be accepted by LPAs without amendment. A Root Cause Analysis identified five key factors: a low bar for entry to the market; poor quality is not ‘punished’; developers procure on cost and speed rather than quality and value for money; acceptable standards are not well understood; and approvers can find they are out of their depth on more complex sites. A common factor is insufficient competency of those signing-off reports.
additional technical expertise, with Suitably Qualified Person (SQP) qualification sometimes specified. Others benefit from the pooled resources of councils working together, for example Worcester Regulatory Services. With on-going budgetary pressures, some LPAs are reportedly considering charging developers on an hourly basis for planning consultations. A more drastic option being considered by some LPAs is to allow reports through without review should the submitting consultant hold sufficient Professional Indemnity insurance, however, this poses significant risks both of potential LPA liability and reputational damage should sites not be assessed or remediated adequately. On the other hand, high quality work can enhance reputation, provide citizens with confidence and expedite property transactions.
“ On the other hand, high quality work can enhance reputation, provide citizens with confidence and expedite property transactions.
A suitable framework that provides a consistent approach to the quality of land contamination reports already exists in the National Quality Mark Scheme for land contamination (NQMS). The NBF Sector Review recognised this, but responses indicated that more should be done to widen its acceptance, particularly within the regulatory community.
Focus is inevitably turning towards solutions. Some LPAs employ external peer reviewers to share the workload or provide access to
Evidence-based risk assessments form the core of LCRM and supporting technical guidance, and the NQMS criteria are closely aligned to this. As part of the process, the SQP has to complete a form with the NQMS ‘Appendix 1’ criteria before signing the declaration of a report’s adequacy. The table below illustrates how the NQMS process can help address many of the common quality issues in reports that have been raised. In summary, the NQMS scheme has been designed and implemented to resolve common quality issues in reports and underlying
Competency of those involved in collecting data. writing, assessing and technically reviewing reports
The assessment needs to set out the applicable legal context (e.g. planning or Part 2A) and its specific aims and objectives.
Checking suitable competency for this is a mandatory element when SQPs are completing declarations under the NQMS.
The NQMS ‘Appendix 1’ sign-off criteria require this be clearly set out along with confirmation of a robust data gathering, site investigation design and risk assessment given the legal context.
Bringing together complex, sometimes contradictory, data to inform the overall site assessment; the importance of developing and presenting the CSM, including uncertainties, and taking only relevant potential contaminant linkages through each risk assessment stage.
Specific aspects to be considered at each phase, including historical land use data, justifying the scope and rationale of the investigation, justified use of statistics in QRA.
Consideration of limitations and uncertainties in the assessment; for example no access to areas pre-demolition, and for all elements of remediation strategies.
These skills are among the SiLC criteria met by candidates qualifying as SiLC and SQP. The NQMS ‘Appendix 1’ sign-off criteria include confirmation that all information has been presented and summarised clearly and understandably.
These aspects and more form part of the NQMS ‘Appendix 1’, which has sign-off criteria for all reports and each report type.
factors, such as competency. These must be addressed during the sign-off process by the SQP. SiLC continues to audit NQMS annually and to apply any lessons to continually improve the scheme.
The NQMS is not intended to replace regulatory scrutiny but it can certainly help to get reports right first time. In fact, from a regulatory perspective, requesting use of the NQMS has no obvious drawbacks. It would push the costs for making sure these reports are adequate back to the planning applicant/ consultants before the reports reach the regulator. Reports that comply with the NQMS would reduce the
It is mandatory for NQMS reports to clearly highlight relevant uncertainties/ limitations along with the implications for any conclusions drawn. In the authors’ opinion, this is a key area of added value in NQMS reports.
regulator review time and ‘back-and-forth’ with consultants to address technical queries. By extension, this would also have a positive impact on the getting both brownfield and greenfield sites developed more quickly and safely, and would contribute to the pressing societal need to build more housing.
1. Carr,D. 2024. Thoughts from the regulatory front line. AGS Magazine, July 2024 pp 14-16
2. Baggott, G. 2024. Contaminated Land Reports for Planning - A Peer Review
The first aim of the AGS Sustainability Working Group is to advocate for and promote sustainable good practice within the geotechnical and geoenvironmental industry. To enable the AGS to understand the specific needs of the membership with respect to sustainability, earlier this year we asked the AGS membership to complete a sustainability survey. The results were assessed and compared to the contributions the AGS already makes as a basis for a ‘Sustainability Route Map’ that will give a direction and focus for
the AGS’s sustainability work over the coming year.
This article discusses these results based on AGS membership responses, provides the outcomes of our analysis and presents the AGS’s Sustainability Route Map.
The AGS already works in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), as defined in Table 1. In the past two years, 36 articles, 27 presentations, and 16 publications have been presented that embody one or more of the UN SDGs to further the AGS’s contribution to sustainability within the industry.
Table 1: The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, interpreted by the AGS for the sustainability survey.
The AGS has used its platform to educate its members and magazine readership, covering topics such as health and safety and innovation in industry. For instance, the AGS wrote an article on mental health in the industry, named ‘Under Pressure – Talking About Mental Health and Suicide to Create a Safer Workplace’, addressing SDG 3 – Good Health and Wellbeing. The AGS has also written Safety Share publications to provide lessons learned from health and safety incidents, alongside Safety Guidance notes, advising on PPE use, occupational health risks, and managing mental health.
The AGS has also showcased sustainable technologies. For instance, the article ‘Net Zero: The Use of Timber Piles’ summarised
how embodied carbon in piling can be reduced through material selection, addressing SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, alongside SDG 12 – Resource Consumption and Production. The AGS has additionally established its Development Fund, which can be used to support the development of more sustainable solutions.
The AGS has committed to educating those early in their careers and creating new pathways into industry. Of note, the AGS has supported the Ground Forum Undergraduate Mentoring Programme, which connects students to industry mentors, alongside the Geoscience Degree apprenticeship programme, contributing to SDG 4 – Quality Education, and SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities.
Figure 1: How do the AGS Sustainability Working Group activities align with the UN SDGs?
The AGS has additionally held conference presentations addressing several UN SDGs. Namely, the AGS has highlighted how AGS data can be better used at the 2022 Data Conference, contributing to innovation and greater collaboration within industry, fulfilling SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals. Likewise, the AGS has presented on climate action in the industry, with the AGS Annual Conference 2024 focusing on future-proofing foundation design against climate change impacts, and carbon calculation, addressing SDG 11 –Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 13 – Climate Action.
The AGS Sustainability Working Group (SWG) is currently aligning the AGS’s contributions further to the UN SDGs. The current activities of the working group have been mapped out according to the UN SDGs, with the percentage contribution of the total output in the form of AGS articles, guidance notes and conferences from the working group assessed against the SDGs. The results are summarised in Figure 1.
The AGS SWG is currently making the greatest contributions to SDG 4 – Quality Education, SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 13 – Climate Action, SDG 16 –Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, and SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals.
The AGS SWG is contributing to the sustainable education of its members through delivering webinars and developing carbon literacy training, educating on how resource circularity can be increased in industry (i.e., through foundation re-use, ground remediation, recycling of instrumentation for GI), and highlighting innovation in industry.
Additionally, the AGS SWG is developing an internal sustainability policy, with a focus on improving data collection to ascertain the carbon footprint associated with its activities, and running more sustainable events through catering decisions and accommodating hybrid attendance.
A sustainability charter is also in development, which the AGS intends to align with the Federation of Piling Specialists, as part of embracing partnerships to achieve the UN SDGs. The AGS is contributing to the Climate Resilience and Adaptation Guide under development by the EFFC and DFI, and working with the Ground Forum Sustainability Group, to increase collaborative contributions to sustainability across industry.
A survey was developed by the AGS SWG to consider what industry members want from the AGS with regards to sustainability, in order to better tailor the AGS’s output to what its members want.
Figure 2: How respondents rate the SDGs as priorities for their teams.
Figure 3: How respondents rate the SDGs as priorities for their stakeholders.
Figure 4: How respondents feel they can realistically impact each SDG.
Figure 5: What respondents think should be sustainability priorities for the AGS.
The AGS Sustainability Survey asked respondents what they rate as sustainability priorities, and what they want the AGS to prioritise moving forward, considering the UN SDGs.
Out of 187 members, 36 respondents filled out the survey, rating how high of a priority (on a scale of 1-5, where 5 is ‘High Priority’) each SDG is to them for each question. Out of the respondents, 16 were consultants, eight were contractors, and the remaining were other industry representatives. Priority scores for each SDG were calculated by multiplying each priority score by the number of respondents who selected that score and summing up the results.
The first question was ‘How do you rate the following SDGs as priorities for your geotechnical/ geoenvironmental team?’.
rated SDGs which industry prioritises and views as most accessible to impact were determined. These are, in descending order: SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing; SDG 13: Climate Action; SDG 4: Quality Education; SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production; SDG 5: Gender Equality.
It is unsurprising that SDG 3 was found to be the highest priority, considering the drive in industry to uphold high standards of health and safety. SDG 3 is also straightforward to impact - internally companies can implement wellbeing initiatives, and projects can cater to the wellbeing of end-users.
“ As the industry is increasingly embracing ED&I (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion), SDG 5 is becoming a greater priority.
The highest priority was found to be SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing, followed by SDG 5: Gender Equality, and SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.
The next question asked was ‘How do you rate the following SDGs as priorities for your stakeholders?’. The highest priority was found to be SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing, with SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, and SDG 13: Climate Action, shortly following.
The survey then asked ‘How can you realistically impact each SDG in your geotechnical/geoenvironmental team?’. SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing was found to be the highest priority again. This was followed by SDG 4: Quality Education, and SDG 5: Gender Equality.
From the analysis conducted, the five top-
Similarly, SDGs 12 and 13 rating high as priorities is logical as sustainability dialogue is ever-increasing in the industry. SDGs 12 and 13 can be impacted through decisions to reduce resource usage in projects, and alignment with UK legislation including carbon management.
As the industry is increasingly embracing ED&I (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion), SDG 5 is becoming a greater priority. SDG 5 is straightforward to impact, too, as gender equality can be promoted through internal ED&I measures, mentoring and recruitment processes.
Finally, SDG 4 being a high priority is expected due to the need to educate the new generation of geotechnical/geoenvironmental engineers. Education can be accomplished through training of staff and supporting those early in their careers.
Respondents were then asked about which SDGs the AGS should prioritise, and what they would like the AGS to do moving forward. The top SDGs were found to be SDG 4: Quality Education; SDG 13: Climate Action; and SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.
6: Plot comparing what the AGS is doing with respect to sustainability to what its members want.
The top SDGs were found to be in line with written suggestions made by the respondents. Broadly speaking, respondents asked for:
Î Sustainability education (SDG 4 – Quality Education) including: guidance on sustainable GI; information on sustainable solutions; and knowledge sharing/webinars.
Î Support in carbon reduction (SDG 13 –Climate Action) including: advice on reducing fossil fuel usage; support using new energy technology; and verification of new methods to reduce emissions.
Î Alignment of the AGS with other bodies (SDG 9 –Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, and SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals) including: joining Engineers Declare; and encouraging members to become certified Carbon Neutral Companies.
sustainability work over the coming year.
The results of the AGS survey have been used to inform the creation of the AGS Sustainability Route Map. Figure 6 shows a plot comparing what the AGS are currently doing, to what its members want the AGS to be doing, which has informed the sustainability priorities of the AGS moving forward.
“ A comparison has been made between the SDGs that the AGS contribute to and the SDGs that the members want the AGS to focus on, to [...] inform how the AGS should prioritise SDGs moving forwards.
The AGS Sustainability Survey results and recommendations have been used to inform the AGS Sustainability Route Map, that will give a direction and focus for the AGS’s
A comparison has been made between the SDGs that the AGS contribute to and the SDGs that the members want the AGS to focus on, to determine any differences between the two and inform how the AGS should prioritise SDGs moving forwards. Broadly speaking, the five top SDGs that the members want the AGS to prioritise, which the AGS are not already doing to a significant degree, have been found to be: SDG 5 – Gender Equality; SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy; SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities; SDG 14 – Life Below Water; and SDG 15 – Life on Land. These SDGs
can be split into a focus on ED&I, clean energy, and biodiversity, to include soil health and sustainable remediation of contaminated land.
Impacting Gender Equality and Reduced Inequalities is not directly part of the work that the AGS SWG does, as the group is not an ED&I-focused network. The AGS are working to increase their contributions to ED&I broadly and through other working groups (primarily the Business Practice Working Group) which are more relevant. Therefore, these SDGs (5 & 10) will not form part of the Sustainability Route Map.
Additionally, SDGs that the AGS are already prioritising but that members want to see the SWG focus more on include: SDG 3 –Good Health and Wellbeing; SDG 4 – Quality Education; SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth; SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production; SDG 13 – Climate Action; SDG 16 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions; and SDG 17 – Partnerships For The Goals.
Four SDGs that members did not rate as priorities included: SDG 1 – No Poverty; SDG 2 – Zero Hunger; SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation; and SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities.
The AGS are already contributing to SDG 6 and SDG 11, and so perhaps members feel that these SDGs are already sufficiently prioritised by the AGS. It may also be the case that members feel they can’t impact these SDGs due to uncertainty over the definitions. However, SDG 11 can be linked to community social value work, which geotechnical and geoenvironmental consultants certainly
contribute to through their work. An industryspecific definition list for each SDG, with examples, could change the priority score for these SDGs.
Moreover, SDGs 1 and 2 are less technical and can be covered by other business lines, as there is less that geotechnical and geoenvironmental specialists can do directly to impact poverty and food access, aside from the overall outcomes of their projects. Social value initiatives also contribute to these SDGs, and so other working groups more relevant to these SDGs can impact these too.
Therefore, by assessing the gap between what the AGS currently does and what members want it to do for sustainability, we can conclude that the focus for the AGS Sustainability Route Map will be:
Î SDG 7 – Clean Energy;
Î SDG 12 – Circular Economy;
Î SDG 13 – Climate Action;
Î SDG 14 – Life Below Water; and
Î SDG 15 – Life on Land.
The AGS will prioritise these SDGs through writing articles and technical notes on topics such as how clean energy, biodiversity, soil health, sustainable remediation of contaminated land, and the circular economy can be embedded in design and construction work, holding conferences and network meetings to allow for knowledge-sharing, and reducing embodied carbon from internal operations. The AGS Sustainability Route Map will no doubt evolve over time as we explore these important topics further and gain more insights from our AGS membership.
The full name is PAS2080:2023 Carbon Management in buildings and infrastructure, which gives a good basic idea. It is a ‘Publicly Available Specification’ that defines good practice standards for the carbon management process. It is globally recognised and authored by the Construction Leadership Council, the Green Construction Board, the ICE and BSI, for the management of carbon in construction projects. .
Carbon management is similar to financial management but instead of £, $, and € the
currency is tCO2e, which translates as tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. A standard ‘equivalent’ unit is required as there are a number of greenhouse gasses attributed to global warming with different ‘global warming potentials’ (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxides, etc.). To make the effect of all these gasses comparable they are converted to the amount of warming that is caused per unit of CO2. The CO2e emissions may be released from a range of sources including burning fossil fuels, decomposing biological material, land use change, melting permafrost, and drying out and erosion of soils.
Now that the currency is sorted there is also a budget, and this is set at different levels. There is a global carbon budget for limiting global warming to 1.5°C and likewise for 2.0°C,
unfortunately, we have nearly already used up all the budget for achieving 1.5°C. There are also national carbon budgets to meet national targets. Most countries and even local authorities have “Net Zero” targets where they aim to be carbon neutral by a given year such as 2050. We can then set carbon reduction targets on projects that align with the Net Zero ambitions of the Client and wider project team. Carbon management is thus the methodology of how we can limit our “spending” of carbon to achieve these targets. Much like financial management the more detail you get into the more complicated it can get, and questions of where to invest your carbon and where is best to cut carbon are multifaceted and complex questions that often contradict other sustainability ambitions or project constraints. One important difference with the financial comparison, however, is the overall goal is always to reduce the carbon budget and reduce the amount of carbon emitted or spent. Unlike finance where the general aim is the never-ending growth of
profit and financial capital.
“ Much like financial management the more detail you get into the more complicated it can get...
What PAS2080 does is provide a framework and process around managing projects and their use of carbon. It is not prescriptive to specific engineering disciplines and does not dictate any calculation methods. It does, however, provide a base, that practitioners can build upon, to develop their discipline specific engineering solutions that use the least amount of carbon. It does not tell you what to build, but more that reducing carbon should be built into the decision-making process. For example Figure 1 shows how we can achieve greater carbon savings by Switching than Improving and yet more by Avoiding hence the hierarchy of decision making advised is always to try Avoiding first then Switching then Improving.
PAS2080 applies to and links all value chain members from asset owners and managers, designers and constructors to product/
material suppliers. Each value chain member and practitioner has different responsibilities, however, there are overlapping requirements that are common to all roles. The general process consists of quantifying the estimated embodied carbon (the tCO2e spent through the production of materials, their transport to site, and onsite activities) of the project in a baseline assessment. Then setting targets to reduce this and undertaking iterative assessments as the design develops looking to continually improve the carbon reductions. A core principle of the PAS, is working collaboratively to reduce carbon across the value chain and reporting on the results. A key part of the assessment and quantification of embodied carbon is undertaking lifecycle assessments that incorporates the BS EN 15978:2011 standard which distinguishes between construction stage (A1 – A5), use stage (B1 - B7) and end of life stage (C1 – C4) emissions.
Ground Engineering is not isolated from PAS2080 and can make a huge contribution to managing carbon on projects. We 'spend carbon' just like any other discipline, every tonne of concrete and steel in construction costs carbon in their production, transportation, and installation. Every tonne of soil excavated and transported spends carbon in the plant/ truck emissions.
“ A core principle of the PAS, is working collaboratively to reduce carbon across the value chain and reporting on the results.
PAS2080 provides the framework for how we can reduce this carbon expenditure.
Updates from PAS2080:2018 version include a more integrated approach to the wider built environment realising that the most effective solutions require systems thinking to be fully successful. For example by using naturebased solutions that have multiple benefits across multiple different systems, such as improved drainage leading to greater resilience to flooding and climate change, as well as increased local biodiversity helping to restore nature and improve the wellbeing of local people.
A further update is that the Whole Life Carbon of an asset is considered, so that we can quantify and manage the carbon required to build, maintain, use, and then finally manage the end of life of the asset.
How does PAS2080 apply to Ground
PAS2080 does not say what solutions geotechnical engineers should use, but it does explain the general principles that geotechnical engineers should follow to reduce carbon. For example, accurate accounting for the carbon used across the whole life cycle, following the carbon reduction hierarchy (avoid-switchimprove), using nature-based solutions. It is up to us as engineers to apply this framework to Ground Engineering and apply the solutions that comply.
The application of PAS2080 in a Ground Engineering context could look like the following. A baseline carbon assessment is undertaken that includes the substructure for a proposed development; this will be based on early assumptions such as that the development is a 5-storey building including a 1-storey basement on clay in a brownfield site, so we are probably going to need piles of Xm length. A hot spot analysis of the baseline assessment could find that the concrete and rebar used in the piles is where the biggest geotechnical associated carbon costs are. The responsibility of the geotechnical team is to find ways to reduce the carbon of the substructure solution. Applying the carbon reduction hierarchy, we look to build nothing
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first, so can we reuse existing foundations and utilise performance based design methods such as the observational method for the existing basement retaining walls to try and avoid spending carbon on additional structural elements by utilising increased monitoring, and hence enabling a leaner design? If not, can we switch to an alternative design that uses less carbon such as shallow foundations and ground improvement? If this isn’t an option, can we look to improve our design by doing additional soil testing and pile testing so we can reduce the size or lengths of the piles? Finally, can we look at replacing the materials to lower carbon, reusable, alternatives such as low carbon concrete and recycled steel. Further improvements can be found by reducing waste by utilising DfMA (Design for Manufacture and Assembly). The carbon savings of each of these changes will be quantified throughout the design process.
Collaboration is also vital throughout the process, designers and contractors need to speak to concrete suppliers to understand
what mixes are available. Geotechnical Engineers need to speak with the structural engineers to understand if layout changes can help reduce the loading on the piles, hence reducing the required capacity and pile length. These changes and solutions are all common concepts in our sector primarily as ways to save money, but they also save carbon. The final solution will take into account other factors such as cost, programme, constructability etc. but often cheaper in cost equates to cheaper in carbon and PAS2080 helps to quantify and highlight this fact. By applying PAS2080 we can observe how the biggest carbon and cost savings can be made earlier on in a project which is why the process needs to start at the very beginning.
PAS2080 provides a project management level framework and process that is going to be increasingly used in construction, facilitating the reduction of carbon and achieving Net Zero. Companies will need to be PAS2080 certified to act as a Tier 1 contractor on National Highways projects from 2025. This is a sign
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of things to come with carbon reduction increasingly becoming a part of contract requirements and performance specifications. As crucial members of project teams, geotechnical engineers will be contributing to this either directly or indirectly. Having a basic understanding of PAS2080 will help geotechnical engineers collaborate with their colleagues on the wider project team. We will also be contributing directly by developing and implementing designs to make the actual carbon reductions following the principles in PAS2080. Much of the geotechnical engineer’s role will be business as usual with carbon reduction just another factor to consider. We do, however, have great potential to contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions in the construction sector, and we should be continually looking to push the envelope of what is possible and come up with innovative, boundary pushing designs in the name of sustainability and carbon reduction. Advocating the use of new and innovation products, and perhaps taking inspiration from the 2023 Geotechnique lecture (Accessible here: https://www.ice.org.uk/events/past-
events-and-recordings/recorded-lectures/ vegetation-solutions-into-geotechnicalengineering-design) and bring vegetationbased solutions into geotechnical engineering design.
We have been given a new framework to follow, but the role of engineers, including geotechnical engineers remains the same. We need to solve problems and design the best possible solutions. It’s just now the problem includes climate break-down and the best solutions are the ones with the lowest Whole Life Carbon.
2023. BSI. PAS2080:2023 Carbon Management in Buildings and Infrastructure
2023. Construction Leadership Council, The Green Construction Board. Guidance Document for PAS 2080.
2023. ICE. Guidance Document for PAS 2080.
Article contributed by Dr Anna Hitchmough (Carbon Zero Consulting - an RSK Company)
Heat decarbonisation is a hot topic (pun intended!) due to the Government's pledge to achieve Net Zero by 2050. According to the Department for Energy approximately 40 % of the UK’s existing energy use comes from heating and 'heat pumps and heat networks will be the primary means for decarbonising heating over the next decade'. Therefore, Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP) are an important part of the decarbonisation transition. Carbon Zero Consulting (an RSK company) have the benefit of over 25 years' experience working in this field as illustrated in the case studies below.
Heating and cooling
In heating mode, GSHP works by using
electricity to amplify a few degrees of (renewable) heat taken from the ground or surface water into a temperature useable within a building or process in the same way as water heated by a fossil fuel gas boiler for space heating and hot water. The efficiency of a GSHP is measured in terms of the Coefficient of Performance (COP). The COP of a boiler is always less than 100%. A heat pump provides efficiencies in excess of 350%, and often much higher where both heating and cooling are supplied.
In cooling mode, GSHP takes heat from buildings and returns it to the ground where it can be stored for future use via the heat pump system.
There are two main types of GSHP: open loop and closed loop. Both types have their advantages and specific design considerations.
Carbon Zero Consulting established from an initial test borehole that a closed-loop borehole system was not viable as very strong artesian pressure was identified within the underlying rock formations of the Millstone Grit Group. Drilling of a large number of closed-loop boreholes was judged to be not technically possible. The concept of using groundwater in an openloop GSHP system was developed in parallel with a third borehole to supply hot water for the hotel and spa facilities.
Open loop systems extract heat from a flow of water taken from bodies of water such as underground aquifers, lakes, flooded mine workings, rivers, and estuaries; before returning the water to its source (non-consumptive) or, more rarely, discharging the water to another location (consumptive).
Calderdale Council were progressing a farreaching project to replace oil and gas-fired boilers in a number of their large public buildings. An initial viability assessment identified two listed properties as being candidates for installation of closed loop ground source heat pump (GSHP) renewable heating systems. A test borehole was designed and drilled at each site and a thermal response test (TRT) performed on each to measure the thermal conductivity of the drilled formations. The results of the TRT were then utilised within a closedloop design model to derive borehole array solutions. The test results and geological appraisals were utilised within design-andbuild tenders issued to candidate installers.
“ Closed loop systems don’t need a direct source of water and instead take heat from the ground or water source via conduction via a ‘closed loop’ of pipe containing a heat transfer liquid.
Closed loop systems don’t need a direct source of water and instead take heat from the ground or water source via conduction via a ‘closed loop’ of pipe containing a heat transfer liquid. A closed loop system using the ground can use boreholes, pile foundations or shallow trenches.
Applications Where carbon saving is
A new aquifer-fed open loop heat pumpis being designed to offer the council an effective route to decarbonising its estate with an initial focus on the Hexagon Theatre. Testing of the aquifer shows that the aquifer is capable of producing enough water to provide much of the heat and cooling required by the theatre. Once complete, the new infrastructure is estimated to save over 500 tonnes of CO₂ per annum.
the main driver, GSHPs can be used to service individual residential homes; but in today’s energy climate the real financial efficiencies occur when applying them to larger district schemes supplying groups of commercial, residential and or public owned buildings. In this way costly underground infrastructure can be shared. The benefits of moving towards district schemes is supported by the government, who expect that heat networks, which currently provide around 3% of heat, could provide about 20% by 2050 (DesNEZ, April 2024 Heat networks regulation – consumer protection Government response).
Carbon Zero provided a detailed assessment of the viability of a GSHP system and reviewed the potential for either closedloop or open-loop boreholes. Drilling of a very large number of closed-loop boreholes within the underlying chalk aquifer was judged to be not technically possible as the chalk is highly fractured and difficult to support while drilling. The concept of using an open-loop GSHP system was developed. Altogether, 4 abstraction and 4 injection boreholes were drilled to a nominal depth of 30m within the chalk aquifer. Test-pumping of the 8-borehole system was a highly complex undertaking, but successfully determined that a groundwater flow rate sufficient to provide the peak heating (and cooling if required) was available from the 4-borehole abstraction array.
such as universities, schools, local councils, and hospitals, as well as large scale house builders and agricultural clients who use GSHP to heat or cool greenhouses.
“ As heat pump technology develops, the outlet water temperature which can be achieved can rival that of a traditional gas boiler...
Some of the early adopters of district heating schemes in the UK are Government Estates
GSHP can be used in both retrofitted older properties (even listed buildings) and newer, more energyefficient buildings. As heat pump technology develops, the outlet water temperature that can be achieved can rival that of a traditional gas boiler, which reduces the need to replace radiators and install underfloor heating. There is an impact on GSHP system efficiency, with higher temperature output, however, if there is a good balance of heating and cooling, the system efficiency can be extremely high.
Surface water river bed mounted abstraction/discharge system
Other potential users for heating and/or cooling include hospitals, warehouses, underground sport pitches, swimming pools, shopping centres. The list is endless.
With a borehole scheme, the surface footprint of an open-loop borehole system may be as small as a couple of approximately 3m square manholes, which are connected to a plant room containing the heat pumps via underground service pipes in normal service trenches. An array of closed-loop boreholes, once drilled,
“ With a borehole scheme, the surface footprint of an open-loop borehole system may be as small as a couple of approximately 3m square manholes, which are connected to a plant room containing the heat pumps via underground service pipes in normal service trenches.
are buried and not seen again. The depth and area of boreholes or trench required depends on the geology and constraints of the site and the amount of heat (and cool) required. An open loop scheme requires the presence of an underground aquifer and will require only a few boreholes compared to a closed loop scheme, although open-loop boreholes are of a very different design and cost. For an above ground water-source scheme, a heat collector, or a means to abstract and return water, will need to be installed in the
target surface water feature.
The best solution will be determined by carrying out a feasibility study that looks at the ground conditions and amount of land available compared to the energy demands of the project. The design can be further refined by thermal and/or geological modelling following field tests which measure and refine estimates of the amount of renewable heat available.
Innovative ways of incorporating GSHP into existing schemes include inserting closed loop heat collectors within building structural piles or other existing infrastructure such as tunnels. This is best considered during the project planning and feasibility phase; so that opportunities are not lost. The amount of heat energy that can be obtained from thermal piles is limited because pile depths are generally very shallow (circa 20m compared to a closed loop borehole which could be 200 or 300m deep).
a protected right to abstract water for heating and cooling. There are plans to modify these regulations and streamline the process, which are due to come into force in the next 2 years.
Until recently closed loop schemes were not regulated in England. However, under modifications to the Environmental Permitting Regulations, some restrictions are now in place in areas considered to be particularly sensitive, such as large schemes adjacent to important wetlands.
Regulatory requirements can be identified at the feasibility stage.
“ The design can be further refined by thermal and/or geological modelling following field tests...
There are clearly a lot of opportunities related to GSHP for geotechnical and geoenvironmental specialists in the future. For example, the geological data collected during ground investigations can be used to contribute to feasibility studies and test open or closed loop boreholes could be constructed as part of a detailed ground investigation. The sooner building decarbonisation is considered within a project lifetime, the more efficient it will be to incorporate its inclusion into construction projects.
Open loop schemes are currently regulated under existing abstraction and permitting laws, which can need professional help to manage the process from inception through to issue of the formal licence and/or permit. However, in most cases, the process results in a licence being granted, which gives the user
Perhaps your next site will be suitable to include closed loop borehole collectors into building piles to provide some of the heat/ cool solution or you could tap into a district GSHP scheme to reduce your project’s carbon footprint.
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M.Geol., FGS, MIEnvSc.
Job Title: Co-Founder,
Co-CEO
Company:
Ground & Water
Brief Biography:
Dipalee is Co-Founder/ Co-CEO of Ground & Water, a ground engineering consultancy, founded in 2009 alongside her university friend, Francis Williams.
Dipalee’s a South Asian business leader, mum of three, geologist, engineer, co-host of the Chai & Chat Engineering podcast, school governor, speaker on STEM and female leadership, gender equality advocate, on the inclusion list of Inspirational Business Women in STEM & Construction and Everywoman’s Entrepreneur for Good in 2023.
Her purpose in life is to work towards Gender Equality. She’s passionate about inspiring and empowering girls, women, and women of colour into the industry, and supporting them in their careers.
What or who inspired you to join the geoscience industry?
I chose this career because I have always enjoyed geography for as long as I can remember. I always loved learning about the world and a favourite pastime of mine was studying maps! During secondary school, I had an inspiring geography teacher named Mr Vasilli. I enjoyed the physical geography aspects (e.g. volcanoes, earthquakes, plate tectonics) and when I was 15, I remember watching and enjoying the Royal Institution's Christmas lectures, which naturally led me towards geology although I didn’t study the subject until university.
Coming out of university, I struggled to work out what career path I wanted to take. I eventually found out that geotechnical and environmental engineering covered some of what I had learnt at university, as well as being very practical, dealing with problem solving and being creative. Francis, my friend and later business partner, was already working at a geotechnical consultancy in the South-East and told me
about a vacancy.
What does a typical day entail?
I am fortunate these days that we have a whole team of engineers, technicians and a senior management team to deal with the day-to-day operations and projects, which frees me up to largely work on the business and do some vital outreach work.
A typical day starts anywhere between 5.15am and 6.30am. I do my morning rituals (e.g. meditation, exercise, reading and journaling) in preparation for the day ahead. This is then followed by an hour of chaos whilst we get the kids up and ready. After the school run, I start work around 9:00am.
Sometimes I will have two hours of internal team meetings, comprising of oneto-one sessions with those in my leadership team or, a board meeting followed by a team huddle with the wider team before spending a bit of time looking at emails, marketing and social media.
After lunch, I might head into central London for a client account meeting, a networking event or to work on business strategy. The late afternoon would be spent back at my desk, finishing up work and preparing for the following day. Once my day work is finished, I put on my ‘parenting’ hat and go to work in a different capacity!
What are the most challenging aspects of your day-to-day role?
I still wear many hats, from marketing, PR, sales and business development to working on the organisational culture and long-term vision and goals for the business.
The challenge is always fitting everything I have on my ‘todo’ list into the allotted time. Coupled with this, making sure I am focusing on what matters
most and where I can add the most value. This can be difficult when it’s your own business.
What areas of the industry are you most passionate about?
For me, it is about empowering and inspiring more women, and women of colour, into the industry and to go for leadership roles. We do not have enough diversity at the table. At the same time, we know that diverse teams are better teams, with better decision-making abilities and outcomes.
I am passionate about growing and developing the next generation of leaders, whilst helping to create a bigger and better table!
I also want to see more sustainable business practices and innovation in
our industry, from using less or no plastic in the drilling process, reducing embedded carbon in foundations, to having electrically powered machinery for all our site works. This will require a collaborative approach between us all.
As a woman of colour, did you face any setbacks when entering the industry, and when setting up your company? How did you overcome these challenges?
I truly believe that representation matters, “if you can see you, you can be it”. The problem for me was, when I came into the industry 22 years ago, there were no visible role models. In fact, I only started seeing other people like me a few years ago.
What I didn’t realise is how
this had limited my self-belief and my confidence. This likely held me back from trying to achieve more at an earlier stage of my career and to be more open with people.
I felt one of the biggest challenges I faced in the industry was being taken seriously as a woman. I used to receive lots of business correspondence addressed as Mr Jukes. Early in my career, I was also, unfortunately, subject to racism onsite.
Setting up my own company was a huge challenge. I didn't have years and years of experience in the industry. What I lacked in experience, I made up for in ambition, drive and resourcefulness. I am the daughter of Indian immigrants, who came to this country with nothing but an incredible work ethic. I believe that has given me a lot of grit.
It's been a combination of hard work, discipline, being consistent in my approach, patience, surrounding myself
with the right people who pushed and supported me along the way, and a big dose of courage to get to where I am now.
Being an Indian woman at the helm of a geotechnical consultancy, I had no choice but to embrace my uniqueness. I was on the outside from day one. Most people in my industry were white men.
I overcame these setbacks by having some amazing people around me such as Francis. We have always been an equal partnership in the company and bring different strengths and qualities to the table. Behind the scenes, my husband has always been my counsel.
What are your proudest achievements to date?
Apart from having the guts to start the business in 2009 and build a successful company whilst simultaneously having three children, I courageously went back to studying last year and put myself through a mini-MBA style course for business leaders at Oxford University. I completed the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Programme and graduated at Oxford in January 2024, which was incredible.
Another big career highlight was being on the winning inclusion list of Inspirational Business Women in STEM & Construction 2023, presented
at the House of Lords by Baroness Lucy Neville-Rolfe. A ‘pinch me’ moment for sure!
And finally, winning the 'Entrepreneur for Good' Award at the Everywoman Awards in 2023 was a very humbling and proud moment for me.
As a mother, how do you manage a work/life balance?
Honestly, with difficulty –it takes careful planning, learning to say ‘no’ occasionally, delegating, prioritising your health and getting help from others!
My husband and I have an equal partnership and share responsibilities at home. To enable me to work, I also have a network of help and support, from my mum and childcare to friends and neighbours stepping in if required. It takes a village to raise a child.
I do pride myself on being super organised, it is probably one of my strengths. I use this to help me plan, prioritise and prepare so that life can go as smoothly as possible, and I can achieve most of what I set out to do, including intentional time to rest and exercise.
Ground & Water were highly commended in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champion category of the Ground Engineering Awards in 2024 for your work on Gender Equality, could you explain more about the work you are doing with respect to Gender Equality?
I’m a huge advocate for talking about and promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the industry and beyond. I want to show my children that women can be amazing mothers, business leaders, and changemakers. It is vital we inspire and educate these young minds with all the possibilities of who they can become in the world.
“ Women make up 16.5% of all engineers according to Engineering UK's March 2022 Report. The statistic for women of colour in this sector is only ~2% or less.
Women make up 16.5% of all engineers according to Engineering UK's March 2022 Report. The statistic for women of colour in this sector is only ~2% or less. Improving these numbers doesn’t just help social justice and sustainability issues, it makes business and economic sense.
Our mission at Ground & Water is to educate, inspire and empower.
I use my platform in the workplace and in industry to create more equality and remove the stigma around female issues that people don't talk, e.g., periods, pregnancy, motherhood, post-natal depression, and perimenopause/menopause. I openly discuss these issues in my male dominated workplace, in interviews, presentations, panel discussions and on social media. Through sharing own experiences, I am creating a new culture at Ground & Water and beyond, with the aim to disrupt the industry to change how things should be done to ensure women are included in the decisions.
I co-host the Chai & Chat Engineering podcast, alongside my co-hosts, Era Shah and Malika Kapasi, both female south Asian civil engineers. Our aim is to raise the profile of the amazing women out in the engineering and construction industry to create more role models young girls and women can aspire to and resonate with. The podcast combines our love of the built environment, female leadership and allyship, the power of role models, our cultural heritage and our genuine love of tea! Our key objective for the podcast is to promote career pathways, challenge stereotypes and what we/leaders can do to be more inclusive, share diverse stories about upbringings, challenges
and ambitions for the future, inspire the younger generation, particularly from underrepresented backgrounds to be part of an industry that positively contributes to shaping the built environment, is creative and exciting.
Last year, I teamed up with Inspire Girls UK and embarked on going into girls’ secondary schools to talk about STEM careers. I have been involved with the London Build Expo for the past three years, both as a panellist on the D&I stage, where I spoke about breaking the bias around women in engineering, and as a diversity in construction ambassador.
I’m an active member of the Women in Engineering (WES) Society, where I have presented a webinar and taken part in their podcast series,
In October 2023, I hosted a table talk discussion at the Inspiring Women in Construction & Engineering conference, on ‘Overcoming challenges for racial and ethnic minority professionals in engineering’.
I do talks and presentations at local girls’ secondary schools to promote STEM careers and have some more in the pipeline. I sit on the governing board of a London primary school, a position held for >3 years, and last year became involved in a business roundtable discussion, working with The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales to establish a Business Taskforce for Early Childhood.
I have recently become a speaker for the Stemazing community and will be doing a
talk for them in January 2025.
I am also currently involved in the policy forum for Supporting Female Entrepreneurship alongside Goldman Sachs and Oxford University. This will include how to help ethnic minority female entrepreneurs.
Lastly, I am an everyday role model, mentor, coach, and advocate for the women inside of my company and in my network.
What advice would you give young women who are considering a career in geosciences?
• Join some professional networks early on and go to some industry events.
• Start growing your network.
• Be proactive in reaching out to companies for job opportunities, even work placements, and do your research.
Say YES to opportunities, even if you don’t know how to do something yet.
Get yourself a mentor.
Be courageous in asking what you need and want. Push outside of your comfort zone! No one is going to fight your corner as much as you can.
• Keep learning and invest in your personal development, it will reward you both in personal and professional life.
• More females tend to suffer with confidence issues and have a bigger lack of self-belief. Face your fears, practice makes progress, believe me!
What can women do to achieve more prominent, leadership roles within their organisation?
One strategy to help women achieve more prominent roles in an organisation is having the self-belief and confidence that you can fulfil the job role (e.g. if going for a promotion). You don’t have to know how to do it 100% before you apply, but you do have to go armed with the right attitude, desire, work ethic, discipline and values. These are far greater attributes
than skills alone and women sell themselves short.
Take the bold action first and you will figure out a way to make it work. Believe in yourself. Confidence is a skill, and it needs to be practiced regularly. Courage comes before confidence.
exist. There is a huge piece of work around awareness and AGS members can help with this on a local level where they operate.
“ Female role models already in the industry need a bigger platform, to increase the reach of their messages.
I would also encourage women to get themselves a mentor or a coach. They can support you, advise you and hold you accountable.
What can AGS Members do to address the gender imbalance and increase minority ethnic engineers within their organisations?
I think there is some momentum from businesses addressing gender and ethnic minority imbalance, but I also think more can and should be done.
We need to collaborate and get more intentional and at grassroot levels, going into schools, universities and communities, and talking to families and young girls from underrepresented groups.
The industry is not visible enough to young people, they don’t realise all these careers
Female role models already in the industry need a bigger platform, to increase the reach of their messages. Finally, we need the men to join us, to be our genuine allies, to rally and advocate for us, to support our cause, because Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is better for society, for our planet and for business.
What changes would you like to see implemented in the geotechnical industry?
It would be brilliant to see industry taking the lead and developing a series of initiatives to bring awareness of geoscience careers to young people in schools, from Primary age children, all the way through to 18 years of age.
If we are to sustain a healthy pipeline of geoscientists coming into the industry and increasing the number of women and ethnic minority groups, it starts with investing our time and energy educating and inspiring young minds.
Equipe Training's specialist geotechnical training courses are delivered both in person at our dedicated training facility just outside of Banbury, Oxfordshire, and also online via Zoom!
Available upcoming dates are provided below:
Î 6th February 2025 - Professor David Norbury’s Chalk Description Workshop
Î 11th February 2025 - Understanding and Scheduling Geotechnical Laboratory Tests
Î 12th February 2025 - Earthworks Design & Construction
Î 13th February 2025 - Slope Stability Design
Î 5th March 2025- Professor David Norbury’s Soil Description Workshop
Î 6th March 2025- Professor David Norbury’s Rock Description Workshop
Î 12th March 2025 - Contaminated Land Investigations and Risk Assessment
Î 13th March 2025 - Planning for Effective Ground Investigations
Î 20th March 2025 - Mastering the AGS Data Format
Î 9th April 2025 (ONLINE) - Basic Foundation Design
Î 12th June 2025 - Further Foundation Design
Places on these courses can be booked online here, or via contacting Equipe on
(0)1295 670990 or info@equipegroup.com
Equipe Training and their health and safety training partners RPA Safety Services and EB Safety
Solutions are delighted to announce their collection of specialist health and safety courses for the geotechnical market have resumed being delivered in person, as well as being delivered online where required.
These courses are approved and certified by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and meet the requirements of UK Health and Safety regulations for working on geotechnical and land drilling sites. Upcoming dates include:
Î 19th February 2025 - Managing and working with Asbestos Risk in Ground Engineering
Î 20th February 2025 - IOSH Avoiding Danger from Underground Services
Î 25th – 27th February 2025 - IOSH Safe Supervision of Geotechnical Sites
Î 24th April 2025- Safe Working on Geotechnical Sites
Places on these courses can be booked online here, or via contacting Equipe on +44 (0)1295 670990 or info@equipegroup.com
Tailored geotechnical courses delivered on your schedule. Designed to keep your team sharp while minimizing downtime and expenses. Regular open courses delivered from our dedicated training facility, or bespoke courses delivered at your site or offices. Whenever, wherever - Equipe can fulfill your training needs.
Health and Safety Courses
Delivered in partnership with RPA Safety Services
IOSH Safe Supervision of Geotechnical Sites (3 Days)
Learn in detail how to keep yourself and your on-site operatives safe in the fieldthe geotechnical industry’s SSSTS equivalent
IOSH Avoiding Danger from Underground Services
In accordance with the requirements and guidance set out within HSG47
Safe Working on Geotechnical Sites
The ultimate one-day introduction to safety on geotechnical projects
Other Health and Safety Courses
Delivered in partnership with EB Safety Solutions
MARGE - Managing & working with Asbestos Risk in Ground Engineering
A comprehensive guidance to deal with asbestos in a ground engineering environment, including full adherence to CAR 2012
Geotechnical Courses
Prof. David Norbury’s Soil Description Workshop
Providing a detailed approach to soil description practices and techniques
Prof. David Norbury’s Rock Description Workshop
Providing a detailed approach to rock description practices and techniques
Understanding & Scheduling Geotechnical Laboratory Tests
Detailed overview of processes involved in efficiently scheduling Geotechnical Laboratory Testing
Contaminated Land Invesigations & Risk Assessment
How to prioritising safety and efficiency on contaminated sites
Planning for Effective Ground Investigations
Understand objectives and provide crystal clear specifications
Foundation Design
Shallow foundation overview for geotechnical practitioners and engineers
Further Foundation Design
Complex & deep pile foundations for geotechnical practitioners and engineers
Earthworks Design and Construction
A general overview of materials sourcing / selection for design & construction
Slope Stability Design
Comprehensive overview for geotechnical practitioners and engineers
An online advertising campaign within the AGS Magazine will help to build and increase industry awareness of your company’s profile, initiatives and offerings.
The AGS can help build a package to suit your needs and budget; whether it’s a series of adverts across multiple issues, a combination of event sponsorship and advertising, or a single advertorial.
The AGS Magazine is a free email publication that looks at a range of topical issues, insights and concerns, whilst publishing new guidance notes, working group activities and information on upcoming industry seminars.
With 6 issues each year, our subscribers include industry professionals such as practitioners, chartered specialists, senior decision makers and managing directors
To receive a media pack or to discuss advertising rates, please contact Caroline Kratz on 0208 658 8212 or email ags@ags.org.uk
RATE: £165
Company
RATE: £50
All adverts should be sent in a PDF, PNG, JPEG, TIFF, PSD (Photoshop) or EPS (Illustrator) format.
All advertising artwork must be supplied in 114 dpi resolution.
Artwork must be delivered to the AGS using the agreed artwork specification size listed left.
Artwork should be emailed to ags@ags.org. uk no later than 10 days prior to publication.
AGS Members all share a commitment to quality in the geotechnical and geoenvironmental industry. This has become widely recognised by clients, governmental bodies and other associations that touch issues to do with the ground.
We welcome both companies and individuals who want to be recognised for their quality of practice to join our growing membership of over 130 Members. We shape our industry, continually improve practice and collaborate on issues that affect us all; from clients, all the way through to the people who use the land and the buildings we help develop.
To become a Member of the AGS, please visit http://www.ags.org.uk/about/become-a-member and submit your application online. Please note that all membership applications are reviewed by the Membership Committee 6 weeks in advance of each quarterly Executive meeting. The deadline for the next round of completed applications is 29th April 2025..
All Members of the AGS are entitled to free introductory advice on chemical and legal/contractual matters from AGS Loss Prevention Group members, Marquis & Lord and Beale & Co.
For advice on chemical safety and best practice, Marquis & Lord will provide up to 30 minutes of free advice, for one issue, to any AGS Members.
Additionally, if you’re an AGS Member and are looking for legal advice, please contact Beale & Co and quote ‘AGS Helpline’ where the first 15 minutes of legal advice will be free of charge.
CHEMICAL SAFETY HELPLINE
Marquis & Lord
Tel: +44 (0) 121 288 2386
www.marquisandlord.com
(Please quote ‘AGS Helpline’)
LEGAL HELPLINE
Beale & Co
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7469 0400 www.beale-law.com
If you have any queries regarding AGS Data Format, there is a discussion forum on the AGS Data Format website, where queries can be posted and answered by the Data Format team.
If a Member has any issues with regard to Safety, Contaminated Land, Geotechnical, Instrumentation & Monitoring or Laboratories which you think the industry should be aware of please email ags@ags.org.uk, we will then forward your email to the relevant AGS Working Group.
All articles in the AGS Magazine are the opinions of the authors and are not intended to be a complete or comprehensive statement of the law, nor do they constitute legal or specialist advice. They are intended only to highlight current issues from date of publication that may be of interest. Neither the writer(s), nor the AGS, assumes any responsibility for any loss that may arise from accessing, or reliance on the material and all liability is disclaimed accordingly. Professional advice should be taken before applying the content of the articles to particular circumstances.