Back in January the Government announced Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) will become mandatory on all new developments in England through the implementation of Schedule 3, with the new approach expected sometime in 2024. As a result, over the past few weeks here at Rennard Consulting we have been taking a closer look at Schedule 3, how it came to be and what it could mean for architects and developers on their future projects. It may come as a surprise, however, that while the …
Our top drainage predictions for 2022!
It’s been a really big year in drainage design and next year is shaping up to be just as exciting. Following our visit to the fantastic Flood Expo in Birmingham last September and as part of our mission to spread the word about the wonders of smart, sustainable drainage, we’ve brought you a summary of where we think the industry might be heading over the next 12 months. We’ll be exploring upcoming developments as well as predicting some interesting trends, including improved monitoring …
Rennard Consulting Ltd celebrates its first year anniversary!
A lot can happen in 365 days. To celebrate our first year in business, Founder Faye Gennard reflects on what’s defined the past 12 months for Rennard Consulting ltd. It’s been an exciting, challenging and unforgettable first year for Rennard Consulting Ltd. From starting a business in the middle of a pandemic to discovering invaluable communities of fellow professionals, we’ve been privileged to experience some fantastic highs alongside the inevitable lows. In this post, I’ll be …
The importance of getting to know your site
When you’re considering a site for development, often what kind of drainage you’re planning on using might not be your highest priority, after all the layout and structure are much more exciting right? After all, what’s happening on site water-wise doesn’t seem like it would affect the urgent concerns, like development features or how many units need to be built to meet profit margins. While it’s not the first thing you’d think about, however, flooding potential and how drainage plays into …
Can we prevent flooding through clever drainage design?
Flooding is becoming an increasingly urgent environmental issue, both in busy urban areas and suburban environments. When it comes to new and existing developments, flood risk is becoming more of a concern than ever. According to a report by DEFRA, an estimated 3.2 million households in England are located in areas at risk of surface water flooding. While it does pose a challenge, there are things we can do to dramatically reduce and even prevent flooding in the future. This week, …
Can you get help with footing the bill on your drainage project?
One of the biggest challenges on any construction project is always the budget and when you’re proposing drainage designs that feel like they buck the tried and tested trends, cost can become a serious barrier to progress … but what if you could get help with footing the bill? Well, if you or your organisation are looking to create sustainable drainage and/or flood risk solutions, then there could be an opportunity to get some funding to support your projects. Securing funding can …
Can good drainage design make you money?
When it comes to developing a site, drainage is typically considered a ‘form-over-function’ mechanism for transporting rainwater away as quickly as possible, and often drainage solutions are simply installed underground and forgotten about. Drainage, however, doesn’t have to be just about moving water - it can increase site value, reduce capital costs, and look great too and while many developers, architects, and planners are well aware of the aesthetic possibilities good drainage can bring, …
How we can use drainage to create better spaces
When you are out and about, what kind of spaces make you happy? Perhaps it is somewhere that connects you with nature, to be able to see wildlife and experience the touch and smell of a variety of plants. Maybe it is being close to water, and being able to watch it flow, or even somewhere that lets you enjoy time with friends and family. After three lockdowns, we are all starting to get an appreciation for how important it is to have access to good quality space, but, what if good drainage …
The Importance of Water
What have you done this morning? I’m not talking in terms of work, but instead those little everyday activities you probably complete without even thinking about them. Things like brushing your teeth, that first coffee of the day, having a shower or if you are still able to get out and about, the commute into the office. Now stop and think…how many of those everyday activities have a connection with water? To coincide with the launch of our new membership site, World of Water, in this week's …
How can drainage promote biodiversity?
Last year was a year that no one could have predicted and with the UK currently well into Lockdown 3.0, and once again being told to ‘Stay Home and Save Lives’ the thing I think none of us will take for granted again is our access to green space. There were, however, some surprising benefits of lockdown, one of which was the positive effect it had on the environment. What first started as a clear cut in global emissions from space was soon felt in the world around us, as the air began to …
Getting to grips with maintenance
Ok so anyone that has known me for any length of time will appreciate that vehicle maintenance is a bit of a minefield for me. This has led to some really expensive bills in the past and even resulted in a former colleague buying me a book in the hope that I would realise there was more to keeping a car on the road than just topping it up with petrol. Drainage like cars is no exception and if you fail to undertake the appropriate level of TLC to keep it flowing and blockage free it can lead …
Getting your strategy right
So, you have completed your data-gathering exercise, you have your CCTV results, know your flood risk and what will be going on the site, the next step…the drainage strategy. This week as we continue to look at what drainage documents are required in planning we will be taking a closer look at the drainage strategy, looking at when it is needed, what should be included and why it is important to spend some time getting it right. What is a drainage strategy? It may come as no surprise …
What happens when things just do not go the way that we want them too?
Picture the scene, it’s raining, like really raining. You are looking out of your window watching water cascade down the road and starting to form a puddle in your driveway. That puddle is getting big. The rain is still falling, and you notice that gully outside is looking pretty full…then the manhole pops. You glance back to the puddle; it is still getting bigger and now it is slowly inching towards your house. You watch as the water comes towards your front door, then down the …
There is a new(ish) planning document in town
If you have submitted a planning application recently chances are you may have been asked to provide a SuDS Pro-forma…but what on earth is that? This week as part of our series on the early planning process we will be taking a look at the SuDS Pro-forma document in more detail, finding out what it is, what information is typically required and why developers need to know about them. So, what is a SuDS Pro-forma? A SuDS Pro-forma is simply a form which has been developed to improve …
Why you cannot construct the roof before the walls
When you have that first discussion with a client about an upcoming project what is it that they are talking to you about? Is it their vision for the project, how it will look and feel? Perhaps it is questions surrounding that bespoke kitchen they want you to incorporate or maybe it is how many units you will need to fit on the site to meet their profit margins… chances are a topic that won’t come up is the drainage, because let’s face it, drainage isn’t sexy right? After a short break, the …
What happens when a green SuDS solution is not enough?
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you can not quite get that green SuDS solution to provide you with enough attenuation. This could be for many reasons, some of which could include an extremely densely populated footprint, a large increase in impermeable area or maybe insufficient space. Today is our final post in our SuDS series where we will be looking at attenuation tanks, exploring three of the most common systems, looking at the advantages and disadvantages as well as where to go if …
The hidden benefits of trees
We all know the benefits that trees can bring to our planet. Not only do they look great, but they also help in our fight against climate change with a single mature tree removing around 24.6kg of carbon per year and providing enough oxygen for two people. Did you know, however, that they can also be used as part of your surface water drainage strategy? This week as part of our deep dive into the world of Sustainable Drainage Systems I caught up with Louise Page, Hannah Cook and Howard …
Swales
A few weeks ago, we looked at the advantage of using filter drains in combination with linear structures, but what if we want something a little greener? This week we are will be taking a closer look at Swales, exploring how they can be used on developments, what we may need to look out for, before finally looking at ways you can enhance your swale. The three types of swale So, starting with the basics, what is a swale? In simple terms, a swale is just a shallow, flat bottomed, …
What is a Flood Risk Assessment and why do we need them?
Looking out of the home office window at a beautiful autumn day, and having experienced some of the sunniest Springs and Summers on record it is hard to imagine that at the start of the year the UK was being battered by Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis which caused widespread flooding across large parts of the UK. What has been a blessing for many during this lockdown period can be a bit of a nightmare for drainage engineers who are trying to convince their clients that they need to forward plan …
Fantastic Filter Drains
Picture the scene, it’s a murky grey day, you are in a car driving down the motorway as a passenger, you have finished the Haribo, it’s miles to the next services and the driver’s choice of music is rubbish. As you glance out of the window you suddenly notice something odd… it’s pouring down with rain but yet there is no water on the carriageway and what’s more from a quick glance you see no obvious signs of drainage…where is the water going? And wait a minute what is that strip of gravel doing …
Getting your landscaping to work for you
Over lockdown, we have all got an appreciation of the importance of having access to green space with a recent study undertaken by ITV finding that 63% of people interviewed said protecting and enhancing green spaces should be more of a priority in the wake of the pandemic. So, what if we can combine our desire for green space with our drainage needs on new developments. This week on our deep dive into the world of Sustainable Drainage Systems we are going to look at one of my favourite …
Why do ponds have such a bad reputation?
I’m not sure if it is because we are an island nation or if there is something in our DNA however, we always seem to be drawn to water, whether it is holidays in the Lake District, walks along a river or paddling in the sea. So, incorporating an open water feature as part of a development should seem like a no-brainer… so why do we not use them more often? This week we are heading back on a meander through the world of Sustainable Drainage Systems and will be taking a closer look at how ponds …
Can SuDS help with our fight against COVID?
A disease is spreading across London, there have been 1000s of deaths which has led to widespread fear and panic. Doctors are not familiar with the symptoms and are trying desperately to try and get an understanding of how this disease is spread while racing to find a cure. Reading this you may be forgiven for thinking that it was taken from a recent news report describing the outbreak of Covid-19, however, this is talking about another outbreak that gripped the city between 1831 and 1866. …
When the impermeable becomes permeable
As our world has continued to develop, we have increasingly covered it with hard surfaces such as pavements, roads and car parks. The majority of these historically have been impermeable, and when combined with poor maintenance and increased rainfall events has led to widespread flooding…but what if all these surfaces could be permeable? Welcome to our next instalment of our deep dive into the world of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) where this week we are going to look at how we can use …
An introduction to Green Roofs
When most people think of drainage they think of pipes in the ground, however, today we are looking at a drainage system that can be installed on your roof. Welcome to our next instalment of our deep dive into the world of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) where this week we are heading to the top of your development and looking at how green roofs can be used as part of your drainage system. So what is a green roof? A green roof is simply a roof that has been partially or fully …
Buy one, get three free!
I don’t know about you, but I love a bargain, however, if you noticed the offer above would you think it was too good to be true? Welcome to Week 2 of our deep dive into the world of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems and before we proceed into looking in a bit more detail about the various components, I thought this week I would provide a bit of an overview into something called the four pillars and how it relates to the SuDS hierarchy. So what are the four pillars? We touched on this …
What are SuDS?
SuDS stands for Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems and apparently when searching SuDS trying to find out what they are is one of the most common questions typed into Google, therefore what better way to start my new blog than to provide you with a quick overview. What do you think of when you think of drainage? When you think of drainage the images that probably come to mind are pipes buried in the ground, road gullies (probably blocked) and manhole covers. Historically we have believed …