AtkinsRéalis geoscientist Holger Kessler delves into how increased mapping of the subsurface data environment can support the UK’s growing productivity drive
The subsurface under our feet houses a mass of pipes and cables that service modern life – more than four million kilometres, to be precise. The lack of regulation or planning has enabled a build-up of these services without adequate consideration: a ‘Wild West’ approach of the past created a problematic lack of knowledge regarding what exactly lays beneath our feet. While individual service providers may have an idea of their own assets, there’s little data sharing between agencies and patchy (at best) records of historic infrastructure.
The Government’s growth agenda relies on the delivery of major infrastructure and development at pace, but this is hampered by uncertainty of what lies beneath when digging underground. The need to protect workers makes this unknown risk a vital priority, but its economic impact is also felt: productivity levels in construction and related industries are sub-optimal precisely because of the delays which occur when issues are identified or accidents happen. In fact, unintentional ‘strikes’ of subsurface utilities are estimated to cost the UK around £2.4bn per year.
As the UK’s asset base burgeons and the role of the subsurface evolves, focus is shifting toward how this plethora of assets can be mapped more effectively to prevent accidents, simplify development and overcome serious overcrowding challenges.
The changing role of the subsurface
As our world evolves, the role of the subsurface evolves with it. In the not-too-distant future, we’ll need a combination of more space underground for man-made assets that support emissions-free services, and – importantly – areas of protected earth that allow us to capitalise on the power of natural subsurface, for agriculture and food production, for carbon sequestration, flood management and wastewater treatment.
Electrification will mean more cables, for EV charging and for the transmission of electricity from a multitude of renewable energy sources.
As ground source heating becomes more prevalent, space will also be required for (often deep) boreholes as well as space required for district heating systems; and there’s also exciting potential for utilising the subsurface as a battery storing excess heat in the summer, taking up even more space in tomorrow’s underground world.
The natural qualities of the subsurface and the ecosystems it sustains are essential for climate resilience and for carbon capture and storage. The ground can be used to store water as part of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) and other natural flood risk management interventions. It also provides the space for the roots of trees, that capture carbon, filter the air, and provide much needed shade for urban cooling.
When we consider how regulated the planning system is on the surface – and even acknowledge the intricacy of air traffic control above ground – it makes absolute sense that there is a comparable system for the underground. Progress is already being made towards digitally mapping, with the UK leading the way in novel approaches to subsurface special databases.
Illuminating technology
AtkinsRéalis has been working with the Geospatial team in the Dept. of Science Innovation and Technology, using digital innovation to illuminate the complex network of networks in the UK’s subsurface.
The National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) brings together all the underground assets across England, Wales and Northern Ireland into a single, centralised database. Essentially, it’s a digital map of underground pipes and cables which will reduce strikes and disruption and improve workers’ safety.
Crucially it will bring that much-needed efficiency to construction and development, which can improve delivery times and ultimately support the growth agenda of this government.
By knowing what is where, developers can go in with their eyes open, avoid crowded areas and plan around more suitable locations, with fewer potential complications. This enables a ‘get it right first time’ culture, and avoids the costly repairs and lengthy delays currently experienced all too often. NUAR will allow us to see the unseen and facilitate responsible and accountable management of the subsurface, so that its potential can be realised.
Keeping our eyes open
NUAR is set to open the floodgates for progress and will help secure the UK’s position as a global leader in the field of subsurface technology and innovation. The data it can generate, combined with the potential of digital twins, visualisation and scenario planning means we can mobilise the best of new technology to harness the inherent value in subsurface.
As the full potential of the underground world becomes illuminated, it’s important we keep our eyes fully open, implementing a systems approach to subsurface management and facilitating three-dimensional planning that maximises value in a responsible and sustainable way. Appropriate policies and regulations need to be put in place, to coordinate and prioritise asset installation, and to protect the natural assets within the subsurface.
The ongoing planning reform and recently announced national conversation on land use and housing have created a real opportunity to highlight the critical role of the subsurface for a sustainable future, build on the potential applications of NUAR, and get the underground firmly on top of the government’s agenda.
There’s huge value in mapping the underground landscape: with NUAR, we’re now equipped to jump on opportunities to innovate, to modernise, and to do things better for the future.
