Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) are an increasingly important part of modern green infrastructure. They are designed to manage rainfall close to where it falls, reducing pressure on conventional drainage networks while improving water quality, biodiversity and urban environments.

SuDS can incorporate a combination of engineered soils, vegetation, infiltration areas, green roofs, rain gardens and tree planting. The correct soil specification is critical because drainage, water retention, filtration, aeration and plant health all depend on the physical characteristics of the growing medium.

Enrich develops specialist soil solutions for projects where stormwater management and successful planting must work together as part of an integrated landscape design.

How SuDS Manage Stormwater

A well-designed Sustainable Drainage System can help manage rainfall through a combination of retention, infiltration, filtration and controlled release.

• Storing runoff and releasing it slowly through attenuation
• Harvesting and using rainwater close to where it falls
• Allowing water to infiltrate naturally into the ground
• Slowing the movement of surface water
• Filtering pollutants from stormwater
• Supporting vegetation and biodiversity within developed areas

Projects Projects

Green Roof Substrates Ireland for SuDS Projects

Green roof substrates form an important part of many SuDS strategies. A vegetation layer on a roof can retain rainfall and delay stormwater runoff while also providing thermal benefits, increasing biodiversity and improving the appearance and environmental performance of buildings.

Enrich supplies Green Roof Substrates Ireland for extensive, intensive and wildflower green roof systems, allowing the growing medium to be matched to planting depth, structural requirements and vegetation type.

Bioretention Soils and Rain Gardens

Bioretention areas and rain gardens collect runoff from roofs, roads and hard surfaces before allowing the water to filter through a specially engineered soil profile.

Enrich bioretention soils are designed to provide the drainage, filtration and planting conditions required for effective stormwater management. Matching soil permeability and storage capacity to anticipated water flow is essential for a successful bioretention system.

By filtering runoff before it leaves the site, these systems can improve water quality and reduce pressure on downstream drainage and water treatment infrastructure.

Urban Tree Soils for Sustainable Drainage

Healthy urban trees can play an important role in stormwater management by intercepting rainfall, encouraging evapotranspiration and improving infiltration into the soil.

Urban tree soils must provide the correct balance of soil volume, fertility, drainage, aeration and structural stability. Providing suitable growing conditions helps trees develop healthier root systems and improves their long-term contribution to the wider SuDS network.

Urban trees also provide shade, biodiversity, carbon storage and improvements to the quality of public spaces.

On-Site Soil Engineering for SuDS Projects

Enrich can assess existing soils on site and identify materials that may be suitable for reuse within Sustainable Drainage Systems and landscape works.

Where appropriate, soils can be engineered on site to achieve the required characteristics for planting, drainage or landscape applications. This can reduce the need to remove large quantities of soil only to import replacement material later in the project.

On-site soil development can therefore reduce transport movements, material costs and environmental impact while helping projects make more effective use of existing resources.

SuDS Soil Solutions Across Ireland

Enrich supplies engineered soils for landscape architects, civil engineers, developers, contractors and green infrastructure projects throughout Ireland.

Solutions can be developed for green roofs, bioretention systems, rain gardens, urban tree planting and other Sustainable Drainage System applications where soil performance is critical to both stormwater management and successful vegetation establishment.