Research
We strive continually to improve our understanding of sports and amenity surfaces. To this end and since our incorporation in 2008, we have undertaken research on various aspects of the subject, sometimes on behalf of others but usually for our own interest and for the benefit or our clients.
In Situ Hydraulic Conductivity
Understanding how quickly water is able to move through various parts of a sports pitch profile, of whatever form of construction, is key to the facility’s success as a well-functioning surface. The principles of hydraulic conductivity are central to the concept that, for example, determines pipe drain spacings for agricultural fields. In recent years we have been attempting to refine those principles to apply more specifically to the design of sports surfaces. The aim is to be able to specify how much and what form of drainage system and pitch construction methods need to be incorporated into our client’s developments, wherever those projects may be and on whatever soil profiles they may be working with.
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)
We are developing data collection techniques and an analytical methodology as part of a wider study to help contractors achieve BNG in relation to major developments. Uplifting biodiversity is now a requirement of all new construction projects, and we believe that the approach we are developing will bring significant benefits both to developers and to the environment by identifying the most effective means by which biodiversity may be enhanced in any particular situation.
Optimising the Use of ‘Turfgrass Seed’
We have developed a method of reworking the data provided in the annual ‘Turfgrass Seed’ booklet, produced each year by the BSBR, so as to provide a more accessible interpretation of the range of grass cultivars currently available. According to this method, which uses multi-variate statistics to re-analyse the data, those cultivars that share common characteristics and which may be best suited to circumstances can be highlighted.
