UoNJC and ANR: The Two UK Case Studies of Stormwater Management Through SuDS

More severe problems, such as flooding, erosion, turbidity, sanitary sewer system overflow, infrastructure damage, and even casualties, have been caused by stormwater in urban and developed areas with impervious surfaces like pavement and roofs preventing precipitation from naturally soaking into the ground. Many researchers have tried to seek theoretical and practical solutions based on the conventional paradigm, which is increasingly ineffective. It is significant to rethink other promising alternative strategies for stormwater management. This chapter will focus on ‘How stormwater management benefits in the UK context through Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) of sustainable design practices’ in the two cases of the University of Nottingham Jubilee Campus (UoNJC) and Attenborough Nature Reserve (ANR). The UoNJC site of case one was originally the industrial factory of the world-famous Raleigh cycles. After the company moved, it appeared lifeless. Could you imagine that the UoNJC has achieved many awards, for example, the RIBA Design Award with the winner of sustainability, the Special Award for Sustainability of Civic Trust Award, etc.? From the perspective of stormwater management, the UoNJC has featured a complex SuDS that ranges from architecture to urban design. The ANR site of case two was originally gravel pits between 1929 and 1966. Could you imagine that ANR has become a bio-diversity habitat and a special place in the hearts of many—with families having visited for three generations? It has been maintained by Nottingham Wildlife Trust to receive around 500,000 visitors each year as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. This chapter has mainly employed the qualitative research methodology to analyse how architecture and urban design practices and interventions generate benefits to stormwater management on the brownfield sites which have transformed into popular and sustainable hot spots in the UK. Challenges and opportunities are also highlighted for further improvement of new SuDS practices.