When doing SuDS drainage, or mounding calculations, or any calculations in fact, I highly recommend a calculator that doesn’t add digits or random numbers that don’t include the digits pressed. It makes doing Z calculations a very stressful and arduous task.

Designing a drainage scheme was a new experience for me, as I’m not a drainage engineer. It was a valuable exercise in understanding the importance of correct fall gradients, pipe sizes, and spacings to prevent pooling or blockages.

One area I’m unsure about is the roof. It was intended to function as a blue roof, but I also included slot drains and drainage pipes in the drawing. In hindsight, I wonder whether combining traditional drainage components with a blue roof system was overkill. A conversation with a drainage engineer would definitely help clarify how these systems interact in real-world scenarios.

All of the drainage in my design eventually fed into an attenuation pond via headwalls, with an overflow system connecting to the existing drainage network since the pond had no infiltration capability.

Looking back, I feel I could have explored integrating more swales into the design. Although I used permeable paths and considered sloping gradients, swales might have enhanced the site’s surface water management and added visual interest.

Calculating attenuation volumes and SuDS runoff figures was still a complex task. We didn’t cover this a huge amount during sessions, so I relied heavily on late-night reading and self-study to get through it.

I found it fascinating to learn how different surfaces affect the speed and volume of runoff, and how those properties influence the figures used in drainage design. It gave me a new appreciation for the science behind water management and how thoughtful design can make a meaningful impact.

That said, I was satisfied with how the drawing captured the overall water flow. It ensured that water was efficiently directed off all surfaces, managed, and delivered to its holding point before being gradually released into the main drainage network.

Despite the challenges, I felt relatively confident approaching this part of the project. I wrote my dissertation on SuDS and studied Maths at A Level, so I felt reasonably confident (once I threw my original calculator out the window).