Sustainability Calculator Videos Launched Following Kentucky Conference

The first instructive videos on using the IGS Environmental Sustainability Calculator are now available.

Four recordings are now ready to view on the IGS website and YouTube channel with more in the series due to be added.

The short clips offer an introduction to the OneClick LCA technology, how to get started, and demonstrations. They are:

• What is the IGS Geosynthetics Environmental Sustainability Calculator?
• IGS Geosynthetics Environmental Sustainability Calculator – Setting Up an Account
• IGS Geosynthetics Environmental Sustainability Calculator – Activating Your License
• IGS Geosynthetics Environmental Sustainability Calculator – Reviewing Example Projects

Further videos will include advice on collecting data for a case study calculation, setting project parameters, interpreting results, and case study walkthroughs.

The roll-out follows an IGS Sustainability Committee special session at the recent Geotechnical Frontiers conference in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, on March 2-5. Here, the IGS introduced the Environmental Sustainability Calculator during the session 'Measuring sustainable benefits of geotechnical solutions with Life Cycle Assessment software.'

Session speaker Preston Kendall said: "I was very pleased with the special session which included a foundational introduction to Life Cycle Assessments and a demonstration of the OneClick LCA software platform which can be accessed by IGS members through the Sustainability Committee's partnership.

"IGS President Samuel Allen introduced the session with a strong endorsement of sustainable principles. He was followed by Aníbal Moncada who shared his expertise on the software and linked it to the fundamental elements of sustainability.

"We then had questions from the audience which revealed strong interest from representatives of material manufactures. I concluded the session with a final thank you and an invitation for manufactures, engineers, and participants from higher education to take action with access to these new resources."

Mr Moncada added: "Conferences such as Geotechnical Frontiers allow for enriching discussions between students, academics, and industry professionals. Evidence of this was the considerable participation throughout all special sessions, with many rooms being at capacity.

"The aim of the IGS special session was to teach the audience the importance of environmental assessments and overall sustainability assessments, as well as to showcase an easy-to-use tool. With new design guidelines and recommendations including different aspects of sustainability, the importance of environmental assessments must be continuously addressed."

The IGS-endorsed conference, which runs every six years, was co-organized by IGS sister society the Geosynthetic Materials Association, as well as the Advanced Textile Association and American Society of Civil Engineer's Geo-Institute.

It is the largest geotechnical conference in the Americas, combining the annual Geo-Congress and biennial Geosynthetics Conference.