Geosynthetics beneficially improve the sustainability of infrastructure. They extend road service lives, reduce the dependence on aggregates, conserve water resources, minimize land disturbance, control soil erosion, protect groundwater, etc.

The International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) has been engaged with sustainability interests for much of the last decade, through publications, events, lectures, and member participation in high-level research. In 2018, IGS Vice President Dr. Natalie Touze delivered the quadrennial Giroud Lecture on connections between the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals and geosynthetic materials in infrastructure. This watershed moment led the Society in 2019 to formalize its commitment to the promotion of sustainable development through the creation of a Sustainability Committee; to launch a Sustainability eBook in 2020 on the 50th Earth Day celebration; and to greatly expand the Sustainability Committee’s involvement in the IGS and the international engineering community in 2021. 

Did You Know …?

Did You Know … #4: Choosing geosynthetics offers the best of both worlds in cost effectiveness and sustainability (PDF)

Did You Know … #3: Geosynthetics help protect the environment from landfill waste contamination (PDF)

Did You Know … #2: Geosynthetics can greatly reduce the dependency on aggregates in infrastructure construction (PDF)

Did You Know … #1: How geosynthetics make significant contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (PDF)

Publications

10th International Conference on Geosynthetics (10 ICG)

• Cost Savings by Using Geosynthetics in the Construction of Civil Works Projects (PDF)
  Christopher, 2014

Engineering Sustainability Paper

• Comparison of carbon dioxide emissions for two landfill capping layers. Engineering Sustainability
  Raja, Dixon, Fowmes, Frost, and Assinder, 2014

Environmental Geotechnics Papers

• Environmental assessment of earth retaining wall structures
  Damians, Bathurst, Adroguer, Josa, and Lloret, 2017 — Subscription required
• Sustainability assessment of earth-retaining wall structures
  Damians, Bathurst, Adroguer, Josa, and Lloret, 2017 — Subscription required

EuroGeo 5 Papers

• Comparative life cycle assessment of geosynthetics versus conventional construction materials: A study on behalf of the E.A.G.M. — General
  Ehrenberg, Mermet, Stucki, Büsser, Itten, Frischknecht, and Wallbaum, 2012
• Comparative life cycle assessment of geosynthetics versus conventional construction materials: A study on behalf of the E.A.G.M. — Case 1, Filter function 
  Laidié, Shercliff, Stucki, Büsser, Itten, Frischknecht, and Wallbaum, 2012
• Comparative life cycle assessment of geosynthetics versus conventional construction materials: A study on behalf of the E.A.G.M. — Case 2, Foundation stabilization
  Elsing, Fraser, Stucki, Büsser, Itten, Frischknecht, and Wallbaum, 2012
• Comparative life cycle assessment of geosynthetics versus conventional construction materials: A study on behalf of the E.A.G.M. — Case 3, Landfill construction drainage layer
  Werth, Höhny, Stucki, Büsser, Itten, Frischknecht, and Wallbaum, 2012
• Comparative life cycle assessment of geosynthetics versus conventional construction materials: A study on behalf of the E.A.G.M. — Case 4, Soil retaining wall
  Fraser, Elsing, Stucki, Büsser, Itten, Frischknecht, and Wallbaum, 2012

Geosynthetics International Papers

• Giroud Lecture: Healing the World: A Geosynthetics Solution
  Touze, 2018 — Free access for everyone at Geosynthetics International
• Global challenges, geosynthetic solutions, and counting carbon
  Dixon, Fowmes, and Frost, 2017
  IGS members get free access. Log into the IGS website and link to G-I from the IGS Journals page.
• Obtaining reliable embodied carbon values for geosynthetics
  Raja, Dixon, Fowmes, Frost, and Assinder, 2015
  IGS members get free access. Log into the IGS website and link to G-I from the IGS Journals page.

Geotextiles & Geomembranes Papers

• Reduction of climate-damaging gases in geotechnical engineering practice using geosynthetics
  Heerten, 2009
  IGS members get free access. Log into the IGS website and consult the login directions and link to G&G from the IGS Journals page.

IGS eBook on Geosynthetics & Sustainability

• Chinese Edition (PDF)
• English Edition (PDF)
• French Edition (PDF)
• German Edition (PDF)
• Italian Edition (PDF)
• Japanese Edition (PDF)
• Spanish Edition (PDF)
• Turkish Edition (PDF)

Review Paper in Open-Access Journal Sustainability

• Sustainable Use of Geosynthetics in Dykes

Soils and Rocks Paper

• Sustainability and Innovation in Geotechnics: Contributions from Geosynthetics – entry and PDF via ResearchGate
  Palmeira, 2016

Videos

Geosynthetics for Sustainable Development

• Chinese (YouTube)
• English (YouTube)
• French (YouTube)
• German (YouTube)
• Italian (YouTube)
• Korean (YouTube)
• Portuguese (YouTube)

Dr. Nathalie Touze’s Giroud Lecture

• Healing the World: A Geosynthetics Solution (IGS video story)

Education Opportunities

Conferences

• EuroGeo 7: The 7th European Regional Conference on Geosynthetics
  Includes special session on Sustainability
  19 – 22 September 2021, Warsaw
• GeoAsia 7: The 7th Asian Regional Conference on Geosynthetics
  Hazard’s Risk Management, Innovation, and Sustainability
  11 – 15 April 2022, Taipei
• GeoAfrica 2023: The 4th African Regional Conference on Geosynthetics
  Geosynthetics in Sustainable Infrastructures and Mega Projects
  20 – 23 February 2023, Cairo
• The 12th International Conference on Geosynthetics
  Geosynthetics: Leading the Way to a Resilient Planet
  17 – 21 September 2023, Rome

Additional Sustainability Resources

The following links will take users to other sites. The IGS is not responsible for the content on those websites or their differing privacy settings, cookies, and terms of use.

• European Association of Geosynthetic Manufacturers (EAGM) – Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) Benefits of Geosynthetics (webpage)
• Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) White Paper #41 (PDF)
  Relative Sustainability (i.e., Embodied Carbon) Calculations With Respect to Applications Using Traditional Materials Versus Geosynthetics
• Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) White Paper #44 (PDF)
  Relative Sustainability of Road Construction/Repair:
  Conventional Materials versus Geosynthetic Materials
• United Nations Sustainability Goals (webpage)

IGS Sustainability Committee

If you would like to participate with the IGS Sustainability Committee, contact the IGS! Email: IGSsec@GeosyntheticsSociety.org
Not an IGS member yet? Joining is easy.

Learn more about the Sustainability Committee’s formation