SuDS planters help Northamptonshire schools address surface water management education
SuDS planters help Northamptonshire schools address surface water management education
Project overview
- 32 SuDS units installed across seven schools.
- Significant opportunity for curriculum-based learning around water and biodiversity.
- Schools are future-proofed against potential surface water flooding.
- Smart sensor technology introduced, allowing real-time monitoring and remote water release for enhanced flood resilience.
- Proactive management of stormwater helps protect local infrastructure.
- Recognition with an International Green Apple Environment Award — highlighting the global significance of this innovative, nature-based approach.
Challenge
With climate change predicted to intensify rainfall patterns, there is an increasing need for schools to educate children about the importance of water resilience and biodiversity, by experiencing tangible solutions.
Overcoming limitations of existing approaches
Existing approaches can present several limitations:
- Lack of flexibility – Passive systems offer no visibility into performance or capacity, and no ability to respond to forecast weather.
- No educational engagement – Typical drainage solutions remain invisible and disconnected from the classroom, missing opportunities to teach pupils about sustainability and climate resilience.
- High cost and disruption – Traditional drainage upgrades can be expensive and difficult to retrofit into existing school grounds.
Without an innovative, adaptable solution, these schools risked potential flooding and lost opportunities to combine infrastructure with environmental education.
Solution – BioScapes’ smart SuDS technology
Working with the RAIN Project (Resilience and Innovation Northants), led by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) in partnership with North Northamptonshire Council and co-funded by Anglian Water, BioScapes stepped in with a pioneering nature-based solution. Designing and manufacturing 32 Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) planters for seven local primary schools, BioScapes delivered the largest school-based SuDS installation in the UK.
“It’s been fantastic to work with so many schools who are so enthusiastic to get on board and have the SUDS planters in their play areas. It’s a great introduction for the students as to what SuDS can look like, and all the added benefits it brings! Thanks to BioScapes for making it all happen.”
Intelligent flood management
Central to the innovation was the deployment of BioScapes’ new smart sensor technology, marking one of the first real-world uses of active, data-driven SuDS in a UK school environment.
Each unit:
- Captures and stores stormwater by connecting directly to school guttering. Rainfall is filtered naturally through soil and planting, easing pressure on local sewer networks and reducing surface water flooding.
- Monitors performance in real time with solar-powered sensors that measure attenuation capacity and water levels.
- Enables proactive control through remotely operated valves, accessible via a cloud-based dashboard and mobile app. These valves can be opened ahead of forecast storms, releasing stored water to create extra capacity and “slow the flow” precisely when needed.
This active water management capability represents a significant evolution beyond passive SuDS systems – turning them into smart, responsive infrastructure capable of adapting dynamically to weather events.
“This project shows how sustainable drainage systems can evolve beyond passive water capture. Our smart sensor technology allows schools and local authorities to actively manage water in anticipation of storms - dramatically improving resilience while still delivering biodiversity benefits and hands-on learning. It’s a model for the future of urban water management.”
Award-winning innovation
The RAIN Project has subsequently received a prestigious International Green Apple Environment Award in recognition of its pioneering ‘SuDS in Schools’ initiative. Having been selected from over 700 global entries, this recognition underscores the project’s global significance in the future of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS).
Added value: biodiversity and learning
While flood mitigation is a primary function, the BioScapes units deliver added environmental and educational benefits:
- Each planter includes 10 integrated wildlife habitats, supporting pollinators, amphibians, and small mammals, and creating mini ecosystems for pupils to observe.
- Real-time water monitoring is being integrated into science lessons, allowing students to track rainfall, water storage, and system performance.
- The schools are also using the planters to grow herbs, vegetables, and pollinator-friendly plants – linking climate resilience to broader sustainability education.
