Best Digital Project at the CandEAwards2022

The Bacton Sandscaping scheme was a first in the UK, based on the Zandmotor in the Netherlands, protecting a nationally critical gas terminal and buying adaptation time for the neighbouring villages. We were involved in every stage of the project: inception, design, delivery and now the operational stage. As the Sandscaping approach is relatively new and 20-year investment horizons are involved, there is more uncertainty that needs to be managed than conventional schemes.

This is where the Bacton Digital Beach Twin comes in: one of the first Digital Twins for natural asset management in the world. This digital twin optimises the long-term management of the beach which protects the Bacton Gas Terminal and surrounding villages against erosion and will increase the #resilience of this coastline to long-term coastal change.