1 Scope
This PAS gives recommendations on the creation and management of nature-inclusive marine structures, ensuring sustainable, positive outcomes for nature and providing a structured, procedural approach to nature-inclusive design. It covers guidance relating to core philosophical principles of nature-inclusion, broad design considerations, planning, construction, augmentation with habitat-forming organisms, monitoring, communications and decommissioning.
This PAS is globally applicable to any structure or set of structures, that will be placed in any marine environment, during marine construction projects (hereafter referred to as “projects”). It includes both the above-water and underwater sections of structures, as well as all environments defined as marine (see 3.1.22). It is also applicable to the modification or enhancement of existing man-made structures already located in a marine environment. It is not limited to “add-on” units for habitat enhancement but covers the complete scope of structures destined for marine environments.
This PAS is intended for use by anyone procuring, using, designing, or developing marine structures, including:
| a) | design and pre-construction professionals specifying nature-inclusive designs, selecting existing designs and developing new designs; |
| b) | developers and leaseholders procuring nature-inclusive structures or nature-inclusive design services; |
| c) | project managers and engineers integrating nature-inclusive designs or nature-inclusive structures into projects; and |
| d) | ecologists aiming to improve post-build biodiversity metrics of projects with nature-inclusive design. |
This PAS is also of interest to marine licensing authorities and regulators responsible for the permitting of projects, aiming to verify eco-centric and sustainable development practices.
This PAS does not cover:
| 1) | technical engineering criteria or tests, such as structural design, lifting methodologies or maintenance inspections; |
| 2) | quality control measures for the construction of structures; |
| 3) |
deployment methods and logistics processes; |
| 4) |
recommendations for specific nature-inclusive design features to suit different locations; NOTE 2 For design feature recommendations, users are advised to seek up to date guidance documents, especially those that synthesize ecological engineering theory and peer reviewed research, for example, Evans, 2021 [2]; Glarou et al., 2020 [3]; Lengkeek et al., 2017 [4]. |
| 5) |
specific guidance on the comprehensive assessment and mitigation of environmental impacts across a project; NOTE 3 Environmental impacts and appropriate mitigation has to be assessed on a project-by-project basis. |
| 6) | guidance on whether the use of marine structures is appropriate to a given area or on the criteria for acceptance of a project during licensing processes; or |
| 7) |
comprehensive guidance on the development and management of nature-based solutions. NOTE 4 Nature-inclusive design can be used as a tool within nature-based solutions, in which case users are advised to integrate nature-inclusive structures with wider good practice for the management of nature-based solutions, for example, Bridges et al., 2021 [5]; International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 2020 [6]. NOTE 5 It is important to provide clarity on the crossovers and distinctions between these concepts: nature-based solutions and nature-inclusive design. Both nature-based solutions and nature-inclusive design aim to enhance biodiversity or ecosystem services while addressing societal needs, with a strong emphasis on sustainability and the integration of natural processes. Nature-inclusive design can be seen as a specific approach or tool within the broader framework of nature-based solutions. However, there are notable differences: nature-based solutions (see 3.1.29) have a broader scope, addressing a wide range of societal challenges through ecosystem-based approaches, often at larger scales such as landscapes or regions. In contrast, nature-inclusive design (see 3.1.30) is more focused on the built environment and infrastructure, dealing with the integration of natural elements within man-made structures. Additionally, nature-inclusive design is typically implemented at a more granular level, such as individual buildings or construction areas, whereas nature-based solutions can span larger geographical areas and encompass more diverse applications. |
NOTE 1 Users are advised to follow existing specialist advice, industry standards, guidance notes and requisite legislation for these topics. For example, BS EN ISO 9001 provides guidance on the establishment of effective quality management systems.