The Common Ground project: Survey to understand user needs
The British Geological Survey has secured funding from the Government Office for Technology Transfer to expand the Common Ground project and develop a national geotechnical data service
Image by Vilius Kukanauskas from Pixabay
The UK construction sector invests approximately £1.2 billion per year in ground investigation, yet unforeseen ground conditions still cause significant delays and overspend, estimated at 10 per cent of project costs or £120 million per year. By delivering a national geotechnical data service (via the Common Ground project), the British Geological Survey (BGS) aim to help reduce risk, increase project efficiency, and maximise the return on investment in ground investigation.
Ensuring that users remain at the heart of this product development, BGS has commissioned an independent agency – Difference Engine – to conduct a survey to help the better understand the needs of those using their services. The survey will take around 10-12 minutes to complete.
Survey closing date: 20 March 2026
RELATED CONTENT: Bill to target the UK’s fragmented ground data
Further reading
- New pilot geotechnical data services. BGS Research; https://www.bgs.ac.uk/geology-projects/the-common-ground-project/pilot-geotechnical-data-services/
- The Common Ground project. BGS Research; https://www.bgs.ac.uk/geology-projects/the-common-ground-project/
