Sustainable Management of Natural Resources: Responsible practices for managing excavated materials and water during underground works.

New Materials for Underground Infrastructure: More sustainable, durable, and lightweight materials (e.g., composites, high-performance concrete, etc.).

Environmental Impact Assessment and Reduction: Methods for assessing environmental impacts, strategies to minimize the impact of underground works and preserve biodiversity, and examples of solutions that reduce the carbon footprint.

New Digital Tools and Decision Support Systems: BIM (Building Information Modeling), digital twins, drones, augmented reality, immersive training, and AI applied to the design and management of underground projects.

Automation and Robotics in Construction: Use of automated tools for construction, automated monitoring systems (proactive risk and emergency management), and robotic maintenance (to reduce downtime and optimize equipment lifespan).

New Computational Tools and Advanced Modeling: Improved design methods and advanced modeling techniques.

New Uses of Underground Spaces: Leveraging underground spaces to address demographic pressure and urban space shortages — an overview of uses (housing, mobility, storage, public services); repurposing existing infrastructure: how to make the most of underground heritage for more sustainable management.

Underground Infrastructure for Sustainable Mobility: Subway tunnels, underground transport networks, and their role in shaping the cities of tomorrow.

Public Policy for Urban Underground Management: Regulations, underground urban planning, and allocation of underground usage rights in major metropolitan areas.

Risk Prevention in Underground Works Starting from the Design Phase: Ensuring worker safety in the face of specific risks (pedestrian collisions, gas exposure, extreme temperatures, etc.).

Working Conditions in Confined Environments: Lighting, ventilation, ergonomics, and worker protection in extreme underground settings.

Training and Skills Development: Supporting operators in developing the necessary skills to master new technologies and working methods.

Contract Models and Project Financing: Economic and financial models tailored to complex underground projects; the impact of funding strategies and political choices.

Implementation of Complex Underground Projects: Managing timelines, costs, and risks in large-scale underground infrastructure projects; the influence of geopolitical context on project execution.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Stakeholder Integration: Ensuring effective coordination among engineers, architects, geologists, and other experts for successful project delivery; local community acceptance and proactive communication.

“Smart” Underground Infrastructure: Integration of new technologies (IoT, etc.) for the real-time management and maintenance of underground networks. The impact of AI on underground construction professions: design support across project study phases, performance-driven and preventive infrastructure maintenance.

Adapting to New Climate and Energy Challenges: How underground techniques can contribute to the energy transition (e.g. geothermal resource use, underground energy storage); resilience of underground infrastructure to extreme weather events; the role of underground solutions in climate risk prevention and mitigation strategies.

People at the Heart of Projects: Aligning project needs with available human resources; enhancing the sector’s attractiveness to younger generations; anticipating new professions; and developing specialized training programs.