Cities are complex systems that exist at the interface of natural, built and social environments. Geological and geotechnical information about the subsurface are of paramount importance and of high socio-economic value for the development of cities and the maintenance of critical infrastructure (e.g. transport tunnels, energy and water supply networks and foundations). To achieve the vision of resilient cities, subsurface use must be planned, integrated and managed as part of the largely above-ground agendas. Urban geology is a geological science that comprises all topics related to the urban underground, such as hydrogeology, geochemistry, structural geology, engineering geology, geothermal energy, geohazards and geoheritage.
In EGS these topics are dealt with by the Urban Geology Expert Group.