October 2011
A free limited version of Halcrow’s unique shoreline and near-shore data system (SANDS) is now available to download for commercial users.
SANDS Free has been released to coincide with the launch of an updated version of the programme. Featuring new tools, features and improvements, SANDS V6.5 enables users to manage and understand coastal data more effectively. Licensing and pricing has also been made more flexible.
The free download (click here) is ideally suited for users working on a variety of smaller projects and allows them to tackle a wide range of coastal management scenarios. Users can easily graduate to SANDS Professional if their project grows beyond the restrictions of the free application.
SANDS is used by a range of professionals including shoreline managers, coastline engineers and environmental scientists. It collates and interprets all the variables that affect coastlines in order to detect trends in coastal response.
The programme has been used successfully in projects around the world. In Romania SANDS was used to establish a long-term data collection programme to provide future coastal designers with confidence about the design of new structures and other beach management measures.
In the UK SANDS has been used by Canterbury City Council and other lead authorities as a key component of the south east strategic regional coastal monitoring programme.