Mission

ACUUS is an international, non-governmental organization dedicated to partnerships amongst experts in the field of research, planning, development, utilization and management of urban underground space. Its main aim is to provide a focal point regarding urban underground space that will gather experts from multidisciplinary scientific fields and will allow them to form coherent initiatives regarding the promotion of subsurface development and use of underground infrastructure that will eventually benefit city life.

Creation

The idea to create the ACUUS was first suggested in 1992 at 5th International Conference in Delft and took form in Paris, within the 6th International Conference “Underground Space and Urban Planning”. ACUUS was formally established in the fall of 1996 at Sendai, Japan, when founding members from Canada, France, Japan and the United States agreed to incorporate the new international organization in Canada. The ACUUS secretariat has been inaugurated in October 1997 in Montreal, at the end of the 7th International Conference “Underground Space: Indoor Cities of Tomorrow”.

Objectives and Activities

The main objectives of the ACUUS organisation are:

  • To facilitate the exchanges between the clientele and the expert knowledge worldwide in regard to the study of costs, potentialities and techniques of expansion in the urban underground;
  • To raise the awareness of the private sector, the governments at all levels and the general public on the specific issues related to the sustainable use of the urban underground;
  • To provide support and services to members of national organizations and research centers conducting similar activities in view of enhancing their relations and international radiance.

ACUUS through its structure and its members is involved in numerous activities ranging from the organisation of educational initiatives, scientific consulting to other organisations or national and international bodies, supporting of scientific research in the field of underground space planning, etc. More particularly, the activities that ACUUS is involved with are:

  • Coordination, planning and /or organization of international events: biennial conferences, exhibitions, competitions and others;
  • Organization of academic and professional exchange on the issues of the urban underground;
  • Consultation on the issues of urban underground development and identification of critical issues of local, urban and regional importance and appropriate solutions;
  • Support to the initiatives aiming at expanding and enhancing the public use of the urban indoor and underground networks (tourism, community gatherings sports, or others);
  • Promotion of strategies and actions for the integrated planning and management of the urban underground space;
  • Support to members and associated organizations in the developing countries.