The second event in FIDIC’s 2026 webinar series with the Confederation of International Contractors' Associations (CICA) took place on 25 June 2026, focusing on the FIDIC Emerald Book and its role in underground works projects.
The webinar, Going Underground with the FIDIC Emerald Book, was chaired by Fanny Dastugue, director general of CICA and Daduna Kokhreidze, FIDIC’s chief legal and contracts officer. Speakers included Elena Chiriotti, co-founder and managing director at Incas Partners in France; Hannes Ertl, managing director at Vista Perfecta, Consulting and Mediation in Austria; Andrea Costanzi, legal and contract manager at Webuild in Italy; Luis Otavio Rosa, partner at Taroba in Brazil; Scott A. Churilla, vice president at HDR in the USA; and contracts expert Stephane Giraud from Plan J Consulting in France.
Speakers examined the core features of the FIDIC Emerald Book, how it functions in practice and what the Emerald Book Guide and recent amendments mean for project delivery. The discussion benefited considerably from the speakers’ depth of project experience and their first-hand knowledge of how the Emerald Book is being used across the market.
Elena Chiriotti, who is also a member of the executive council of the International Tunnelling Association (ITA), recently took part in the review of the joint FIDIC-ITA Emerald Book. Speaking from the ITA's perspective, she explained why the association took part in preparing the Emerald Book and outlined some of its expected benefits.
Hannes Ertl, an Austrian tunnel and underground engineering expert with more than 25 years of international experience, positioned the Emerald Book within the FIDIC Rainbow Suite of contracts and explained why an independent contract form for underground works was needed. He also highlighted the key features that make the Emerald Book particularly well suited to underground projects.
Andrea Costanzi offered a contractor's perspective on what sets underground works apart from other construction projects, explaining how the Emerald Book’s architecture helps make geotechnical risk more measurable and manageable for contractors. He discussed some of those risks and offered guidance on how contractors can protect themselves on site.
Luis Otavio Rosa addressed whether it is possible to introduce the Emerald Book after tendering has begun under a different procurement model, such as the Yellow or Silver Book. He also examined the preparation of Geotechnical Baseline Reports (GBRs) and offered recommendations for preparing them during the bidding process.
Scott A. Churilla spoke about the value of a contract risk register and risk management plan in project procurement and administration and highlighted some of the key differences between contract forms typically used in North America and the Emerald Book.
Offering the employer’s perspective, Stephane Giraud noted that some employers still prefer the traditional approach – tendering under the Red Book, with design risk retained by the employer and geotechnical studies prepared by the engineer. He outlined the contractual risks of that approach compared with an Emerald Book strategy and discussed where the Emerald Book and GBR should sit within the wider contractual strategy and tender documentation.
Speakers also highlighted the Emerald Book’s versatility, pointing to its potential use beyond underground works, including in PPP projects. This wider application raised the issue of training needs and speakers reinforced the importance of a collaborative approach across all FIDIC contracts.
The final event in this three-part webinar series with CICA, The Good Preparation of Construction Projects, takes place on Thursday 1 October 2026, from 2pm to 3.30pm CET. Keep an eye on the FIDIC website for booking details.
Watch the recording of the webinar below.
