Cities worldwide face common problems – the effects of rapid urbanization and climate change. But cities in developing countries are more vulnerable to these threats and thus would need to bolster their mitigation and adaptation strategies. Rapid urbanization can intensify heat caused by the …
Are Smart City Infrastructure Systems Enough to Protect its Citizens?
What happens when intelligent city systems fail to protect their citizens from the very thing it is designed to do. "Zhengzhou's much-hyped smart city systems, which were supposed to help planners with urban management and safety, have come under heavy scrutiny after recent floods wreaked …
Continue Reading about Are Smart City Infrastructure Systems Enough to Protect its Citizens? →
Flexible Design as a Water Infrastructure Management Strategy
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have been developing new ways to approach water infrastructure design in light of climate change uncertainty. To explain their concept, they use the city of Mombasa, Kenya, as an example. Mombasa is contemplating erecting a new dam …
Continue Reading about Flexible Design as a Water Infrastructure Management Strategy →
Future Demand Management of Levees in the American Midwest
In March 2019, flooding along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers has left the levee system damaged beyond the point of repair for many farmers in Midwestern states. Many residents consider relocation to be the only valid option as water levels are rising every time the rivers flood. The American …
Continue Reading about Future Demand Management of Levees in the American Midwest →
Are Microgrids Needed for a Resilient Texas’ Energy Infrastructure?
Freezing temperatures in Texas in February 2021 caused its power grid to fail dramatically. Millions of Texans were without power amid freezing temperatures. A combination of factors caused the energy grid to collapse. First, Texas, energy infrastructure is not “winterized” because of the …
Continue Reading about Are Microgrids Needed for a Resilient Texas’ Energy Infrastructure? →
Applying Infrastructure Asset Management Practice to Shun “Day Zero”
Cape Town, South Africa is facing a very dire situation due to a three-year-long mega-drought. By May, the city was expecting to have to turn off its water supply and hand out a meager 25 liters per day to its citizens, who will have to make their way through long and potentially dangerous crowds …
Continue Reading about Applying Infrastructure Asset Management Practice to Shun “Day Zero” →
Canadian Study on Stormwater Infrastructure – Infrastructure Management
Recently the Sustainable Prosperity, an environmental think tank based at the University of Ottowa, conducted a study, aptly labeled "New Solutions for Sustainable Stormwater Management in Canada." The study reviews the current state of stormwater management in Canada and the two most regularly …
Continue Reading about Canadian Study on Stormwater Infrastructure – Infrastructure Management →
Infrastructure Asset Management Impacts of the Electronic Vehicle Disruption
Tony Seba has published an updated lecture: The Electric Vehicle Disruption - End of Oil 2030 Having attended a lecture by Tony Seba two years ago, I have found his analysis coherent, well-researched, and well worth taking note of. If you are involved in transportation infrastructure …
1.1 Billion People More in 2030 – Are We Planning Globally to Meet the World’s Population Growth and Challenges?
By 2030, scientists predict that another 1.1 billion people will be inhabiting planet earth, bringing the world's total population count to a number just shy of 9 billion. Most of them will be born in densely populated urban areas in Asia and Africa - areas that cannot sustain such immense …
21st Century Approach to Water Utility Resilience
For those investing in water infrastructure and water solutions, there is a concept that must be grasped: water will always win against human control. It is possible to think outside the box and not trying to stop or change the naturally occurring patterns in waterways or geographically wet …
Continue Reading about 21st Century Approach to Water Utility Resilience →
Will I Buy a Tesla Model 3 and Why Does It Matter to Infrastructure Asset Management?
A few days ago the American electric car maker Tesla announced details of its Model 3 car, priced from USD $35,000. The Model 3 will also be available in some more countries, including New Zealand where I live. Seating 5 adults, and with a range of 215 miles (346 km) per charge the Model 3 is …
MN Petitions “WOTUS” – Infrastructure Management Plan Implications
At the end of May 2015, the much-anticipated final rule on "Definition of Waters in the U.S." ("WOTUS") as an amendment to the Clean Water Act, was published by the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. While everyone greatly appreciates the effort made with this document, many U.S. county …
Continue Reading about MN Petitions “WOTUS” – Infrastructure Management Plan Implications →