Bringing large-scale infrastructure projects to life is no small task. It involves juggling budgets, schedules, permits, stakeholders and sometimes even mother nature’s mood swings.
Managing these projects is crucial for the global economy. But it also requires a fundamental mindset shift by government, investors, and industry operators. This chapter explores how infrastructure assets are evolving as the foundation of a more interconnected world, and how this evolution presents an opportunity for all stakeholders to thrive in this new reality.
The definition of what constitutes infrastructure has expanded to include everything from AI-ready power grids to digitally enabled logistics networks. The challenges and opportunities are many: rapidly aging physical assets, rising user demand, and the impact of disruptive technologies are just some of the factors driving this dynamic infrastructure moment.
Some of the most common infrastructure projects are those that connect people and goods. This includes things like roads, bridges and railways as well as water and energy systems. It also includes communication infrastructure, such as cellular towers and fiber optic cables.
Often, this type of work takes place in places that are populated, such as cities. This makes it critical for contractors to keep the community in mind, so they can make accommodations throughout the job, especially when the work will result in road closures or other disruptions. For example, if construction is taking place in an airport, then they may need to close off certain areas of the facility during working hours. This can be done by putting up notices or by scheduling the work for overnight.