Background

Definition

Infrastructure includes buildings and structures, as well as the networks for transport, water, waste, and energy that connect people and property.  Sustainable development requires that the creation of that infrastructure meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

 

Value

In Norway, it is estimated that infrastructure represents 70% of fixed assets, and has a replacement value of approximately 5000 billion NOK.  In Europe (the EU15 countries), the building and construction industry has about 14 million employees and turnover of about EUR 1000 billion.  Globally, more than 111 million people are working within the sector, and construction activities amount to about 10% of the gross domestic product.

Beyond direct monetary cost, a well planned and maintained infrastructure can facilitate economic efficiency and social well-being.  These benefits are difficult to quantify, but present a real opportunity to drastically improve the capacity for sustainability in a community.

 

Impact

The scale of material and energy consumption associated with the construction, operation and deconstruction of infrastructure is unparalleled, and results in the largest environmental impacts of any sector.  Globally, the built environment accounts for approximately:

• 25-40 % of the energy consumption
• 30-40 % of the material resource consumption
• 30-40 % of the waste production
• 30-40 % of the greenhouse gas release

And industrialized countries trend toward the high end of these ranges.

Looking at the challenge from the opposite perspective, the impact of the environment and climate exposure on infrastructure is equally important for optimizing overall sustainability.  Location, design, material use, management and service life all determine functionality, and must be part of a comprehensive impact assessment.

 

Strategic Research Focus Areas

Forecasting Sustainable Infrastructure:  defining the system, determining the challenges that future infrastructure will face, and developing indicators to measure performance are all important steps that can be used to make holistic improvements to design and predict what infrastructure could look like in the future.    

Future Materials & Technology for Construction:  harsher climatic conditions, reduced resource consumption, and greater energy efficiency all demand materials that perform at a higher level.  Technological advances broaden the scope of possible solutions, and potentially create “game-changing” innovations that make fundamentally new approaches feasible.    

Vulnerability & Safety of Critical Infrastructure:  changing climates and an aging built environment present varying levels of risk for different types of infrastructure.  Identifying the areas of greatest risk can allow for the prioritization of maintenance and construction efforts.

 

Sustainable Infrastructure Research Framework

The graphic below represents how sustainability concerns intersect with traditional infrastructure categories.  

 

Infrastructure Types

The definition of infrastructure is broad and varied, but the following categories have been identified by the Sustainable Infrastructure project for the purpose of creating a research framework.

BS – Buildings & Structures

TN – Transportation Network

HE – Hydraulic & Environmental Engineering

EPD – Energy Production & Distribution

 

Sustainability Topics

On the opposite axis of the research framework are five focus areas that have been identified as the most relevant for achieving sustainability across all types of infrastructure.

CR – Codes & Regulations

CC – Climate Changes & Consequences

RSS – Risks, Safety & Security

FM – Facility Management

LC – Life Cycle Planning & Recycling