A well-known rule of thumb in the building industry is that 75% of the cost of a 40 year old facility is the cost of operating and maintaining it. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) released a report that encourages us to change the fundamentals of how we fund and manage our critical infrastructure which the ASCE defines as “Critical infrastructure can be natural, built, or virtual. Natural infrastructure systems include lakes, rivers, and streams used for navigation and water supply and storage, as well as coastal wetlands that provide a buffer for storm surges. Built infrastructure systems include roads and bridges, water supply, wastewater treatment, flood-reduction structures, telecommunications, and power grids. Virtual infrastructure systems include the cyber, electronic, and information systems upon which our citizens and economy rely.”
Some of the key points that the ASCE makes that would dramatically change how we fund and manage our critical infrastrucuture are- Critical infrastructure has to have a higher priority on the national agenda.
- Funding has to be based on the entire lifecycle of facilities.
- Risk assessment of critical infrastructure should be mandatory, with public disclosure.
Be the first to comment