The new episode of the Engineers Collective podcast is out now.
This month’s episode focuses on ‘transforming infrastructure performance’.
The UK’s Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) released two papers, in 2017 and 2021, called Transforming infrastructure performance in which it set out a vision for the future of infrastructure delivery. This process embeds the use of modern tools and greater project integration to make delivery less expensive and less unpredictable, while increasing safety, learning, efficiency and future readiness.
Since then, there have been regular Transforming Infrastructure Performance (TIP) live summits where stakeholders from government, consultants and engineering contractors convene to discuss the developments towards – and hurdles that stand in the way of – reaching the IPA’s vision for infrastructure delivery by 2030.
This year saw TIP events in both Singapore and London, organised by Bentley Systems and supported by Turner & Townsend in association with the IPA.
This year’s summits focused on the implementation of digital tools, artificial intelligence, creating more synergy between delivery bodies, utilisation of modern methods of construction, the need to upskill and maintain talent, decarbonisation and much more.
More about the lessons shared at TIP and videos of some of the sessions can be found at infrastructurepolicyadvancement.com.
On this month’s episode we have an international panel of experts who were involved in the TIP events in both Singapore and London, to discuss some of TIP 2023’s key themes even further.
Alongside NCE assistant news editor Rob Hakimian, the panel includes Bentley Systems senior international director of infrastructure advancement Mark Coates, Turner & Townsend director, infrastructure and design management lead Glenda Ho and Turner & Townsend director of portfolio management Liam Bray.
The panel starts by discussing what TIP is and why it is valuable, before moving onto some of the meaty topics.
Opinions are shared on how AI can be used to support supply chains a sustainability before the discussions turns to how firms can further their adoption of new technologies.
There are some interesting comparisons on the way infrastructure is delivered in both the UK and Singapore and how the two nations are approaching the challenge of net zero.
There is also a debate about whether it is the clients holding back the implementation of new technologies in construction or whether the blame lies elsewhere.
The panel then concludes by discussing what concrete steps need to be taken to ensure the industry is on course to meet the IPA’s expectations by 2030.