ICE to launch Enabling Better Infrastructure programme

The programme aims to help decision-makers globally take the most effective approaches to the planning and delivery of infrastructure provision. Image: iStock

[edit] Introduction

As urbanisation and other demographic shifts take hold, alongside the impacts of climate change and the digitisation of international economies, there is a growing need to think differently about the ways in which infrastructure is delivered and used.

Facing up to the demands of these megatrends to ensure that societies are able to benefit from first-class infrastructure services is the responsibility of national governments. In doing so, there will be an increasing need to engage in new ways of working right across the infrastructure lifecycle to ensure the very best economic, social and environmental outcomes.

The Enabling Better Infrastructure programme has been initiated to help decision makers achieve these outcomes.

[edit] How does the Enabling Better Infrastructure programme work?

The programme is split into three parts:

• A report drawing together examples of best practice from around the world in relation to prioritising and planning economic infrastructure networks, which looks specifically at visioning, undertaking a needs assessment and compiling a national strategy.
• A resource hub that contains best-practice examples from across the entire infrastructure lifecycle, from planning through to delivery and operation.
• Project decommissioning.

The hub will also contain case studies relating to the optimum enabling environment for the delivery of major infrastructure programmes. This section will focus on a variety of areas including: financing, regulatory frameworks and leveraging data.

The overarching objective is for the resource hub to become a ‘one-stop shop’ for government decision-makers to access insight that will help improve the development and administration of national infrastructure strategies.

[edit] The launch

Both the report and resource hub were launched in a series of sequential international events on Wednesday, 4 December 2019. Events were held in London, Australia, South Africa and Singapore, with other events to follow on later dates in the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

[edit] 2020 and beyond

The third part of the programme will see the ICE team, with the support of its membership and project partners, organise a number of international thought leadership roundtables to glean further insights into the steps that are being taken around the world to improve the planning and delivery of infrastructure.

Discussions will be captured and added to the resource hub as case studies.

Readers who wish to participate in one of these events (or host one) can get in touch. Likewise, if they have a case study which ICE can share through the resource hub, please email [email protected].

The Enabling Better Infrastructure Programme has been developed in collaboration with a range of partners, including: Pinsent Masons, KPMG, UNOPS, the OECD, the University of Oxford and the University of Sydney.

[edit] About this article

This article was written by Ben Goodwin, ICE Lead Policy Manager. It previously appeared on the website of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) in November 2019 and can be accessed HERE.

More articles by ICE on Designing Buildings Wiki can be accessed HERE.

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--The Institution of Civil Engineers