Welcome to this frst global research
report from AECOM.
As a company focused on building a
better world, we are passionate about
our work in advancing infrastructure
that improves quality of life and
prepares us to meet the challenges
ahead. Increasingly, we see networks
and systems around the world coming
under considerable strain. At the
same time, as the physical and digital
worlds converge, we are also witnessing
amazing innovations and new ideas just
around the corner. These are testing
and exciting times.
As we speak with friends, colleagues
and clients in the industry, we hear
expressions of worry and optimism,
caution and exuberance about what’s
ahead. To get an accurate picture
of the times and how people think
infrastructure may change in the
future — or how the future may
change infrastructure — AECOM
hasundertaken this research.
We surveyed more than 500 senior
industry decision makers, all of whom
work on infrastructure projects valued
at more than US$100 million, and we
conducted detailed interviews with
more than a dozen key fgures in our
industry. The aim has been to better
understand the problems, priorities
and potential in delivering major
infrastructure projects.
We think that the fndings are
compelling. For example, nearly
70percent of respondents feel that
theindustry is not evolving fast enough
to meet our changing needs; one-third
identify a lack of public funding as key
to holding up new projects; and eight
in 10 believe this is a pivotal time for
civilinfrastructure.
FOREWORD
In addition to hearing from
our survey respondents, we have
included a number of articles in this
report to address many of the key
issues raised and to help inform new
discussions that can unlock workable,
sustainablesolutions.
Amid the impacts posed by
urbanization, climate change and
the dizzying pace of technological
advances, merely narrowing the
infrastructure gap can no longer be
a baseline goal for our industry, our
clients and governments. What’s
needed is a giant leap forward
— focusing the smartest minds,
training and deploying more skilled
workers, and leveraging new digital
tools to deliver a better future
throughinfrastructure.
Success lies in people working
together with a shared vision in our
industry and beyond. The potential
ofered by high-quality infrastructure
is transformative, and getting it
rightiseveryone’s business.
Michael S. Burke
Chairman and Chief Executive Ofcer
THE FUTURE OF
INFRASTRUCTURE
Are you ready for the
futureof infrastructure
Is your organization ready for the
challengesandopportunities ahead
Use our fve-minute tool to fnd out
how youcompare with infrastructure
organizationsaroundthe world.
Discover more
infrastructure.aecom/benchmarkingPart One
Growth, Progress
and Change: Why
the Industry Needs
to Speak Up
26
Part Two
A Pivotal Moment
for Infrastructure
46
Part Three
Building the
ResilientFutureExecutive
Summary and
KeyFindingsInsights
The Infrastructure
Gap: Financing and
Funding the Future
38
Insights
Delivering Future
Infrastructure:
Faster, Smarter
andBetter
40
Insights
Skills 2030:
Securing the Talent
to Build our Future
Infrastructure
A snapshot of key
report highlights about
the perceived value
of infrastructure, the
appetite for change,
funding challenges
and the desire for
innovation to help make
the big leapforward.
Existing infrastructure is
under strain as demand
far outstrips supply.
With future networks
and systems slow to
be delivered, it is time
to embrace new tools
and approaches, and
develop a workforce
forthefuture.
With the increasing
number of cyberattacks
and extreme weather
events, a focus on
resilience is recognized
as a route to supporting
an improved quality of
lifefor all.
With increasing
urgency to resolve the
fnancing and funding
of infrastructure
projects, Michael
S. Burke, Chairman
and Chief Executive
Ofcer at AECOM,
and co-author and
Specialist Consultant,
Clive Lipshitz outline
several approaches
that, taken together,
can help reduce the
infrastructure gap.
As the industry seeks
to bridge the global
infrastructure gap,
the delivery of many
critical assets is
still being delayed.
The combination
of technology and
alternative delivery
can be truly powerful
in solving this
productivity issue,
write industry-leading
project delivery experts
Richard Robinson and
MattForbes.
Technologies are
transforming our lives
and our world… and
that includes every
type of infrastructure
you can imagine.
In response, Roma
Agrawal and Susan
Dumond propose
a skills manifesto
for securing
the engineering
talent to build our
futureinfrastructure.
60
Insights
StrangerThan
Fiction: A Day in
theLife of Future
Infrastructure
From the Jetsons to
Futurama, and Star
Trek to Blade Runner,
we’ve all seen imagined
futures. Veronica
Siranosian and Andrew
Bui look at some of
the biggest emerging
infrastructure trends.
54
Insights
Resilience: In a
Shifting World
Future proofng
and designing
resilience into critical
infrastructure is one of
the biggest challenges
facing the industry,
write resilience experts
Ronald Hahn and
JoshSawislak.
While there is broad
agreement that
infrastructure will play
an important role in
shaping our future,
much has to change to
meet growing demands
for services.
64
About this
Research and
AcknowledgmentsNO
RT
H
AM
ER
IC
A
83
%
GL
OB
AL2%
Resilient and sustainable infrastructure is critical
to economic growth and social progress. Looking at
the challenges and opportunities ahead, the Future
of Infrastructure report harnesses the views of more
than 500 industry decision makers globally, all of
whom work on projects of +US$100 million.
INFRASTRUCTURE IS
EVERYONE’S BUSINESS
RESILIENCE
A COUNTDOWN TO
CATASTROPHE
ACCELERATED DELIVERY
DELIVERING FASTER,
SMARTER, BETTER
UNPREPARED FOR THE CHALLENGE
However, only 24% believe
the industry is fully prepared
for the challenge of attracting
privateinvestment.
INNOVATIVE MODELS
90% believe innovative funding
models are efective at bridging
the funding gap.71%
CYBERATTACK OR CITYWIDE
TRANSPORT DISRUPTION
71% say a major cyberattack or
citywide transport disruption is
probable in the near future.
FUNDING
CLOSING THE
INFRASTRUCTURE
FUNDING GAP
90%71%
72%
Changes in legislation and innovative funding
models are needed to remove obstacles and
allow the public sector to better access private
sector fnancing.
Future proofng and protection to
guard against cyber and physical attack
are essential for all existing networks
andsystems.
As we enter the Fourth Industrial Revolution,
the world of infrastructure needs to rethink
project design and delivery. Connected
expertise is the key to a seamless approach.
82%
82% believe that investment
in infrastructure is crucial to
national prosperity.
24%
TRADITIONAL APPROACHES
71% believe that many of the
traditional, tried-and-tested
approaches to project management
do not ft the demands of today’s
large, complex programs.
SEAMLESS INTEGRATION
72% feel that most projects are a
long way from achieving seamless
integration of providers.
RESPONDING TO THE CHALLENGES
Discover more:
THE INFRASTRUCTURE GAP: FINANCING
ANDFUNDING T