Australia’s first attempt on smart infrastructure.
The Minister for Broadband tried very hard to mandate smart sensors in every infrastructure project, but unfortunately he was unable to get this visionary trans-sector policy accepted and he had to make do with the second-best option, a requirement to take a case-by-case approach.
This shows how difficult it is to build trans-sector bridges between government departments, since it is clear that intelligent infrastructure is the way of the future, and that, by accepting the relatively low extra costs involved in embedding intelligence in the infrastructure (roads, bridges, railways, waterways, gas pipes, buildings, etc) at the outset, maintenance and repair savings could be achieved – savings that could easily be more than a hundred times the cost of the actual intelligence.
On the other hand, installing intelligence after the physical infrastructure is in place could increase the installation costs tenfold – not to mention the fact that early detection could avoid disasters and save lives.
On top of all this, in May 2009 an IBM/Access Economics report forecast that over a ten-year period smart infrastructure would create 70,000 new jobs and add $80 billion to GDP, increasing even more the economic benefits attached to intelligent infrastructure development.
And if we really want to maintain our clever country status we should investigate where we can develop true trans-sector infrastructure projects. It will be much cheaper to roll out fibre networks when building roads, rolling out electricity networks, gas pipelines etc. And cost savings will also be made if smart infrastructure is embedded during the actual construction phase of home-building.
Nevertheless, the Minister has been able to put the issue on the agenda and has at least got it to the point where the option will now be part of government policy. This is a great improvement on the previous situation, where smarts were seldom considered.
With increased awareness of trans-sector approaches towards infrastructure investments, and with the issue now clearly on the agenda, it will become easier from here on to take the next step and make this compulsory.
This will happen once other government departments are becoming more aware of the economic multiplier effect of a trans-sector approach – that they are not just building roads, etc, but are part of the overall development of smart communities that are emerging around the world.
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