A consortium of Universities led by UCL were recently successful in being awarded funding to establish a Centre looking at the interdependencies of cross sectoral infrastructure. The International Centre for Infrastructure Futures (ICIF) will investigate the potential for innovative business models to incorporate these interdependencies of operational infrastructure assets, with a view to improve future investment. This will provide users and tax payers with better value for money.
The principal investigator for this research, UCL's Prof. Brian Collins, comment:
"It is an exciting new development in infrastructure research involving many groups in academia, industry and government that will research and develop new ways of providing infrastructure (Transport, energy, water waste and ICT) in well-developed and developing countries."
The Barlett's School of Construction and Project Management will have input across the range of work streams, but will mainly focus on a work stream with a specific focus on investigating the potential for geographically aligned cross sectoral infrastructure maintenance contractors. It is thought there is potential for the capture of economics of scope in this area through more integration between energy, water, transportation and communication assets.