The Role of Infrastructure in Creating Thriving Communities

With the new year, taking stock of what we do and why we do it is crucial. Infrastructure is vital in supporting communities' daily lives and helping them thrive. But in today's rapidly changing world, it's essential for infrastructure to do more than meet the needs of the present. It should also be designed to be resilient and able to withstand and accommodate events such as changing weather conditions, major celebrations, and upstream disruptions.
 
Here are a few ways that infrastructure can help to create resilient communities:
 
1. Reducing dependency on single sources of supply: Infrastructure projects incorporating diverse sources of energy, water, and other resources can help communicate weather disruptions to any of these systems. For example, a community with a mix of renewable energy sources is less likely to be affected by a temporary outage at a single power plant.
 
2. Enhancing connectivity: Strong transportation networks and telecommunications systems can help communities to stay connected and functional during times of crisis. For example, having a solid fibre connection and backup 5G connectivity.
 
3. Supporting critical services: Infrastructure that supports essential services such as healthcare and emergency response can be vital to maintaining a community’s resilience. This might involve investing in infrastructure that can withstand natural disasters or designing buildings easily repurposed for emergency use.
 
By considering resilience as a critical factor in the design and delivery of infrastructure projects, we can help create communities better equipped to handle whatever challenges the future may bring.