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REVIEW: Are we learning from China's experiences to minimize the negative impacts of concrete usage?

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The use of concrete exploded to fuel China's rise. Now the costs of this weighty material are being counted. China's recent addiction to concrete stands in stark contrast to its historical reliance on timber as the primary building material. This shift, driven by rapid urbanization, has catapulted China to the forefront of global cement production, accounting for over half of the world's annual output. However, the majority of this concrete is consumed domestically, with little being exported. China's urban centers, despite their impressive growth, face a significant challenge—they are sinking. A recent study reveals that vast swathes of the population now reside in major cities experiencing subsidence at a rate exceeding 3mm per year. In certain areas, such as parts of Beijing, the sinking rate is even more pronounced, reaching over 45mm annually. The study also projects that by 2120, approximately a quarter of China's coastal land will be submerged below sea level
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NEWS: Will the infrastructure sector use its key role to embrace technology?

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Infrastructure must catch up with more technologically advanced sectors and capitalise on its increased role in the UK’s short and long-term plans, according to a new ICE report.

Will the leadership and organisations of the infrastructure sector capitalise on its increased role to close the gap with sectors that have adapted better to growing complexity and technological change?

Infrastructure sector urged to embrace technology

The UK's Institute of Civil Engineering (ICE) report  – A systems approach to infrastructure delivery (SAID) – provides guiding principles and recommendations for the leadership, culture and organisation of infrastructure projects.

Among the recommendations is a call for infrastructure to close the gap with sectors that have adapted better to growing complexity and technological change, including oil, gas and aerospace.

The report recommends cherry-picking best practices to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

With infrastructure at the heart of the UK’s proposed economic recovery plan from Covid-19, and central to the target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, the report also calls on owners to clearly define a project’s outcomes and provide direction across the board.

This ranges from functional needs for the operational system to data requirements and gauging appetite for technological and innovation risk.

It follows the publication of the government’s National Infrastructure Strategy last month.

SAID steering group chair and former Systra Group chief operating officer Andrew McNaughton said: “Huge generational challenges, such as Covid-19 and the UK’s commitment to a net zero carbon economy, are adding further layers of complexity to what we as civil engineers do.

“Technology, in areas such as communications, transportation and power generation, distribution and storage, is also evolving at a pace that is forcing change in the design, integration and commissioning of infrastructure systems. The industry has fallen behind, and it has the responsibility now to catch up and provide the infrastructure that the public deserve.”

The report’s steering group features representatives from BAe Systems, the Environment Agency and Heathrow Airport. It makes wider recommendations to government and industry bodies.

These include the development of a construction readiness standard, a post-professional qualification career development pathway for leaders of complex projects and a common approach to data management.

The ICE has begun working through the practicalities of implementing the SAID model and will support a second phase of work to further develop and test its application.

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