In this introductory article, Next Generation Infrastructure, Mike Underwood of Critigen, prognosticates on the future of infrastructure. Everyone dealing with any aspect of U. S. infrastructure has heard of its deteriorating condition. Underwood details the risks and threats to this condition, “a safety and economic growth and security issue” (p. 1), as well as an environmental concern.
Underwood isolated the three technologies that change the management of assets: “sensor, 3D design, and location technology” (p. 1). These technologies influence asset management “cost, sustainability, security, monitoring, and compliance” (p. 1), directly addressing some of the threats posed. The integration of these technologies allow a life-cycle management of assets, from development and installation to retirement. They create and “authoritative and historically accurate spatial view of intelligent infrastructure” (p.1), with its attributes and dimensions, location, and condition.
Agencies, organizations, and companies recognize the need for a strategic program plan that encompasses discrete projects and the tools and technologies to operate the plan throughout the asset lifecycle. According to Gartner, the process has evolved from Work Order Management, to Computerized Maintenance Management (CMM), to Enterprise Asset Management (EMM). EMM integrates the three new technologies mentioned above. With the integration, managers can obtain additional data required of them, not only asset attributes, condition, and location, but also the energy costs that the asset consumes. Underwood quotes a client who described what he called the “‘6D’ infrastructure data--location (latitude, longitude, elevation), time (date from the project schedule), and energy cost (measured in megawatt hours)” (p.1). Manager can generate a concise and accurate profit and loss statement from this data and the operations cost and revenue generated from the use of the asset.
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