Improving infrastructure planning

The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) has launched a new global policy programme developed to assist with the challenges of designing and delivering long-term infrastructure projects.

Enabling Better Infrastructure will offer insights to governments and decision-makers around the world on how best to plan and deliver infrastructure which achieves the most effective social and economic outcomes.

The policy has been simultaneously launched across the world, with a launch reception held in London at ICE headquarters, as well as Melbourne, Singapore and Pretoria.

ICE worked alongside a steering group of organisations including OECD, UNOPS, KPMG, Pinsent Masons, the University of Sydney and the Environmental Change Institute, chaired by Sir Michael Bear, on the development of the policy.

The collaboration has resulted in a report, Enabling Better Infrastructure: 12 guiding principles for prioritising and planning infrastructure, which identifies the key principles for planning, implementing and delivering infrastructure projects. The report can be used as high-level guidance and a source of insight as to what decision-makers could do differently to improve infrastructure planning and prioritisation.

A comprehensive resource hub has also launched by ICE. Available on ICE website, the hub brings together the huge amount of global guidance which exists on planning and delivering infrastructure, providing a one-stop-shop of case studies, advice and insight.

Sir Michael Bear, ICE Hon. Fellow and Enabling Better Infrastructure Steering Group Chair, said: “Strategically planned infrastructure can help countries achieve the best social and economic outcomes for their citizens. The Enabling Better Infrastructure programme collates global case studies and learnings, across all areas of the infrastructure lifecycle, to help governments and decision-makers to achieve this.

“Civil engineers play an important role in helping deliver infrastructure that meets future needs and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, so it’s important that we harness our collective experience and work together to make a real difference.”

Nick Baveystock, ICE Director General, said: “Infrastructure is critical to society’s economic, social and personal wellbeing. Delivering infrastructure effectively, efficiently, and with a focus on whole-life value to the end user is essential.

“Decision-makers across the world face many of the same challenges. This report draws out some common principles to support them, wherever they are in the world, in balancing and making choices as they plan their national infrastructure systems.”

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