Sustainable critical infrastructure systems : a framework for meeting 21st century imperatives : report of a workshop

Author(s)

    • Toward Sustainable Critical Infrastructure Systems: Framing the Challenges Workshop
    • National Research Council (U.S.). Toward Sustainable Critical Infrastructure Systems: Framing the Challenges Workshop Committee
    • National Research Council (U.S.). Board on Infrastructure and the Constructed Environment. Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences

Bibliographic Information

Sustainable critical infrastructure systems : a framework for meeting 21st century imperatives : report of a workshop

Toward Sustainable Critical Infrastructure Systems: Framing the Challenges Workshop Committee, Board on Infrastructure and the Constructed Environment, Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences, National Research Council of the National Academies

National Academies Press, c2009

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Note

"Many of the ideas and much of the information in this report were generated at a workshop held May 7 and 8, 2008, at the National Academies in Washington, D.C."--Pref. (p. vii)

Includes bibliographical references (p. 43-46)

Description and Table of Contents

Description

For the people of the United States, the 20th century was one of unprecedented population growth, economic development, and improved quality of life. The critical infrastructure systems-water, wastewater, power, transportation, and telecommunications-built in the 20th century have become so much a part of modern life that they are taken for granted. By 2030, 60 million more Americans will expect these systems to deliver essential services. Large segments and components of the nation's critical infrastructure systems are now 50 to 100 years old, and their performance and condition are deteriorating. Improvements are clearly necessary. However, approaching infrastructure renewal by continuing to use the same processes, practices, technologies, and materials that were developed in the 20th century will likely yield the same results: increasing instances of service disruptions, higher operating and repair costs, and the possibility of catastrophic, cascading failures. If the nation is to meet some of the important challenges of the 21st century, a new paradigm for the renewal of critical infrastructure systems is needed. This book discusses the essential components of this new paradigm, and outlines a framework to ensure that ongoing activities, knowledge, and technologies can be aligned and leveraged to help meet multiple national objectives.

Table of Contents

  • 1 Front Matter
  • 2 Summary
  • 3 1 Why Critical Infrastructure Systems Matter
  • 4 2 Meeting 21st Century Imperatives with 20th Century Infrastructure Systems
  • 5 3 Underlying Issues
  • 6 4 Creating a New Paradigm
  • 7 References
  • 8 Appendixes
  • 9 Appendix A: Biosketches of Committee Members
  • 10 Appendix B: Workshop Participants
  • 11 Appendix C: Workshop Agenda and Draft Infrastructure Challenges
  • 12 Appendix D: Summary of Workshop Outcomes

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