Head of CSIC, Professor Robert Mair talked Research, Innovation and Infrastructure at a joint BSI/ISO event held recently at the Royal Academy of Engineering, titled ‘A Vision for Infrastructure’.
Professor Mair joined other distinguished global leaders from governments, regulators, city managers, funders, contractors, designers, project managers and product suppliers to exchange views on the major challenges facing the sector.
Infrastructure is being recognised as one of the key enablers of economic recovery but infrastructure is a very broad sector. Each country has industry-specific standards and codes and authorities publish their own specifications. A Vision for Infrastructure called for consistency in this frequently chaotic arena.
Discussions focused on the future of the global infrastructure industry, defining key strategies and directions for voluntary International Standards in this sector. The shared goal was the reduction of costs, better exchange of information, complementary legislations and to increase overall quality, safety and environmental performance.
Professor Mair said: “The buzz phrase of the day was ‘smart, green and economic not dumb, wasteful and expensive’.”
Other speakers included: Steve Denton, Parsons Brinckerhoff’s Project Director for TfL’s Structures and Tunnels Investment Programme; Rob Steele, ISO Secretary-General; Scott Steedman, Director of Standards at BSI; Terry Hill, ISO President and non-executive member of the Crossrail Ltd Board; Peter Madden, Chief Executive of the Future Cities Catapult and a member of the UK Government Smart Cities Forum and Giles Thomas, who leads the HS2 Technical Directorate.
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