Shows
The Infrastructure PodcastSustainability: the courage to transform with Hannah PathakAs the latest COP29 global climate change conference draws to a close in Baku, this podcast focuses on how the infrastructure sector can summon the courage to transform its approach to sustainability and ensure that the issue moves from niche to become business as usual in the mainstream at every level of the supply chain. It's a potentially exciting time in infrastructure. The government’s £40bn infrastructure investment plan to get Britain Building is certainly ambitious and challenges all government departments, local authorities and the private sector to focus and prioritise around community and business need. But...2024-12-0235 minThe Infrastructure PodcastCreative solutions to global challenges with Paula GoughIn today's podcast we talk about how modern engineering consultancy really can change lives by creating sustainable infrastructure that focuses relentlessly on delivering creative, value-led solutions for the benefit of people, places and planet.I am deliberately quoting from the values page of engineering design firm Buro Happold in honour of the fact that my guest today is Paula Gough, the newly installed UK Development Director for Infrastructure responsible for bringing, as she puts it, “some exciting new thinking into the UK infrastructure market”.It is quite a challenge. Given the scal...2024-11-2534 minThe Infrastructure PodcastNew homes in new ways with Jez SweetlandIt's a powerful episode this week as we talk about housing and in particular what can be done to accelerate construction of the vital homes that are needed to support our society across the UK.Now the need for housing – in particular affordable housing - has become one of THE most pressing social issues of our time. The current New Homes in New Ways project being hosted at the Building Centre in London makes that point abundantly clear – too many people are still living in temporary or substandard accommodation and it’s something that, for a developed nation...2024-11-1835 minThe Infrastructure PodcastShe Leads; Step into your value with Alex OliverToday’s podcast is a bit special - and I have to say it was a bit nerve-racking - as we talk about the challenges, barriers and opportunities for women in leadership with executive coach and strategy consultant Alex Oliver who – full disclosure – is also my wife.Alex works with a range of people – women and men - across a multitude of sectors helping all these leaders to, as she puts it, “unleash your potential, power your growth and open up a fulfilling and purposeful life”. It is powerful and really important stuff. Understanding...2024-11-1130 minThe Infrastructure PodcastBudget aspiration to infrastructure reality with Hannah VickersA week after Labour's first budget in 14 years - its "big" budget - we talk on the podcast about how the UK turns all the infrastructure aspiration announced into the kind of life, economy and climate changing reality that is implied – perhaps promised.Yes, infrastructure investment plays a key role in driving economic growth across the nation and across the regions of the UK – and according to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the budget’s £40bn budget spend will add some 1.4% to the economy – discuss! But only if these plans can be first turned into projects that actually succeed in creati...2024-11-0433 minThe Infrastructure PodcastInside the digital twin with Greg DemchakIn today’s podcast we talk about the very latest digital twin visualisation technologies and find about a bit more about how and why these new immersive tools are truly set to transform the way we design construct, operate and maintain our infrastructure. At the heart of today’s discussion will be infrastructure software developer Bentley Systems’ new iLab experience which gives hands-on experience with real-time digital twins and features the latest advances in project visualization to bring models to life literally in front of your eyes. I was given a glimpse of this impressive tool rec...2024-10-2831 minThe Infrastructure PodcastDesign a Jamie Oliver restaurant with Alison WatsonToday's special episode is recorded live in Jamie Oliver's new restaurant in Covent Garden London as we return to the tricky, but absolutely crucial issue of skills and the need to lever more of the best talent from schools into the infrastructure, construction and building sector. Now, anyone who has ever attended an industry conference recently and, I dare I say it, anyone that's ever listened to an industry podcaster lately, will be very aware that the deficit of skills in this sector is presenting a real risk to the ability to deliver our ambition for accelerating i...2024-10-2127 minThe Infrastructure PodcastArtificial Intelligence revolution with Julien MoutteIn today’s podcast we return to the interesting, important and very often controversial topic of artificial intelligence – specifically the way that it is set – or not set - to transform the way we design construct, operate and maintain our infrastructure. Now, no one will have escaped to ubiquitous emergence of AI tools now finding their way into virtually every aspect of our lives – driving our phones and computers to influence and guide our working patterns, social media feeds, entertainment choices, cars, our social activities, food and perhaps even our friends.The infrastructure sector is not immun...2024-10-1430 minThe Infrastructure PodcastToronto's transit transformation with Kirsten WatsonToday's podcast comes from Canada as I'm on a short North American trip, and our discussion is focused how technology is set to – perhaps is already – transforming the delivery and operation of public transport. In particular, we ask what lessons can be learnt from around the world – specifically from Toronto - by welcoming Kirsten Watson, Vice President of Government Relations and Transit Market Sector Leader at AECOM to the podcast todayKirsten is former Deputy CEO at Toronto Transit Commission and has just been chairing a fascinating series of conversations about the futu...2024-10-0731 minThe Infrastructure PodcastMaking infrastructure accessible with Meg GinsbergIn the podcast today we talk about the challenge of inclusive design and how to make the infrastructure sector more accessibility to a wider range of society.It’s a huge issue and “not merely a problem to be solved, but a commitment to ensuring independence and dignity for all.” Not my words but those of my guest today Meg Ginsberg, who describes herself as an assistant project manager at South West Water, charity founder and disabled mum. As a wheelchair user who has forged a career infrastructure,Meg knows first-hand the chal...2024-09-3034 minThe Infrastructure PodcastCommissioning for success with Paul TurnerIn today's podcast we tackle a vital but too often overlooked area of infrastructure delivery namely commissioning – the art and science of preparing and taking assets into service ready to deliver the outcomes required from the investment. It is indeed a vital activity for every infrastructure professional to be aware of. For every asset owner and project sponsor for that matter. And while the results of getting commissioning right are so often unnoticed, the impact of getting it wrong can be commercially, socially, environmentally and politically disastrous.So often fantastic infrastructure projects fall at the fina...2024-09-2331 minThe Infrastructure PodcastHigh Speed lessons with Kay Hughes and Andy MurrayIn today's podcast we reflect on last year’s HS2 north project cancellation and, one year one, explore what lessons might be learnt for future major project delivery as we move into the Starmer government era.Now, I have been writing about infrastructure projects for 30 years and it seems that when you look back, one consistent theme constantly crops up – the delivery of major infrastructure projects is troublesome to say the least. As an industry we continuously over-promise when it comes to budgets and programme and under-deliver when it comes to social, economic and environmental outcomes. I’m...2024-09-1635 minThe Infrastructure PodcastSolving the housing crisis with Mark FarmerIn today's podcast we talk about housing – specifically what needs to happen to ensure that the construction sector is set to meet the new government’s ambitious target of building 1.5 million new homes over the next five years.There is no question that when we look back at the past performance of housebuilding in the UK, we have some way to go to meet this 300,000+ new homes a year target.The reality is that new house building numbers have rarely nudged over 200,000 a year in the last 40 years. That was, of course the point in time...2024-09-0936 minThe Infrastructure PodcastModern ports for a sustainable future with Francis PaonessaIn today's podcast we once again build on Labour’s first King’s Speech and dig into the UK’s ambitions for an energy transition.The government has placed energy security and the rapid move away from fossil fuels high on its agenda for this parliament underlining its pre-election manifesto pledges to do just that. This set out the route towards energy independence, stretching towards a clean energy future by 2030 with Great British Energy, its newly launched publicly-owned energy company driving investment into onshore wind, solar power and offshore wind power.It’s certainly...2024-09-0233 minThe Infrastructure PodcastArtificial Intelligence vs Infrastructure with Rene MorkosIn today's podcast we discuss the way artificial intelligence is set to transform infrastructure performance.In the short time since generative AI tools such ChatGPT and array of AI driven apps have emerged and become mainstream, our daily interactions with data has changed dramatically. There should therefore, be absolutely no doubt in anyone’s minds that AI has the power to truly transform the way we live, work and play.Notwithstanding the clear – and potentially well founded – fears around the unintended consequences of accelerating the use of AI technology, few can rule out the potenti...2024-08-2634 minThe Infrastructure PodcastBuilding growth by solving problems with Alex GilbertWe're back from a short summer week off and with today's podcast we are going to talk about how the engineering sector can support the new Labour government’s ambition to roll out infrastructure investment at pace and drive growth back into the UK economy.There can be no doubt about the new government’s infrastructure ambitions following the recent King’s Speech which unequivocally placed investment in the nation’s energy, transport, water and communication infrastructure at the heart of economic growthBut how will this ambition be translated into reality? How will the industry...2024-08-1234 minThe Infrastructure PodcastWater investment realities with Tom WilliamsIn today's podcast we build on last week’s Kings Speech and dig into the new government’s ambitions to reform the much-criticised water sector and drive investment into this vital part of the UK’s infrastructure.And it’s just a week or so after the delayed release of Ofwat’s long-awaited draft determination setting out how much water companies will be allowed to charge customers over the next five years. And it looks like an interesting and challenging time for everyone working in the sector.As my guest last week Alasdair Reisner, chief executive...2024-07-2933 minThe Infrastructure PodcastGetting Britain building with Alasdair ReisnerIn the podcast today we spend a few moments digging behind the headlines from last week’s Kings Speech and try to understand what the implications of the new government’s ambitious first legislative programme will mean for the civil engineering and infrastructure sector.In my Kings Speech preview last week I perhaps adopted a somewhat optimistic tone regarding the potential prospect of a rake of new infrastructure investment flowing rapidly from this new government. Well listening to King Charles as he addressed parliament, I reckon that this optimism was justified! “My Ministers will get Britain...2024-07-2234 minThe Infrastructure PodcastThings can only get better - again, with Antony OliverThis podcast is a bit different. In short, due to various reasons, you just have me. But that’s fine as it’s a great opportunity to have a quick catch up post General Election and a gaze into the crystal ball to see what the new and very shiny Starmer government has in store for infrastructure as we head towards the Kings Speech and opening of a new Parliamentary session this Wednesday.And without getting unnecessarily nostalgic, it’s a great moment to point out - and to mark the fact - that it is 30 y...2024-07-1513 minThe Infrastructure PodcastNew thinking for infrastructure delivery with Andy BeardIn today' podcast we talk about new thinking to create a new era for infrastructure deliveryBy the time you hear this podcast the dust will have settled on the General Election and we will know the rough direction in which the UK is set to take for the next five years.But as it stands right now, all we can really say for certain is that whoever is in Downing Street, they will have investment in infrastructure high on their list of key levers to drive the future economy. [spoiler alert - it's Kier...2024-07-0835 minThe Infrastructure PodcastA manifesto for growth with Kate JenningsIt's General Election week and so in today's podcast we talk about creating sustainable growth - and how we ensure that professional engineers remain at the top table when it comes to influencing the vital infrastructure investment decisions needed to deliver it.Given that we are choosing out next government this week, it seems a great moment to find out how an organisation like the ACE, the Association for Consultancy and Engineering - which for over a century has been the voice of engineering consultancy - can ensure that any new administration makes the right decisions when...2024-07-0133 minThe Infrastructure PodcastHarnessing the power of small business with Julie WhiteIn this podcast we talk about the vital role of small businesses in driving growth into the UK economy as they invest in skills and technology to lead innovation and new thinking across the infrastructure sector.And as we approach the General Election and all parties talk about the need to drive growth, it is a great moment to talk about how government can stimulate this massive engine.While the big projects and large global consultant and contractors tend to steal the headlines and occupy the seats of power and influence across the sector, the r...2024-06-2430 minThe Infrastructure PodcastRetrofitting our built environment with Sara EdmondsIn the podcast today we talk about the opportunities and challenges of retrofitting our built environment to make our homes, offices, industrial buildings and infrastructure more energy efficient but also more resilient to a changing climate.To meet our vitally important and hugely challenging target to become a net-zero carbon emitter by 2050, we urgently need to decarbonise the UK’s real estate. Our homes, our offices, our commercial buildings, our schools hospitals and public buildings. And given that some 40% of our carbon emissions come from the built environment, from heating, powering and operating these buildings - w...2024-06-1734 minThe Infrastructure PodcastThe power of professional engineering with Sir Jim McDonaldIn today's podcast we talk about the power of professional engineering and explore why a largely unseen and unsung profession increasingly has the power to change all our lives.If you think about the major issues and challenges facing the whole of society today, they all seem to come back to infrastructure and engineering. While the headlines may be being grabbed by pre-Election party politics, it is the need to tackle climate change and meet our net zero targets, the cost of energy, the challenge of mobility and public transport, that really stand in the w...2024-06-1036 minThe Infrastructure PodcastThe public transport tech journey with Thomas AblemanIn today's podcast we focus on public transport - and specifically how investment in innovation, and in data and digital technologies can underpin a new era of passenger centric services. Certainly, technology is already transforming the way that we plan our travel and the way that we use public and private transport services. But the goal goes wider and deeper. The goal is to create a truly interconnected transport experience; to provide greater access to transport; to deliver more reliable, more effective end-to-end transport solutions for all. And to make those services a total delight to...2024-06-0336 minThe Infrastructure PodcastArchitecture for better infrastructure with Clare DonnellyIn today's podcast we talk about the role that architecture can - and must - play in delivering better design outcomes from our infrastructure investment. It is a subject that we have discussed before on the podcast, notably with architect Harbinder Birdi who is currently leading work with the Institution of Civil Engineers to promote, and in many ways “re-birth” the role of design champions as central figures in the delivery of major infrastructure projects. It is a role set out by the 2020 National Infrastructure Strategy and reinforced by the National Infrastructure Commission which said board...2024-05-2730 minThe Infrastructure PodcastCRASH - changing lives with Francesca RobertsToday’s podcast is slightly different and rather special as we talk about CRASH, the charity set up in 1996 to focus the philanthropic power of construction.\Since November 2007, CRASH has been run by chief executive Francesca Roberts, and over that time has grown in terms of its influence and impact and truly brought the construction sector on board to help changes lives across so many UK communities. But at the end of this month, after 16.5 years in the job, she is retiring and handing over the role – and her legacy - to new chief executive Trish...2024-05-2034 minThe Infrastructure PodcastThe Project 13 community with Dale EvansIn today’s podcast we talk about fixing the broken model for delivering major infrastructure projects in the UK. Why do we need to fix this model?Well, as we know, Britain needs high performing infrastructure if we are to improve the productivity of our economy and boost living standards for communities.“Yet the model we use to deliver and operate much of this infrastructure is broken. “Too often it produces assets and networks that are expensive, perform poorly and fail to exploit the advances in technology that are transforming other industri...2024-05-1332 minThe Infrastructure PodcastTransforming public transport with Colette CarrollIn today's podcast we talk about public transport – why it works, what stops it from working and what policy levers government should be pulling to ease the path to greater investment and better outcomes.And in particular, we discuss the role of the nation’s rail network in transforming the entire public transport system; why rail reform is important and perhaps what that might look like in theory and in practice.Of course, rail is just one piece of a huge and complex jigsaw that makes up the public transport puzzle; one that involves a rang...2024-05-0634 minThe Infrastructure PodcastDesigning for economic growth with Charlie HodgsonIn today's podcast we ask how designing better infrastructure can help to really grow the UK economy. Now we hear constantly about the vital role that investment in infrastructure projects must play in driving economic growth across the nation and across the regions of the UK – be that investment in transport; in energy systems; in water treatment and supply; and in communications. And it is clear that without this investment the nation simply will not remain globally competitive; our living standards are likely to fall; and we will struggle to meet the decarbonisation challenge and to ensu...2024-04-2834 minThe Infrastructure PodcastDefining the digital twin with Alex LuckIn today's podcast we are talking about digital twins and the challenge of digitalising the infrastructure sector in our bid to increase efficiency and boost outcomes from every pound of investment. There is certainly no shortage of talk nowadays about transforming productivity and the way that the use of digital technology and data can help improve the sector. And to date, the the focus has been largely on improving our design and delivery functions – using tools to draw, design, plan analyse, collaborate and share information more effectively.But in truth, and ever since we embraced the...2024-04-2235 minThe Infrastructure PodcastRethinking rail ticketing with Milda ManomaityteIn today's podcast we delve into the complex world or railway ticketing.I say complex but what I really mean is complicated, confusing, and frustrating. Who hasn’t spent time pondering over the multitude of options thrust upon us when buying a rail ticket and mulled over the permutations and consequences of advanced, off peak, super off peak day return, open return…. Who hasn’t spent time on their journey wondering “is my ticket actually valid?”Who hasn’t then wondered “why is buying a rail ticket so blooming difficult!?Well, thankfully, the...2024-04-1533 minThe Infrastructure PodcastAutomotive lessons with Chetan KoturIn this podcast we ask what, if anything, UK construction can learn from the automotive sector.A quarter of a century ago, Sir John Egan’s Review of the industry drew on the successes and lessons from car manufacturing as a guide for how the construction sector might be transformed. Rethinking Construction highlighted the use of standardisation, computer aided design, lean production methods, investment in innovation and technology, a focus on productivity, training and quality outcomes. All were designed to take the industry away from the era of bespoke one-off projects towards one of systemised impr...2024-04-0836 minThe Infrastructure PodcastBeyond Mission Zero with Rt.Hon. Chris SkidmoreIn today’s podcast we will be finding out just how much we still have to do as nation and as a planet to hit our net zero carbon emission targets and really start to reverse the clearly catastrophic impacts of a changing climate.My guest today is the Rt Hon Chris Skidmore, former MP for Kingswood in South Gloucestershire and the man who, as interim Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth in 2019, signed into law the UK’s legally binding target of hitting net zero emissions by 2050. He has held a num...2024-04-0134 minThe Infrastructure PodcastCircular thinking with John TwitchenToday we are talking once again about building circular economies and in particular the role and challenge facing the infrastructure sector as it tackles this issue as part of the journey towards a net zero carbon emission future. My guest today has just been nominated for the prestigious Earthshot Prize – a prize launched by Prince William in 2020 to search for and scale the most innovative solutions to the world’s greatest environmental challenges.John Twitchen is the founder of Stuff4Life, and has been nominated for his innovative work to tackle and r...2024-03-2534 minThe Infrastructure PodcastThe future of road transport with Steve GoodingIn this podcast we are talk about road transport and take a quick look into the crystal ball to see what lies around the corner for this vital mode of transport. Despite the volume and frequency of discussion about the UK’s approach to public transport – and specifically rail travel which continues to absorb huge amounts of public cash – the reality is that, rightly or wrongly, travel by road remains the overwhelmingly most relied upon mode of transport.I say rightly or wrongly, because there is a view that, for all the convenience of road travel a...2024-03-1830 minThe Infrastructure PodcastRethinking project delivery with Ali MafiIn today’s podcast we will delve into the knotty and, it seems, unending challenge of controlling and reducing the cost and the time spent delivering our major infrastructure projects. As we a constantly reminded by politicians, the public and our colleagues, the track record of global major project delivery is not good. I have referenced the findings of Oxford University professor Bent Flyvbjerg’s book How Big Things Get Done many times on this podcast before – specifically his findings that globally over the last 30 years, just 8.5% of projects met cost and schedule targets while just 0.5% satisfied all ben...2024-03-1133 minThe Infrastructure PodcastBuilding careers that count with Dervilla MitchellIn today's podcast we spend a delightful 30 minutes or so discussing what drives successful careers in engineering and infrastructure.I say delightful because my guest today is Dervilla Mitchell CBE, deputy chair at world renowned design practice Arup, someone who, over the last few decades, I have never tired of talking to!As she prepares to step down from the Arup board - a post she’s held for the last ten years - I’m keen to get her take on what drives - and what defines - career success. And perhaps find...2024-03-0435 minThe Infrastructure PodcastChampioning design with Harbinder BirdiIn today's podcast we talk about design – specifically the need to embed good design at the heart of infrastructure investment.To help us to unpack and explore this issue my guest today is Harbinder Birdi, architect and founder of the Birdi and Partners practice. Loyal listeners may well remember that Harbinder was a guest on the podcast last April, just after he took on a task for the Institution of Civil Engineers to explore the role of infrastructure design champions – a role set out by the 2020 National Infrastructure Strategy and reinforced by the National Infrastructure Commi...2024-02-2635 minThe Infrastructure PodcastDriving a UK nuclear renaissance with Tim StoneIt's the first anniversary episode of the Infrastructure Podcast and today we are going to talk about nuclear power! When I first jumped ship from civil engineering to a new life as a journalist with New Civil Engineer 30 years ago, the magazine was gearing up to celebrate the Sizewell B project which was being commissioned as the first of a new breed of UK nuclear power stations - albeit somewhat over-budget.So my eye was drawn to last month’s announcement by French power firm EdF that the new Hinkley Point C reactor in Somerset – set to...2024-02-1936 min