Towards resource-efficient and service-oriented integrated infrastructure operation

Roelich, Katy; Knoeri, Christof; Steinberger, Julia K. and Martin, Chris (2015). Towards resource-efficient and service-oriented integrated infrastructure operation. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 92 pp. 40–52.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2014.11.008

Abstract

Infrastructure is a means to an end: it is built, maintained and expanded in order to enable the functioning of society. Present infrastructure operation is characterised by: governance based on unmanaged growing demand, which is both inefficient and ultimately unsustainable; lack of integration of the end-users, in terms of the variety of their wants, needs and behaviours; separate and parallel delivery of different infrastructure streams prohibiting joint solutions. To achieve long-term sustainability, infrastructure needs to be designed and operated to provide essential service delivery at radically decreased levels of resource use. This new approach will need to: (1) incorporate the end-user, in terms of their wants and behaviours; (2) focus on the service provided; (3) use information and communication technologies more effectively; (4) integrate the operation of different infrastructure systems; (5) be governed in a manner that recognises the complexity and interconnectedness of infrastructure systems; and (6) rethink current infrastructure valuation. Possible configurations incorporating these aspects with the explicit goal of contributing to long term sustainability could be Multi Utility Service Companies or “MUSCos�. This article presents new insights and ideas generated by considering the challenge of the transition towards a MUSCo infrastructure.

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About

  • Item ORO ID
  • 41476
  • Item Type
  • Journal Item
  • ISSN
  • 0040-1625
  • Project Funding Details
  • Funded Project NameProject IDFunding Body
    Land of the MUSCosNot SetEPSRC
  • Keywords
  • sustainable infrastructure operation; performance economy; Energy Service Company ESCo; infrastructure integration; valuation; Multi Utility Service Company (MUSCo)
  • Academic Unit or School
  • Faculty of Business and Law (FBL)
  • Copyright Holders
  • © 2014 The Authors
  • Depositing User
  • Chris Martin
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)

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