MAY 2022CONSTRUCTIONBUSINESSREVIEW.COM9Get better at prediction and prevention and the natural lifecycle of assets improve, along with resilience and productivity, and risks and costs reduce.Part of this response to unpredictability is data security. There's a vulnerability to be managed with infrastructure, whether it be a critical defense, water or power asset, or arterial freeway. This is increasingly apparent as the construction industry moves to a more remote and physically distanced workforce. Cyber security should rightfully remain a key focus to insulate the sector from increased threat.Meeting Community NeedsThe construction sector in the Asia Pacific region is bringing to life the foundation of future communities, cities, and civilizations, with infrastructure that connects and supports people. Tomorrow's legacy is ignited by the difficult conversations today around the role of digital technology and its profound transformative effect on infrastructure. The use of digital technology can engage communities by demonstrating how infrastructure is a representation of their needs. This launches a fantastic new way of intelligent communication to undergird community involvement.But it does require a good deal of open-mindedness to adopt digital ways of designing and building, shifting from a traditional linear process to a more agile circular approach with loops of feedback. Such a change requires a shift in mindset, using digital technology to undertake tasks such as validate designs and look for standardization and consistency. This way of working then provides greater capacity for humans to focus on connection and collaboration, and problem-solving, for which brainpower is irreplaceable. The Foundation of the FutureNet acceleration in the use of digital technology, and the construction sector will transform from a highly bespoke and fragmented, project-based industry, to a more standardized, consolidated, and integrated one.The digital awakening in the sector is definitely on its way. Companies and governments now face a choice--watch the opportunities sail by, or embrace the change.About the AuthorLouise Adams is Aurecon's Chief Operating Officer. In 2020, she was named the Australian CEO of the Year, which is part of the CEO Magazine Executive of the Year awards. As one of the few female leaders in the infrastructure industry, Louise understands her responsibilities as a role model for young female scientists and engineers. She has recently been appointed to the Board of Infrastructure Partnerships Australia and is a committee member for Infrastructure Partnerships Australia's Women's Infrastructure Network Steering Committee. She is also the Chair to Consult Australia's Male Champions of Change. Factors characterizing much deeper digital enablement on projects include shifting the mindsets of the past, deciphering the complexities of supply chains, and mitigating the perceived risks of changeLouise Adams
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