Design and construction firms should keep abreast of the development of intelligent transportation systems (ITS), as the technology will have to be incorporated in physical infrastructure to realize its promise.
ITS, including self-driving cars, sensors, and other Internet of Things devices, must work in concert to reduce congestion on roads. The technology has to be able to communicate with city infrastructures and systems and with vehicles on the road.
Sensors must be embedded into new and existing roadways, buildings, posts, and signs that gather data from passing vehicles. ITS could also enable intelligent energy management platforms for buildings and cities through insights gleaned from traffic data.
ITS could also help firms identify new hot areas for retail or housing development based on spikes in traffic. In addition, when autonomous vehicles hit the roads in significant numbers, there could be less need for large parking lots and structures. It’s possible that some existing parking facilities could be repurposed for new buildings.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Sep 25, 2018
New market forces disrupting global real estate development industry
Executives concerned about trade policy, labor shortages, approval processes.
Codes and Standards | Sep 21, 2018
More than 130 organizations petition OSHA to create heat protection standard for workers
Includes mandatory rest breaks, heat-exposure monitoring, record-keeping injury requirement.
Codes and Standards | Sep 20, 2018
North Carolina law banning use of recent climate science could worsen Hurricane Florence impact
Policies may have undermined ability to make coastal regions more resilient.
Codes and Standards | Sep 19, 2018
AIA endorses building owner participation in cap-and-trade programs
Would spur more energy conservation in buildings and cut carbon emissions.
Codes and Standards | Sep 18, 2018
ConsensusDocs Coalition publishes new Lean Addendum
Industry-first document to facilitate lean tools without need to sign multi-party IPD agreement.
Codes and Standards | Sep 14, 2018
IAPMO seeks comments on proposals for 2021 plumbing and mechanical codes
Deadline is Jan. 3, 2019.
Codes and Standards | Sep 13, 2018
As ICC prepares to vote on codes for tall wood buildings, opposition is still strong
Influential body will vote in October on new provisions to allow 18-story wood-framed structures.
Codes and Standards | Sep 12, 2018
Saltwater incursion into Miami’s aquifer may make city uninhabitable later this century
Rising sea levels likely to claim drinking water before land is under water.
Codes and Standards | Sep 11, 2018
Smart Surfaces Coalition will help cities reduce urban heat island effect
Surfaces can reflect away heat and help prevent flooding.
Codes and Standards | Sep 7, 2018
Certified Green Buildings may have an advantage in capital markets
Research supports financial case for certification.