White House Says $110 Billion in Infrastructure Funds Released in First 6 Months May 16, 2022 The White House on Monday said it has released $110 billion in funding from the $1 trillion infrastructure package that seeks to fix crumbling roads, expand broadband internet and improve the electrical grid. Read…
High pump prices the result of a suite of market issues and not simply price gouging, study says
High pump prices the result of a suite of market issues and not simply price gouging, study says Energize Weekly, May 18, 2002 Oil companies have been in the crosshairs of lawmakers for either price gouging or not producing enough oil as gasoline pump prices have soared, but a new…
Brookfield Weighs Takeover of Data Center Firm Switch
Brookfield Weighs Takeover of Data Center Firm Switch May 03, 2022 Brookfield Asset Management Inc. is exploring a takeover of data center operator Switch Inc., according to people familiar with the matter. Read more
Biden to require infrastructure projects be made with U.S. iron, steel
Biden to require infrastructure projects be made with U.S. iron, steel April 18, 2022 The Biden administration is directing federal agencies to ensure that new construction projects funded by the $1.2 trillion infrastructure package are made with U.S.-made materials. Read more
Compute North breaks ground on 300MW data center in Granbury, Texas
Compute North breaks ground on 300MW data center in Granbury, Texas April 12, 2022 Compute North is building a 300MW data center at a gas-fired power plant in Texas. The blockchain & HPC data center firm has announced that construction is underway to build a 300MW data center next to…
The Data Center of the Future
The Data Center of the Future 29 Mar 2022 The switch from on-premises data centers to the cloud has enabled companies to offload a lot of the complexity involved in maintaining a data center, providing access to computing, storage and network as a commodity. Yet this switch has created other…
How green rooftops can help cool off hot cities
How green rooftops can help cool off hot cities March 22, 2022 Recent research suggests that green roofs — rooftops covered with greenery or other sun-reflecting materials — can reduce heat in cities. City features like asphalt and concrete absorb and retain a significant amount of heat, creating what is known as…
SEC plans to force public companies to disclose greenhouse gas emissions
SEC plans to force public companies to disclose greenhouse gas emissions March 15, 2022 The Securities and Exchange Commission plans to require all publicly traded companies to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and the climate risks their businesses face, part of the Biden administration’s broader push to force the private…
BitNile Plans to Expand the Power Capacity of Its Michigan Data Center to 300 Megawatts
BitNile Plans to Expand the Power Capacity of Its Michigan Data Center to 300 Megawatts Mar 7, 2022 BitNile Holdings, a diversified holding company today announced that it plans to expand the power capacity at its Michigan data center to 300 megawatts, which would enable Bitcoin mining operations at the…
Florida Infrastructure: Critical strategies the Sunshine State can implement to manage the state’s anticipated growth
Florida Infrastructure: Critical strategies the Sunshine State can implement to manage the state’s anticipated growth 3/1/2022 The pandemic has been accompanied by an influx into Florida of people from California, Illinois, New York and other states. Tops on the list of motivations for the moves: Taxes, quality of life, business-friendly…
Urban green spaces can’t beat climate change on their own
Urban green spaces can’t beat climate change on their own FEB 19, 2022 To make the world a little greener, sometimes you just have to add greenery. This is particularly true in cities, where there’s an increasing awareness that adding green spaces is crucial for developing healthy and sustainable places to live.…
Hartsfield-Jackson Airport pledges net-zero by 2050
Hartsfield-Jackson Airport pledges net-zero by 2050 February 14, 2022 Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in the US has unveiled its first carbon policy, incorporating various green measures to reduce emissions. The airport has committed to reaching the City of Atlanta’s 100% Clean and Renewable Energy by 2035 objective and the ACI…
Most Green Buildings — So Far — Aren’t Even Close to Being Carbon-Neutral
Most Green Buildings — So Far — Aren’t Even Close to Being Carbon-Neutral FEB. 3, 2022 Behold the building of the future: mossy stones lying strewn around a hill outside the English city of Windsor, carved, shaped, and incised in the fashions of centuries past. These chunks of 18th-century wall…
In the wake of the Pittsburgh bridge collapse, many questioning safety of bridges across the region
In the wake of the Pittsburgh bridge collapse, many questioning safety of bridges across the region January 31, 2022 The Fern Hollow Bridge, previously rated a poor-condition bridge, collapsed Friday. Read more
Emergence of the New Payments Paradigm – The Case for Utility CX Transformation
Emergence of the New Payments Paradigm – The Case for Utility CX Transformation By Paridhi Gupta, Marketing, Smart Energy Water Utilities across the geographies have started their journey to improved customer self-service capabilities. Now millions of people enjoy the digital convenience of managing their utility account, tracking usage, paying bills,…
How NYC’s public housing authority plans to transform the market for clean heat
How NYC’s public housing authority plans to transform the market for clean heat Jan 24, 2022 Under New York City law, the agency must cut greenhouse gas emissions from these buildings by 80 percent by 2050, and 70 to 75 percent of its emissions come from old steam heat systems with boilers…
Can Anyone Satisfy Amazon’s Craving for Electric Vans?
Can Anyone Satisfy Amazon’s Craving for Electric Vans? Jan. 18, 2022 In the fall, Jeff Bezos tweeted praise for Rivian, a start-up under contract to make 100,000 electric delivery vans for Amazon, and its founder, R.J. Scaringe, calling him “one of the greatest entrepreneurs I’ve ever met.” Then, Mr. Bezos…
Smaller Cities, Poorer Regions Could Be Infrastructure Losers
Smaller Cities, Poorer Regions Could Be Infrastructure Losers Jan. 11, 2022 Is Joe Biden legislating for an America that doesn’t exist? Experts like Bruce Katz of Drexel University, with a long experience in observing and participating in local policymaking, fear that many of the fruits of the recently passed infrastructure bill will…
City audit shows San Diego’s internal technology systems need greater transparency, accountability
City audit shows San Diego’s internal technology systems need greater transparency, accountability JAN. 3, 2022 A new city audit says San Diego must boost the transparency and accountability of its internal computer and technology system so workers can more efficiently deliver services to residents and businesses. The 89-page audit comes as San…
MnDOT dishes $18 million across the state for transportation projects
MnDOT dishes $18 million across the state for transportation projects December 21, 2021 $18 million is going towards transportation projects in eight different cities and counties across the State of Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Transportation announced Tuesday. The funding comes from the state’s Transportation Economic Development program, which selects…
Vermont plans to use infrastructure money for roads, electric vehicles, trains
Vermont plans to use infrastructure money for roads, electric vehicles, trains Dec 6, 2021 Last month, Congress passed President Joe Biden’s federal infrastructure bill after several months of delays. Vermont is expected to receive at least $2.2 billion from the bill. Read more
Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar Announces Transfer of $2.9 Billion to State Highway and Rainy Day Funds
Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar Announces Transfer of $2.9 Billion to State Highway and Rainy Day Funds November 30, 2021 Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced today he has completed the transfer of more than $2.91 billion into the State Highway Fund (SHF) and the Economic Stabilization Fund (ESF; commonly known as…
Infrastructure bill will allow Massachusetts to advance overdue projects
Infrastructure bill will allow Massachusetts to advance overdue projects Nov 23, 2021 The bipartisan infrastructure bill signed into law last week by President Joe Biden promises to spread billions of dollars in new funding across the country. Read more
Smart city district gets green light from City of Houston
Smart city district gets green light from City of Houston 15 Nov 2021 Following the City of Houston’s approval of a community benefits agreement (CBA), an abandoned Sears department store and 16 midtown acres are set to be transformed into an “accessible, walkable and integrated” urban community. Read more
Microsoft: Chinese hackers are targeting Zoho ManageEngine software
Microsoft: Chinese hackers are targeting Zoho ManageEngine software November 9, 2021 Microsoft has sent an alert about a sophisticated Chinese hacker group targeting an obscure bug in Zoho software to install a webshell. Read more
CISA Begins Program to Identify Critical Infrastructure
CISA Begins Program to Identify Critical Infrastructure November 1, 2021 The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and a congressional committee leader agree that officials must take precautionary steps to identify “systemically important critical infrastructure” to reduce risks of pervasive supply chain cyberattacks. Read more
Missouri River Bridge rehabilitation nearing completion
Missouri River Bridge rehabilitation nearing completion Oct. 25 2021 The $4.1 million rehabilitation project of the Route 54/63 bridge is nearing completion and could be done ahead of schedule. Since March, Missouri Department of Transportation contractors have been working to rehabilitate both of the Route 54/63 bridges over the Missouri…
DOE Invests $61 Million for Smart Buildings that Accelerate Renewable Energy Adoption and Grid Resilience
DOE Invests $61 Million for Smart Buildings that Accelerate Renewable Energy Adoption and Grid Resilience October 14, 2021 The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $61 million for 10 pilot projects that will deploy new technology to transform thousands of homes and workplaces into state-of-the-art, energy-efficient buildings. These Connected…
25% of all critical infrastructure in the US is at risk of failure due to flooding, new report finds
25% of all critical infrastructure in the US is at risk of failure due to flooding, new report finds October 11, 2021 As a massive investment to repair roads and adapt to climate change faces an uncertain fate in Congress, a new report finds much of the country’s infrastructure is…
After biking boom, some cities beef up infrastructure
After biking boom, some cities beef up infrastructure Oct. 4, 2021 In mid-September, bicycle advocates and members of the Bill de Blasio administration gathered on the Brooklyn Bridge to celebrate the first reconfiguration of the landmark in more than 70 years. In an event de Blasio called “a symbol of New York…
Pelosi vows to pass $1T bill, move ahead on larger measure
Pelosi vows to pass $1T bill, move ahead on larger measure Sept. 28, 2021 With President Joe Biden’s broad domestic agenda at risk of collapse, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday vowed that Democrats will pass a bipartisan infrastructure bill this week and push ahead on the bigger $3.5 trillion social safety…
Stronger storms may require further hardening of infrastructure
Stronger storms may require further hardening of infrastructure SEPTEMBER 13, 2021 Storms are becoming more severe, meaning Louisiana may need to harden road shoulders and embankments more than it has in response to prior hurricanes, a state Department of Transportation and Development spokesperson says. Read more
GOP pressure to block bipartisan infrastructure bill builds in the House
GOP pressure to block bipartisan infrastructure bill builds in the House September 7, 2021 House Republicans could face increased pressure to vote against a bipartisan infrastructure package when they return to Washington later this month with outside groups and conservatives already ramping up the campaign against a $1.2 trillion package they say…
Hurricane Ida ravages the Southeast, but New Orleans’ levees hold fast
Hurricane Ida ravages the Southeast, but New Orleans’ levees hold fast Aug. 31, 2021 Following a $14.5 billion upgrade in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the levees surrounding New Orleans that are tasked with protecting the city from another catastrophic flooding incident have held fast in the wake of Hurricane…
Senate Avoids Solutions on Highway Funding With Another Bailout
Senate Avoids Solutions on Highway Funding With Another Bailout Aug. 10, 2021 Senators allocated more than $100 billion to bail out the Highway Trust Fund in the bipartisan infrastructure bill, pushing off a pain point for lawmakers that have struggled to find a permanent solution of how to pay for…
Biden infrastructure deal could create 500,000 manufacturing jobs, business group finds
Biden infrastructure deal could create 500,000 manufacturing jobs, business group finds JULY 27, 2021 A bipartisan infrastructure deal being negotiated in the U.S. Senate could create roughly half a million new manufacturing jobs by 2024, the end of President Biden’s first term, an analysis conducted on behalf of the trade group Association…
Private network underpins smart city plans for Las Vegas
Private network underpins smart city plans for Las Vegas 20 July 2021 The City of Las Vegas has deployed what is claimed to be the largest LTE, 5G-ready private municipal network in the US. The network is part of a broader plan for new tech-enabled services, economic development and digital…
Democrats closing in on deal to unlock massive infrastructure bill
Democrats closing in on deal to unlock massive infrastructure bill 07/12/21 Senate Democrats indicated on Monday that they are close to a deal on a budget resolution that will pave the way for them to pass a sweeping, multi-trillion infrastructure bill along party lines later this year. Read more
Do cities devote too much space to parking? Some are changing the rules
Do cities devote too much space to parking? Some are changing the rules Jul 6, 2021 For urban planners, parking rules established decades ago have become a contentious 21st-century challenge. Parking takes up about one-third of land area in U.S. cities; nationwide, there are an estimated eight parking spaces for…
Less state debt, but a ‘lost decade’ for U.S. infrastructure spending, S&P finds
Less state debt, but a ‘lost decade’ for U.S. infrastructure spending, S&P finds June 15, 2021 Most U.S. states took on less debt during the COVID-19 pandemic, continuing a years-long stretch of deleveraging, according to a report published Friday from credit rating agency, Standard & Poor’s. But an emphasis on…
Hackers Exploit Post-COVID Return to Offices
Hackers Exploit Post-COVID Return to Offices May 28, 2021 With COVID-19 restrictions lifting and workers trickling back to offices, threat actors are sharpening their spear phishing ploys. The latest scam includes pelting recipients with emails purportedly from their CIOs welcoming employees back into offices. Read more
7 Big Winners From Biden’s American Jobs Plan
By Alex Sirois, Apr 6, 2021 President Joe Biden introduced his American Jobs Plan on March 31. The plan outlines $2.251 trillion of estimated spending to improve the country and jobs for Americans. It is divided into four major sectors: infrastructure at home, transportation infrastructure, research and development (R&D), workforce development and manufacturing, and…
Manufacturing Firms Learn Cybersecurity the Hard Way
3/29/2021, Robert Lemos Although 61% of smart factories have experienced a cybersecurity incident, IT groups and operational technology groups still don’t collaborate enough on security. Read more
Biden Looking to Big Infrastructure Spending Deal
By Ken Bredemeier March 23, 2021 With money from the $1.9 trillion U.S. coronavirus relief deal beginning to course through the world’s biggest economy, President Joe Biden’s economic advisers are preparing an even bigger economic stimulus, a possible $3 trillion package to repair the country’s aging infrastructure and — they…
Infrastructure Could Be the Great Economic Equalizer
By Nomi Prins, March 16, 2021 During the Trump years, the phrase “Infrastructure Week” rang out as a sort of Groundhog Day-style punch line. What began in June 2017 as a failed effort by The Donald’s White House and a Republican Senate to focus on the desperately needed rebuilding of American…
What’s Next on Biden’s Agenda? Signs Point to Infrastructure Overhaul
BY RYAN CHATELAIN NATIONWIDE PUBLISHED 1:46 PM ET MAR. 09, 2021 With his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package on the verge of passing, President Joe Biden will soon turn his attention to his next major legislative endeavor. While the White House isn’t saying yet what that will be, it is widely believed…
After Stimulus, Biden to Tackle Another Politically Tricky Issue: Infrastructure
By Annie Karni and Jim Tankersley, March 1, 2021 Strengthening the country’s highways, bridges and broadband networks has broad popular support, but Washington remains bitterly divided on the details. Read more
Lloyd’s Construction Specialists Say They Are Ready For U.S. Infrastructure Boom
By Andrew G. Simpson | February 16, 2021 Construction insurance specialists at Lloyd’s of London are hoping to see more U.S. business from increased government investment in infrastructure projects in 2021. That will be welcome after a period of dealing with requests to step in on U.S. construction projects delayed due to the…
Facing “grim” outlook, construction industry awaits Biden infrastructure plan
Amy Scott, Feb 1, 2021 While emergency COVID-19 relief is hung up in Congress, the Biden administration is expected to unveil details of a longer-term economic recovery plan this month, focused on infrastructure. The plan would invest some $2 trillion over four years to build and repair roads, bridges…
Despite opposition, Charlotte moves ahead with massive transit plan
By ALISON KUZNITZ The Charlotte Observer, Jan 19, 2021 City leaders face a bumpy road as they seek support for a “transformational” transit and mobility plan, partially paid for with a one-cent sales tax that could go before Mecklenburg County voters in November. Read more
