As the population grows and cities continue to expand, urbanization is becoming more and more apparent across the country. And while there are pros and cons to urbanization, there’s also a need for proper planning and foresight. This is where civil engineers are proving essential to current and future developments. But it’s not always an easy path, as there are many challenges that urbanization is facing. Let’s take a look at how civil engineering planning is addressing the top issues.
Smart Cities are Growing in Popularity
One pocket of urbanization that is especially trendy right now is smart cities. These are cities that make use of a variety of electronic devices, sensors and methods to collect data. This data is used to manage and maintain the city’s resources, assets, and services. Smart cities aim to be more efficient in terms of operations and there can even be cost savings. However, these smart cities require a fair amount of planning before development begins. If not planned properly, the goals of the smart city won’t be reached.
There are already a handful of cities in the country that are using smart city planning at least to some extent. These cities include Austin, TX; Dallas, TX; New York City, NY; San Francisco, CA; and Seattle, WA. As civil engineers get more involved in these projects, watch for this list to grow exponentially. As for the exact role civil engineers play in smart city design and development, they are the ones planning construction which needs to factor in smart building management systems.
Climate Change Is Having an Impact
While climate change isn’t tied to urbanization alone, there is the understanding that as cities expand and become more populated, there needs to be a concerted effort to decrease the impact on the environment. Civil engineers need to be mindful of how climate change is impacting buildings now and potentially in the future, and how they can plan smart designs. Even sustainability in terms of materials and natural resources will continue to be an issue moving forward.
Infrastructure Planning Has Never Been More Important
Infrastructure planning was never something to ignore, but today it plays a huge role in a civil engineer’s job. They need to be sure the buildings they are planning not only meet the current environmental and sustainability goals but also meet the needs of basic infrastructure in terms of transportation networks, water and sewage systems, the electrical grid, and so forth.
There are so many moving parts that civil engineers need to be aware of in a constantly changing landscape. Addressing infrastructure needs through collected data and GIS (Geographic Information Systems) is exactly what Civil Design, Inc. is offering its clients.
There are no signs of urbanization slowing down across the country, or the globe for that matter, so civil engineers are proving to be very valuable. They are helping to make these mega-cities possible, more efficient and work better for all.
