Integrated infrastructure planning

The SMART Infrastructure Facility is defining a new area of research called 'integrated infrastructure planning and management'.

As part of its mission, SMART brings a holistic approach to infrastructure through the analysis of geospatial, physical and temporal data, along with seeking out economic, environmental and social impact. It is only from this comprehensive perspective that we can plan for a future to make our communities more liveable, prosperous and vibrant.

Australia’s future prosperity and quality of life depend on the nation’s complex web of infrastructure – rail, air, road, shipping, energy, water, and telecommunications and social amenity.

Although these systems constitute the basic fabric of our society, their complexities and interdependencies are poorly understood and rarely researched or taught in a comprehensive manner.  As a result, past major infrastructure projects have not always been evaluated and developed in a systemic and holistic way.

SMART recognises that good infrastructure solutions take into account the whole system and not just individual assets. For a long time, business and the community have recognised that infrastructure system must be greater than the sum of its parts, and SMART will help governments realise that expectation.