Blogs

Green Infrastructure: Asset Management’s Sustainability Solution

By Jared Shilhanek posted 24-11-2025
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Infrastructure creates around 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions and accounts for approximately half of all the resources used and waste created on the planet. That is alarming enough, but between 60% and 70% of the infrastructure planned by 2050 has not been built yet. This context, according to Dr Jacqueline Balston, places a big responsibility on asset managers, architects, and engineers to make a major contribution to sustainability, and help limit the impact of climate change in future infrastructure. Balston, who is IPWEA’s Director of Sustainability, told the IPWC 2025 conference that the infrastructure sector had an “enormous responsibility” ...

Warsaw Green Building Standard Development

By Priyani de Silva-Currie posted 27-03-2025
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Warsaw is the first Polish Municipality to create this green building design standard for the development of public buildings. Encompassing blue green design concepts, water conservation and retention, energy efficiency and circular economy design features, some of which are mandatory and others only if applicable. This is a great resource! Public building investors and developers will have to comply with this design standard commencing mid 2025. Here is the link to the Warsaw Green Building Standard in English on the website: https://eko.um.warszawa.pl/documents/63448/113528428/WGBS_10.03.2025_en_final+1.pdf/0dac5f96-4429-a4c7-310d-920393ae1ef1?t= ...

Podcast #3: Kirsti interviews IFME Vice President Priyani de Silva-Currie

By Priyani de Silva-Currie posted 04-11-2024
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Learning From our Past to Create Better Communities Kirsti Kierulf, our podcast host from NKF Norway, interviews IFME Vice President Priyani de Silva-Currie from Beca and Āpōpō NZ. In this honest discussion they discuss what New Zealand and Norway can learn from each other and how infrastructure decisions are made in each country. Click on the link here: https://www.ifmeworld.org/viewdocument/podcast-3-kirsti-interviews-priya Priyani describes the role that indigenous culture plays in blue green and grey infrastructure decisions and how we can learn from our generations past to make better decisions for our communities. Priyani reflects ...

IFME Podcast #2 - Sponge Cities with Liam Foster from New Zealand

By Priyani de Silva-Currie posted 04-11-2024
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This is podcast #2 in the 2024 IFME-series, Meet a Municipal Engineer, hosted by Norway NKF’s Kirsti Kierulf. Click on Link here: https://www.ifmeworld.org/viewdocument/ifme-podcast-2-liam-foster This episode is about Sponge Cities, with Kirsti interviewing Liam Foster, Chartered Water and Environmental Manager at WSP New Zealand. https://www.ifmeworld.org/viewdocument/ifme-podcast-2-liam-foster In this podcast you can listen to our conversation about why there is a term Sponge-City and how WSP have implemented this in Brisbane. We do hope you get inspired to look for sponge-opportunities in projects you are working with as a municipal ...

Sustainability: “Everything in perfect working order” An engineer’s journey through environmental science, anthropology and back!

By Priyani de Silva-Currie posted 31-07-2024
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John Milne, a member of the APWA Sustainability and Resiliency Committee, shares his journey through engineering, environmental science, and anthropology to develop back-to-basics sustainability strategies. His approach focuses on creating thermodynamic order in resource management by mimicking natural processes, moving away from engineered stormwater facilities to watershed-based methods. This holistic method combines physics with human and sociological inputs. He stresses the importance of incorporating indigenous knowledge in sustainability initiatives. These practices offer deep understanding of local environments, though their effectiveness varies. Anthropology's ...

Welcome to Our First IFME Podcast - Innovative Energy Solutions in Norway

By Priyani de Silva-Currie posted 28-06-2024
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Welcome to our first IFME Podcast hosted by Kirsti Kierulf . In this podcast we bring you great insights into a new school project utilising innovative energy solutions for energy efficiency in design and usage. You will meet Morten Marøy , who is the project leader in Trondheim Kommune, Norway’s third largest city. Click on the link to view the video/podcast to the video library on the IFME website at: https://www.ifmeworld.org/viewdocument/ifme-podcast-energy-smart-rebuild Morten will share his insights into how a joint energy system for Nidarvoll and Sunnland schools was developed, rebuilding an old school into a new school with innovative ...

International Women in Engineering Day 2024!

By Priyani de Silva-Currie posted 22-06-2024
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International Women in Engineering Day celebrates the talent of all women in engineering fields International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) provides a clear call to women to shape the world. This years’ theme is ENHANCED BY ENGINEERING! International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) is celebrated annually on June 23rd to honour the outstanding achievements of women engineers and to encourage more girls and women to pursue careers in engineering. The day highlights the contributions of women to the engineering field and promotes gender diversity in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). Engineering shapes the world ...

Today is World Asset Management Day!

By Priyani de Silva-Currie posted 15-04-2024
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Today is world asset management day - a date to celebrate all the amazing professionals that work within our asset management & public works field and for communities around the world. New Zealand is the first country in the world to see the sunrise off the east coast of Gisborne, so sharing this lovely asset management story with you all! https://apopo.co.nz/celebrating-world-asset-management-day/

Intergenerational Equity Considerations in New Zealand

By Priyani de Silva-Currie posted 08-04-2024
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Intergenerational equity focuses on ensuring that we, as the current generation, act as caretakers for the planet, "borrowing" it from future generations with a commitment to maintaining its health and resources. Intergenerational equity is also about ensuring human wellbeing, where future populations are free and able to continue to observe cultural practices and sustain their livelihoods. Achieving intragenerational equity requires us to think about the decisions we are making today and how that may impact on future generations. The three principles of intergenerational equity are: · Options : Ensuring future generations ...

IFME Marketing and Communications 2023 Summary

By Priyani de Silva-Currie posted 13-12-2023
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Your Marketing and Communications Sub-Committee have been very industrious throughout 2023. Here's what Sanne Hieltjes, Jan Nilsson, Pieter & Rolinda Wiekeraad and Priyani de Silva-Currie have been up to with support from IFME Secretary General Chris Champion! The Marketing and Communication Committee had a number of tasks to achieve this year: A new brand development and launch Developing and delivering an IFME Thought Leadership Series Coordinating and presenting at member association conferences Preparing a marketing plan and communication strategy Publishing technical and social thought pieces from IFME member countries ...

New Zealand Asset Management Guidance for Indigenous Communities - The Āpōpō Guide

By Priyani de Silva-Currie posted 31-10-2023
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Guiding the way in asset management, Āpōpō takes delight in presenting to all international communities the newly developed Āpōpō Guide. Āpōpō (Infrastructure Asset Management Professionals Incorporated) is a founding member of IFME and the leading professional association for infrastructure asset management in New Zealand. The Āpōpō Guide is designed for those practicing infrastructure asset management in Aotearoa and is a comprehensive online resource that goes beyond traditional asset management by weaving Te Reo Māori (the Māori world view) into the core of managing both built and natural environments. A first of its kind, this guide is a ...

The Symbiotic City

By Scott Grayson posted 22-03-2023
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This is the second contribution in our series ‘On the Road to Future Green City’ in which we explore the ingredients we need for a green city with a future. This in the run-up to the Future Green City world congress, Utrecht 23-26 September 2024. The Symbiotic City The voice of nature is loudly heard. The consequences of our devastating impact on biodiversity and climate are all around us. We need a positive vision of the future, beyond the many doomsday scenarios of disappearing species, flooded coastal areas and excessive heat stress in summer. The solution to these problems lies in the Symbiotic City: nature should return to the city and be part of it ...

IFME Supports International Womens Day March 8th 2023 - Embrace Equity

By Priyani de Silva-Currie posted 02-03-2023
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IFME supports International Women’s Day (IWD) which is marked annually on March 8. IWD is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. IWD has occurred for well over a century, with the first IWD gathering in 1911 supported by over a million people. For IWD 2023 and beyond, each of us everywhere can #EmbraceEquity. The IWD 2023 campaign theme seeks to forge worldwide understanding about why equal opportunities aren’t enough! Equity isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have. A focus on gender equity needs to be part of every society’s DNA. ...

WFEO Consultation Webinar on Diversity & Inclusion

By Scott Grayson posted 22-07-2020
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IFME is an International Member of the World Federation of Engineering Organisations. This Webinar will present an overview of the results of the review of the GAPC Framework and explain the key changes that have been made for diversity and inclusion. More information about the Consultation is available in this page . It is organized by the WFEO Committee for Women in Engineering and International Network for Women Engineers and Scientists (INWES) . Webinar details Time: Friday 31st July at 1pm – 2.30pm Paris CET via Zoom. Moderator: Prof. Gong Ke, President, World Federation of Engineering Organisations Speakers: Ms Peggy Oti-Boateng, ...

Australian engineers inspired by European transport planning

By Chris Champion posted 13-10-2016
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Brisbane should look to its European counterparts for transport planning inspiration in its quest to become a new world city, according to two south east Queensland engineers. Sunshine Coast Council Director of Infrastructure Services Andrew Ryan and Redland City Council Development Engineer Gleb Kolenbet’s recent study tour to Spain, USA and Holland has inspired the pair with new ideas and strategies on how Brisbane and Queensland can continue to match it with other international cities. The pair was awarded the international study tour scholarship by The Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia, Queensland (IPWEAQ) Foundation. Mr Kolenbet said ...

The Netherlands is Europe’s most dangerous place to live

By Chris Champion posted 01-05-2016
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Because large parts of the Netherlands are below sea level, it’s the most vulnerable country in Europe in the case of a natural disaster, according to the most recent World Risk Report. Worldwide, the Dutch rank 50th in the 2015 World Risk Index, a study that was conducted by United Nations University, the Institute for Environment and Human Security. The report focuses on where natural hazards coincide with a vulnerable or ill-prepared infrastructure. Vulnerable to high sea levels Out of the world’s "most exposed" countries, the Netherlands rank 12th. But while the low-lying nation is vulnerable due to its location, the Dutch are very well-prepared ...

Successful IFME Board Meeting in Ottawa

By Chris Champion posted 30-04-2016
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A number of milestone issues and memberships were discussed and approved at the meeting of the IFME Board held in Ottawa Canada on 19 April 2016 Joint Meeting of the Boards of IFME & CPWA. The meeting in Ottawa provided an historic opportunity for the two Boards of IFME and the Canadian Public Works Association (CPWA) to meet jointly to discuss infrastructure asset management and sustainability issues. This provided a valuable opportunity for the 14 countries represented to discuss and share information, practices and knowledge about these important global public works issues. China, Slovakia and the South Pacific join IFME. The ...