TECH4GOOD
Typhoon Kristine was of a different kind. It caused so much damage even before it made landfall. Although its eye centered on the northern Luzon provinces, the devastation it caused was felt immensely in far southern provinces like Batangas.
Recent typhoons have highlighted the need for more resilient infrastructure to cope with extreme weather events, population growth, and changing needs. These disasters have caused widespread devastation, displacing and isolating communities and disrupting economic activities.
The economic impact of the damages in the affected regions and the country in general will take weeks to quantify. The number of fatalities and affected families continue to rise. Damages to homes and infrastructures are always expected. This situation will become common every time a typhoon visits the country.
As an archipelago situated at the edge of the Pacific, where storms are born, the Philippines has always been vulnerable to climate-related threats. However, recent typhoons' increasing frequency and intensity make experts consider new ways to mitigate their impact. Rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and shifting patterns are all wreaking havoc on homes and existing infrastructures.
We must now accept that climate change is the elephant in the room. It is becoming clear that the climate is changing faster than our mindset when building infrastructure or even the institutions that design, build, manage, and maintain them. These extreme weather events highlight the precarious state of our nation’s infrastructure and our ability to adapt to it. Add to that the factor of population growth and evolving social needs.
Are we designing and planning our infrastructures to react to yesterday's needs and climate conditions? We must rethink how infrastructure is planned, designed, built, managed, and maintained based on technologies, societal needs, and hazards of the 21st century. How we make them needs a robust upgrade to cope with these changes and make them future-proof.
Future-proofing infrastructure starts with recognizing the vulnerability of our current design and construction methods. We must embrace new technologies when designing them and resilient construction practices that prioritize sustainability and durability. The population will continue to grow, and their needs will change. The strength of the water current will not stay as assumed initially, and soil erosions will be a common occurrence. We must innovate and integrate technology into our infrastructure plans to address these changes without compromising the environment. Today, innovative regions leverage technologies such as Internet-of-Things (connected sensors) and artificial intelligence to design, monitor, and manage infrastructures.
AI tools are beginning to simulate climate models, helping designers better understand possible weather scenarios. This will help them design more resilient infrastructures and make them future-proof to address population growth. AI is also used today in Building Information Modeling (BIM), a digital representation of a physical infrastructure. It allows engineers to visualize the project’s entire lifecycle, facilitating better planning, design, and management. It can also help identify vulnerabilities in designs before construction begins.
IoT sensors, on the other hand, can collect real-time data on infrastructure performance, water level, the strength of water flow, and soil erosion that affects foundations. These sensors can detect stress, vibrations, or shifts in integrity, providing early warnings for potential failures due to extreme weather events. This technology allows for proactive remedies rather than reactive repairs.
The Building Resiliency Index (BRI) is also used to assess potential disaster risks associated with real estate projects by analyzing past disasters and identifying specific hazards. Such assessments are vital for informed decision-making in project planning. Remember, many existing subdivisions have rerouted waterways to maximize the number of lots that can be sold.
Building future-ready infrastructures is essential in addressing the dual challenges of climate change and population growth. However, it is not merely a response to these challenges but a proactive strategy to ensure sustainable development. It is imperative today to adopt innovative approaches that enhance resilience and sustainability, considering the economic cost of rebuilding after each calamity. By adopting resilient construction practices and leveraging advanced technologies, the Philippines can improve its ability to withstand natural disasters and adapt to population growth and changing societal needs while ensuring the safety and well-being of its citizens for generations to come.
(The author is an executive member of the National Innovation Council, Lead Convener of the Alliance for Technology Innovators for the Nation (ATIN), vice president of the Analytics and AI Association of the Philippines, and vice president of UP System Information Technology Foundation.) ([email protected])