- Michael Nolan, AECOM (formerly Maunsell AECOM)
The majority of settlements and infrastructure that are being designed and built now are being designed on past climate, rather than the climate conditions that infrastructure will experience during its expected life. Planning on the basis of a false assumption in this way presents a significant risk to infrastructure intensive corporations, authorities and departments.
Climate change impacts on infrastructure will have a direct financial and reputational impact to corporations and government especially where unexpected degradation and reduced life of an asset from changed climatic conditions results in service failure.
Essentially each form of infrastructure (water, power, transport, buildings, coastal and communications) has key sensitivities to a change in particular climate variables such as extreme wind and rainfall, heat waves and drought. The direct exposure to climate change will of course depend on where they are located, the integrity/age of existing assets, the location of assets, the expected service life of assets and the dependence of assets on other supply services that may also be vulnerable such as water, power, access and production of goods for export.
AECOM has developed design standards for sustainability and climate change for new infrastructure for a major port in Australia. These design guidelines will ensure resilience in the planning and design of new assets. It is expected that these types of standards will become normal operating procedure in development of new infrastructure for many organisations. AECOM has worked with the Australian International Development agency (AusAID) to develop guidelines for activity managers in Asia and the Pacific for ‘Screening Investment in Infrastructure for Climate Resilience.
A range of climate change adaptation responses will also be discussed using several AECOM climate change projects completed in recent years including climate change impacts to infrastructure in Australia for the Garnaut Climate Change Review which received a High Commendation for Environment and Sustainability in the Victorian Engineering Excellence Awards 2009.
BIO:
Michael is an environmental professional with 15 years experience managing sustainability and climate change outcomes for business and government. He has extensive experience in sustainable infrastructure, climate change risk and adaptation, energy, greenhouse, water, resource efficiency and change management.
Michael has project managed over 20 climate change impact, risk and adaptation projects relating to major infrastructure including ports, water, power, airports, roads, bridges, buildings, communications and coastal infrastructure as well as settlements and emergency services. Michael focuses on strategies to integrate sustainability outcomes into core policy, strategies and operations. Michael also has extensive experience in delivering environmentally sustainable development (ESD) planning for infrastructure, facilities, corporations and government.