With a passion for identifying patterns and a drive to help colleagues by automating and simplifying processes, Alyssa has transformed day‑to‑day work into more streamlined and intuitive structures. Through digitalization, she has been able to design better systems that free up time and energy — allowing teams to focus on more meaningful, high‑value work.

What do you do as a digital adoption lead?

In my role, I help teams turn complex, fragmented workflows into workable, scalable efficient systems. I work closely with engineers, project teams and leadership to identify gaps in processes, coordination and decision-making. From there, I translate these into opportunities for improvement through digital tools, automation and better use of data.

Equally important, I focus on adoption — coaching teams on new ways of working and helping them be comfortable with change. We set clear objectives and timelines, ensuring digital solutions are practical, well-governed, and aligned with how people work. My goal is to deliver solutions that not only work technically, but also create meaningful, lasting value for both teams and clients.

What excites you most about working at the intersection of engineering and digital innovation?

There is a great opportunity to bring clarity to complex workflows and systems through digitalization. Construction is a dense web of disciplines, processes and communication channels, often working under tight timelines and high expectations. By stepping back to truly understand how work flows, we can break down fragmented processes and redesign them into simpler, more connected digital systems.

Over the course of my career, I realized how transferable system‑thinking skills are in the workplace. Many people rely heavily on motivation or memory to carry their tasks, but they can be inconsistent and easily depleted. When I began helping colleagues establish clear structures, workflows and routines, their work became smoother, and their effectiveness increased. This helps teams collaborate more seamlessly, while also enabling clearer communication, better alignment, and more transparent engagement with clients — supporting stronger relationships and better project outcomes.

What do you think of the digital landscape in Singapore?

Digital transformation in Singapore is no longer aspirational — it is actively being implemented through the Smart Nation initiative with strong government support and industry collaboration. This environment gives organizations the confidence to invest in digital and AI capabilities that move beyond experimentation and into practical, day-to-day use. ArchTam, for example, has launched the Underground Infrastructure AI Innovation Centre with the support of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).

Through this collaboration, AI-powered solutions are being developed to improve data quality, enhance the mapping of underground utilities, and safeguard underground space for existing and future developments. These efforts allow emerging technologies to be tested and applied on real projects, translating national digital ambitions into practical and adaptable solutions that strengthen engineering outcomes and long-term urban resilience.

Similarly, the government is putting significant effort into nurturing young talent through AI research initiatives and development programs. We have the National AI Research and Development Plan (NAIRD), for example which focuses on helping the younger generation embed these skills early on, so future planners, engineers and designers are well prepared for the digital world they’ll be working in.

What is your message to professionals in Singapore’s digital space?

Singapore is an exceptional environment for digital innovation. With its commitment to Smart Nation 2.0 and its ambition to become the world’s most AI‑powered economy, the country offers fertile ground for building, testing and scaling new digital solutions. My message to digital professionals is this: embrace the opportunity, stay curious and don’t hesitate to experiment. The ecosystem here rewards bold thinking, practical problem‑solving and collaboration across disciplines. If you are willing to explore, iterate and co‑create with others, Singapore is one of the best places in the world to drive meaningful digital transformation.

The post Digital cities in action: Meet Alyssa Voon appeared first on Blog.

Jamie Wong is the digital lead and senior GIS analyst, Taipei. Her journey with ArchTam began in Hong Kong, where she played a key role in advancing digital capabilities and supporting digital transformation initiatives for the government, including the 3D Visualisation Map, a groundbreaking 3D map that forms part of Hong Kong’s smart city blueprint. She now drives digital integration and workflow optimization, leading the Taiwan teams in delivering smarter solutions for planning and design. Her work reflects a commitment to shaping more connected, accessible and sustainable cities through the power of data and innovation.

What inspired you to join the industry?

I’ve always been fascinated by nature and curious about how landscapes are formed. That passion led me to major in Geography in college. During my studies, I discovered Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and realized how much I enjoy working with maps — especially those that reveal the contours and elevations of topography. Maps aren’t just visual tools; they tell stories through data and projections. They offer countless ways to present information and can be interpreted from multiple perspectives. Beyond navigation, maps serve as powerful tools for analysis, planning and understanding the world around us. That realization sparked my interest in applying GIS professionally, which eventually brought me to ArchTam as a GIS Analyst.

What is an impactful or favorite ArchTam project you’ve worked on?

One of the most memorable projects I worked on was developing a 3D outdoor pedestrian network in Hong Kong. We developed a detailed 3D network that identifies stairs, escalators, lifts or covered walkways for the entire Hong Kong territory. These details enable people to navigate Hong Kong’s complex urban matrix with ease. For example, wheelchair users or visually impaired individuals, can prioritize accessible routes based on their needs, as it is also possible to select covered walkways during rainy days.

Building this dataset was challenging. It required meticulous data checks, so we developed validation rules and automated them into a checking program. The effort paid off because the data now supports multiple applications, such as walkability and accessibility analysis, and even contributes to urban planning for a more pedestrian-friendly city.

This was my first major project at ArchTam, and it opened my eyes to the importance of data in creating digital cities and the power of spatial analysis — overlaying different geospatial data layers to solve real-world problems. Since then, I have worked on establishing GIS data standards to support Common Spatial Data Infrastructure (CSDI), integrating open BIM and open GIS data by establishing Government BIM Data Repository, and building up the 3D Visualisation Map — all of which made me realize the importance of data sharing, governance and standardization. These projects gradually form parts of Hong Kong’s Digital Twin, which acts as the foundation for enabling more data linkage for analysis and better decision making.

How do you see Digital and GIS evolving?

Automation has been one of the most rewarding aspects of GIS for me. Early in my career, I worked on projects that required constant GIS analysis and integration with CAD and BIM data. Every design iteration means importing data and running analyses repeatedly, which is a time-consuming process. So, we developed automated workflows and custom programs, which saved us time and allowed for better design and precision.

That’s how my role has been gradually evolving around digital transformation. Understanding workflows, data inputs, outputs and conversion, and most importantly the “pain” that our colleagues experience in manually doing tasks, has been a key driver in digitizing and streamlining our daily work.  This journey has expanded beyond the Digital team to other business lines, and from our Hong Kong office to other locations, such as Taiwan, where I now serve as Digital Lead, driving automation initiatives and improving efficiency. Adding a fresh perspective, our team partners with business lines to organize and standardize workflows while collaboratively exploring potential digital and AI tools.

Recently, I contributed to an urban planning project in Taiwan aimed at showcasing ArchTam’s Urban Advisory services. Rather than delivering a single recommendation, we collaborated with the client to capture their priorities and developed a decision-making matrix offering multiple scenarios. My role focused on creating an interactive geospatial web platform to visualize these options in a dynamic and user-friendly way. This approach exemplifies digital transformation, shifting from static, paginated reports to an interactive experience that fosters active client engagement and meaningful feedback.

With AI, I see the potential to further automate processes. This can lower entry barriers, making automation accessible without requiring deep coding expertise. Technology is advancing rapidly and we’re heading towards fully digital environments. Each day brings new possibilities, which is exciting. I’m grateful to be part of this digital journey and look forward to seeing digital and geospatial technology continue to evolve as a key driver of smarter and more connected infrastructure and cities.

Share a piece of career advice.

Stay curious and embrace change. Whether it’s GIS, digital transformation, AI or construction consulting industry in general, we thrive on innovation like automation, data integration and emerging technologies. Keeping track and learning can be overwhelming sometimes, but adaptability and problem solving will set you apart.

The post Digital cities in action: Meet Jamie Wong appeared first on Blog.

In this blog, Marc Colella, ArchTam Fellow, examines how digital innovation can help cities and portfolio owners accelerate their net-zero transition while safeguarding long-term value and livability.

What’s the urgency?

The built environment remains responsible for nearly 40 percent of global carbon emissions, making it both a major contributor to climate change and a crucial lever for mitigation. Although progress has been made — the sector’s carbon share has dropped from 39 to 37 percent in just five years, energy intensity is down 15 percent since 2010, and renewables now supply almost one-third of global electricity — the momentum remains uneven. High retrofit costs, regulatory complexity and rising investor expectations are placing pressure on portfolio owners to act decisively.

Key barriers to portfolio decarbonization

The pathway to portfolio decarbonization remains constrained by several persistent challenges, especially related to mobilizing technology. The four digital and systemic barriers that must be overcome to unlock large-scale transformation are:

1. Data fragmentation – Asset-level carbon and energy data is often trapped in silos across diverse geographies, sectors and standards.
2. Regulatory complexity – Over 40 national carbon regulations exist worldwide, each with distinct formats, verification processes and disclosure requirements that complicate cross-market alignment.
3. Scope 3 tracking – Indirect emissions, often forming the majority of a portfolio’s carbon footprint, remain largely untracked or inconsistently measured.
4. Technology infrastructure – Many organizations still rely on disconnected digital tools. Scaling a digital platform across markets with different cybersecurity and data laws is a significant undertaking.

Despite these challenges, the pace of digital evolution in the built environment offers reasons for optimism. Over the past decade, the industry has moved from static spreadsheets to predictive digital twins, and from manual compliance to AI-powered climate intelligence capable of optimizing investments in real time.

The next frontier is integration, which includes building scalable ecosystems that link data, technology and human insight. This approach allows for simulation, planning and action across entire portfolios, which then turns decarbonization from a fragmented exercise into a coordinated, data-driven strategy.

Portfolio Decarbonization Transformative Framework

To guide this transition, we’ve developed a Portfolio Decarbonization Transformative Framework, mapping five domains where digital transformation must occur simultaneously for decarbonization to reach its full potential. Each domain connects people, processes and technologies in one shared ecosystem, ensuring that every stakeholder from portfolio managers to facility operators can act on consistent, real-time insights.

The potential benefits are clear:

• 35 percent reduction in operational emissions.
• 40 percent higher return on investment (ROI) on capital works.
• 95 percent faster regulatory reporting.

The framework also underpins our pioneering work in Portfolio Carbon Capital Optimization, an approach that integrates financial and carbon intelligence to optimize investment decisions across complex asset portfolios.

Turning strategy into action: The role of digital twins

The Portfolio Carbon Capital Optimization Framework is a digital planning twin designed to optimize both carbon reduction and cost performance across entire asset portfolios. It unites a suite of analytical tools within a shared data ecosystem, enabling portfolio and facility managers to make coordinated, data-driven decisions. Using an optimization algorithm, it generates capital works programs that balance carbon reduction, cost efficiency, and compliance priorities.

By connecting users, tools and data across disciplines and systems through a centralized data lake, the platform delivers consistent, real-time insights across all assets, thus transforming strategy into actionable and financially defensible pathways toward net zero. Beyond portfolio management, it also serves as a model for how city-scale digital ecosystems can inform infrastructure planning, energy transitions and investment prioritization.

Advancing the decarbonization agenda

Accelerating decarbonization requires more than technology. It requires commitment, leadership and systems thinking. Resilient city-making is a collective endeavor, driven by the shared goal of achieving a net-zero, inclusive urban future.

So, what are some of the next steps the industry can take?

• Approach decarbonization as a portfolio-wide challenge, not an individual asset issue.
• Establish a digital framework that unifies data, personas and outcomes.
• Align capital programs with carbon optimization, prioritizing the execution of projects with the lowest returns to maximize overall impact.
• Adopt an open ecosystem approach — recognizing that no single technology or organization can deliver the full solution alone.

Our work alongside clients, governments and industry partners helps to turn climate goals into actionable pathways — helping shape cities that are not only decarbonized, but also equitable, connected and ready for the future.

The post Urgent acceleration on decarbonization strategies for resilient cities appeared first on Blog.

When digital twins first entered the market, they were met with the excitement and high expectations that often accompany new technological innovations. Providers and vendors naturally sought to capitalise on this enthusiasm, often promising significant cost savings in facility operations and maintenance.

Over a decade later, the mistakes made in those early days have become apparent. Instances of overpromising, unmanaged expectations, and lack of clarity around costs have led to jaded clients and asset owners.

Efforts are now needed to clarify and effectively communicate the potential of digital twins. How can we, as an industry, remove the buzz from the buzzword and effectively convey the potential of digital twin technology? The term itself is challenging due to the lack of a clear definition, which contributes to confusion and misunderstanding. Our experience in working with different customers at a global scale has allowed us to eliminate distractions regarding what works and what doesn’t, providing us with the expertise to understand what delivers value, prioritise client outcomes, and partner with clients to deliver cost-effective solutions.

Global excellence

ArchTam demonstrates global excellence and reach through client delivery, thought leadership, and innovation in digital twins. Due to the diversity of sectors ArchTam serves, the tools developed adapt across diverse sectors, providing robust, open reporting of key project data appropriate to the audience. This makes ArchTam an ideal partner for complex digital transformations.

By leveraging digital technologies, ArchTam enhances funding mechanisms and market differentiation, ensuring smarter, more efficient systems post-construction, positioning ourselves as a leader in the infrastructure sector.

Dynamic and connected

Digital twins can best be defined as dynamic, connected digital representations of real-world entities that enhance decision-making, drive action, improve outcomes, and enable predictive analytics. Success depends on developing them with a specific use case in mind, providing solutions to clients’ current or future problems.

The industry’s scepticism stems from how digital twin technology was initially pitched — product-based and focused on building space. This led to overengineered, one-size-fits-all solutions that often didn’t suit specific tasks, raising unrealistic expectations and ultimately disappointing clients.

Integrated solutions implementation

As a systems integrator across sectors, ArchTam’s unique value proposition for deploying digital twins at scale is not only the diversity of the services that we provide, but also the scope and complexity of the programs of work that we deliver. ArchTam’s approach to digital twins combines domain expertise, strong collaboration with global technology partners, and partnerships with key industry organizations to drive standards in implementation, execution and operations of technology ecosystems.

As an example, we have worked to create digital twins for water, energy management and sustainability, and urban space as outlined below.

Our Global Digital Leader, Mike Karl is a key contributing member of SWAN Smart Water Networks Forum and has co-published a digital twin values guide for the industry at large. His forward-thinking approach and perspective have helped us deliver digital twins for Scottish Water.

Our Sustainable Legacies strategy is fundamental to the way we deliver work for clients all over the globe. Our deep partnership with the National Renewables Energy Lab allowed us to put that strategy into practice with a campus wide implementation of a digital twin that focused on energy management, sustainability, and the reduction of carbon across all their facilities. This model is being reviewed for the potential to scale across multiple Department of Education labs within the United States.

Our involvement in the development of Europe’s first smart canal in Glasgow, partnering with Autodesk, highlights our ability to create a dynamic digital representation of the canal system, enabling real-time monitoring and management of key operations and environmental factors.

Enhancing value

At ArchTam, digital twins are developed as ecosystems of different data sources, harmoniously brought together to resolve business needs, to provide a solution that prioritises resolving the specific use case or business need. We move away from multipurpose, off-the-rack solutions to more tailored, quick-time-to-value approaches.

Achieving value for the end user involves determining the necessary interface to provide required information, reducing components to their simplest form. Starting light, with a vision and long-term strategy, allows continuous growth and integration of new technologies and data sources over time.

Integration of systems is consistently improving. The ability to bring different data sets together is continuously advancing. This enhances the value proposition of digital twins by improving how they are perceived and function holistically. By placing digital twins in their operational context and considering external factors, we maximise their effectiveness, for customers and communities.

The role of Geographic Information Systems

As discussed, an asset does not operate in isolation, even if it’s a bespoke piece of infrastructure. There will inevitably be external factors that impact operations, planning, and other processes. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are integral components of digital twins, unlocking value for end users. GIS and the geographic approach incorporate digital twins into a spatial context, enabling links to external systems. This provides a pathway to a “twin-of-twins” mindset, which we at ArchTam call a ‘distributed twin.’

The concept of extended reality (XR) further enhances the digital twin’s ability to connect with its user base. XR encompasses virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality, making the digital twin more interactive and immersive for the end user. By integrating XR, digital twins can provide a more collaborative and engaging experience, allowing users to visualise and interact with data in a more meaningful way.

As you can see, digital twins can be used for more than just buildings. It’s a common misconception that the technology needs to be applied to a 3D model or visual representation of a building or facility. Instead, digital twin technology can be applied to planning, design and construction, customer experience, maintenance and driving decarbonisation. By leveraging GIS and XR, we can create more comprehensive and effective digital twins that address a wide range of use cases and deliver enhanced value to end users.

Tailoring a digital twin

Indeed, the great benefit of a digital twin is its ability to be tailored across an organisation’s various functions. Identifying these functions is crucial to maximising the technology’s value. Instead of focusing on using digital twins for a single department, it is essential to explore use cases that are relevant across the organisation to realise integrated opportunities and benefits. By examining one function in isolation, you are less likely to achieve your goals, and digital twins may not be feasible or worth the effort.

In short, while the scepticism surrounding digital twins is understandable, the issue lies in how they were initially defined and marketed. The value that digital twins can provide is very real, but the focus needs to be on the use case and the functionality of the solution, prioritising business needs. With great excitement comes great expectations, but we must prioritise great delivery above all.

The post Dispelling the disillusion: Demystifying the digital twin appeared first on Blog.

ArchTam’s Virtual Consultation has helped define this shift toward digital solutions. Though the platform has pioneered a new paradigm for public engagement, it manifests in a familiar format: a virtual consultation event users can navigate with ease.

Now, five years after its launch, Andy Thomas, Head of Visualization & VR and Regional Director for Europe & India’s Buildings + Places business, shares his work on bringing this platform to life amidst a global pandemic — and how it has since successfully engaged millions of users worldwide.

A journey of innovation, impact & resilience

It was in November 2019 that I first received a call from James Sachon, lead of our Stakeholder Engagement team and now our Impact Assessment Practice Lead for the United Kingdom & Ireland, asking how we could make public consultations more engaging, more accessible, and — most importantly — more inclusive for a large infrastructure project we were working on together.

At the time, the idea of moving consultations online was still met with hesitation. Could we really create a space where people felt heard without being in the same physical room? That phone call still feels like yesterday — and it was the start of an incredible journey to change how infrastructure projects are delivered. That question sparked the creation of our Virtual Consultation — a mission to rethink how ArchTam, and the industry, connects with people.

The spark that started it all

Back in 2019, Virtual Consultation was nothing more than a concept. I remember sitting down with James and our Stakeholder Engagement team, discussing whether we could create a digital twin of a typical public consultation in the UK. The idea was clear and simple: take the experience of an in-person exhibition and bring it online.

At first, it was just a modest experiment — a basic, handcrafted demo. We had no idea that within a few months, this concept would become an essential digital platform for our clients worldwide.

A relentless pace during the pandemic

Then came 2020. As the world shut down, everything about how we engaged with the public had to change. What started as a niche idea suddenly became critical infrastructure.

The pace at which things moved was unlike anything I’ve experienced. Our team was working flat out — early mornings, late nights, back-to-back meetings across time zones. There were days that started at 6 AM and didn’t slow down until past midnight. Everyone needed solutions, and they needed them fast.

So, we adapted. We introduced interactive maps, voice overs, video streaming, surveys, live chats, even AI — whatever was needed to keep consultations running. And as more organisations turned to Virtual Consultation, our team grew too, expanding to keep up with the demand from clients even as the world emerged from lockdown.

More than just public consultation

What surprised us the most was how people started using the platform in ways we hadn’t expected. At first, it was all about replicating traditional consultations, but soon, we saw its potential for much more.

Suddenly, Virtual Consultation was powering virtual exhibitions, career fairs, and even major conferences. Memorable projects range from historical landmarks like the National Railway Museum, to global sustainability milestones like the COP26 Virtual Pavilion, alongside education initiatives like STEM Ambassadors: Illuminating Careers and infrastructure innovation programme like Innovate@HS2.

Virtual Consultation has proven so useful, that it’s even powered engagement within ArchTam. Our teams have used it for both internal and external events like our Australia and New Zealand Leadership Conference, Graduate Open Days, Recruitment Fairs, and technical capability showcases such as our Architecture + Design Virtual Exhibition.

Five years, 500+ projects, millions of visitors

Looking back, the scale of what we’ve achieved is something I could never have imagined in that first conversation back in 2019. Since its 2020 launch, Virtual Consultation has powered over 500 projects worldwide, created 1,000+ virtual rooms across seven regions, and drawn 2 million visitors with 20 million views.

Along the way, we’ve had the privilege of working with some of the world-renowned organisations, including infrastructure leaders like National Highways, Network Rail, HS2, Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW); energy giants like Shell, BP, and RWE; and federal agencies like the USDA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and U.S. Navy.

A more sustainable way to engage

As someone passionate about sustainability and climate change, I’ve been especially proud to see how Virtual Consultation has contributed to our Sustainable Legacies strategy. By moving consultations and events online, we’ve reduced carbon emissions, cut down on travel, and significantly decreased waste. It may seem like a small change, but it’s nevertheless a meaningful step toward delivering long-term positive impacts for both people and the planet.

This also aligns perfectly with our Travel with Purpose initiative, which encourages thoughtful decision-making when it comes to travel. By prioritising digital solutions first, we’re reducing our environmental impact and promoting a healthier work-life balance for both teams and clients. It’s a win-win: we’re supporting our Net Zero goals while helping clients cut unnecessary carbon footprints too.

Recognising excellence: awards & achievements

We’re delighted that our hard work has been recognised along the way, with Virtual Consultation shortlisting and winning multiple industry awards over the past five years. Recent honours have included highly commended by the CIBSE Building Performance Awards on our COP26 Virtual Pavilion, with our partner UKGBC, and Best Community Engagement with our client, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, on the zonal drinking network upgrades project.

Seeing the impact acknowledged has been incredible, and it only drives us to keep innovating and improving.

Looking ahead

While we’ve come a long way, we’re far from standing still. As technology advances and user expectations grow, with every project, we’re constantly enhancing performance and pushing the platform’s capabilities to deliver faster, richer experiences to connect with visitors worldwide.

Beyond that, we’re reimagining what engagement can be. Our platform has grown from a consultation platform into a fully-fledged digital engagement ecosystem. Whether it’s supporting public consultations, exhibitions, career fairs, or large-scale corporate events, we know there’s still so much more to achieve.

To our clients, partners, and the communities who have trusted us — thank you. Virtual Consultation is what it is today because of you. Here’s to the next five years — redefining engagement, breaking boundaries, and building a better future together.

The post Five years of success: ArchTam’s Virtual Consultation appeared first on Blog.

In this context, tech companies, utilities and regulators are having to figure out how technology innovation and economic development are delivered, without unduly burdening other consumers through higher electric rates. This has come to a head in the Midwest, where a local utility and Big Tech firms are in a dispute before the State’s Public Service Commission to decide the electric pricing structure (or tariff) for data centers. The outcome of this dispute may serve as an indicator of things to come across the U.S.

Data centers require significant amounts of reliable power for their operations. A large, hyperscale data center runs continuously and adds the equivalent of 400,000 electric vehicles to the power system¹. In its local service territory, the Midwest utility provider estimates that power needs will more than double by 2030 and thereafter increase nearly ten-fold if all interested data centers are developed. To provide this amount of power reliably, utilities must make significant investment in the power transmission and distribution infrastructure. The local utility states that billions of dollars in grid infrastructure are needed to meet the projected additional load for data centers in its service territory.

New electric infrastructure is paid for over time through the electricity rates of those customers that drive the infrastructure need. However, given the scale of power demand, the utility provider is proposing a new tariff specifically for data centers, to ensure long term commitments to the projected electricity demand. Without these commitments, the utility provider fears the demand may not materialize and the utility will be stranded with unnecessary and costly infrastructure upgrades which will need to be paid for by other customers.

Data centers currently fall under general tariffs for large industrial users. The newly proposed, industry-specific tariff is highly unusual. However, because the power demand is so great, the utility provider is seeking a data center tariff with longer contract terms, higher minimum demand charges and greater financial assurance provisions than required of other general customer classes.

The technology firms which own these data centers assert the approach is misguided and unfair. The tariff singles out one industry, rather than applying to all those with similar characteristics, such as loads and usage patterns. Moreover, these firms argue that the approach will stifle innovation and economic growth and will harm data-driven critical functions upon which society relies.

The foundational elements of this dispute are shown in the table below. Since the initial filing, the parties have closed the gap between their positions but remain committed to the fundamental principles underpinning their rationale. On the one hand, the utility is seeking to protect other customer classes and reduce unnecessary investment by ensuring longer term commitments. While on the hand, Big Tech is looking to establish tariffs that drive innovation and growth through the appropriate grid investments without individual industries being singled out.

The core of the dispute:

These negotiations between the utility, Big Tech firms and other rate payers could have historic ramifications:

• The resolution may set a precedent for other regions where there are similar issues involving data center development, power needs and infrastructure.
• This matter also highlights the growing tension between Big Tech and state regulators. Data center developers wield significant socio-economic and political influence, generating employment and using their data to underpin the operations of critical functions, such as hospitals.

As demand for data centers and accompanying power continue to increase exponentially, regulators will need to manage this growth in a manner that is sustainable and equitable for the data centers themselves, the utilities and infrastructure involved, as well as other ratepayers.

Finally, this debate also highlights the strategic importance of the power transmission and distribution grid. The power grid not only serves as the backbone of our everyday lives, but it is also the enabler of the energy transition. It connects not just data centers, but also heat pumps, electrolyzers (for green hydrogen production), electric vehicles, offshore wind and other technologies that will serve our energy needs of today and tomorrow.

What happens in the matter of this case will have strategic implications locally and nationally: signaling how utilities, regulators and large energy users may collaborate to meet the energy needs of the future.

¹IEA World Energy Outlook 2024 Launch Presentation

The post How AI and data centers are testing the U.S. power grid appeared first on Blog.

Luis Lopez is our technology market sector lead for Latin America. Luis has a wealth of experience in the construction and delivery of data centers across Latin America for some of the technology sector’s leading organizations. He worked on the first hyperscale data center in Mexico and the region’s Global Crossing Network — a complex project encompassing both undersea and land-based cables spanning the United States, Mexico, Panama, and various other South American countries.

Tell us a bit about yourself – your role and career journey  

I began my career in the telecoms industry in 1991 helping to build Mexico’s first fiber optic network for long-distance services. I started working at ArchTam four years ago, as a senior data center project manager, where I managed third-party projects and served as a client account manager for one of ArchTam’s major clients in the technology sector.

During the last year and a half, I have been working in-house for one of our clients managing their construction projects and as a technical consultant on the design of data centers. Over the last four years, I’ve worked on a total of nine data center projects in Mexico — three as a technical advisor focusing on design and construction administration and seven as a construction manager and customer representative.

Talk to us about a project that has impacted or been a major highlight of your career. How is it solving the challenges and issues many tech companies and communities are facing today?

A significant project that has been a highlight of my career is the recent hyperscale data center deployment in Queretaro, Mexico.

The immense scale of these data centers meant I had to manage three construction projects at the same time. Two of the projects were from one lease provider and one was from another, so that was really challenging to handle. Typically, each new data center project holds 4 megawatts as an initial phase, but this project required us to manage a total of 12 megawatts in one go across three different projects.

Another really interesting project I’ve had the opportunity to work on in my career was the Global Crossing Network — a complex project encompassing both undersea and land-based cables spanning the U.S., Mexico, Panama, and various other South American countries. I started as the first employee of Global Crossing Mexico and, in just three years, our small team of seven people had handled nearly $4.2 billion of projects across diverse networks, including undersea and terrestrial fiber optic systems.

As the project evolved, I transitioned to oversee the work as the construction and operation director in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, facing significant challenges including requests, negotiations and planning.

What are some of the unique challenges you are facing in designing/managing data center construction and how are you overcoming them?

One of the unique challenges I’ve faced working in the sector in Mexico was when we introduced a new data center facility concept that hadn’t been used country before. When ArchTam embarked on the project three years ago, we were pioneering the construction of hyperscale data centers in Mexico, now, there are about 12 of these types of data center projects in the area.

Dealing with new technology to support operations while maintaining a compressed schedule posed significant challenges. ArchTam’s role involved project management, which included coordinating, reviewing, and advising on project management and construction management for general contractors, lease providers, and our end client.

I leveraged my extensive experience of major construction projects, including airports, stadiums, and seaports, along with my history of managing large teams to address these challenges. These hyperscale projects involve substantial megawatt capacity, with initial phases ranging from 16 to 64 megawatts, and some will reach up to 70 megawatts. To put that in perspective, the combined power consumption of the upcoming data centers could be nearly twice that of Queretaro city, including the industrial area, which is one of the fastest growing in the country.

How is the digital evolution shaping data center construction management practices?

The digital evolution has significantly shaped construction management in the data center space. Cutting-edge technologies like 360-degree modeling and advanced AutoCAD extensions facilitate 3D modeling of buildings, aiding in project visualization, clash identification, space optimization, and progress tracking. They help us to ensure projects stay on schedule, within budget, and efficiently allocate resources.

In terms of data center construction management practices, the pandemic accelerated data consumption, leading to increased power demands worldwide, including in Mexico. The development of hyperscale data centers will provide better support for various industries and improve real-time processing and efficiency. These data centers are essentially the backbone of cloud services, which encompass the storage and processing of vast amounts of data. They also notably serve as backups for critical equipment, safeguarding businesses from catastrophic events.

Small data centers are strategically placed near industrial and financial hubs, serving as the edge and last-mile connectivity points. These data centers, linked to larger hyperscale facilities through high-speed connections, represent a revolutionary shift in IT processes and automation, extending beyond traditional financial clientele.

Many different clients and applications in real time processing are going to benefit from the development and delivery of these new types of data centers and I’m proud to be a part of bringing them to life.

The post Digital Infrastructure: Meet Luis Lopez appeared first on Blog.

One way our team has been using innovation to improve the quality of digital deliverables is through automation and digital centered procedures. Automation for day-to-day design has resulted in high quality outputs, cost reductions, and design certainty. It also allows for improved cross-regional collaboration spanning across our global business lines.

As the new Head of Digital for the Asia region, I work with the business to put digital adoption strategies in place for the entire region. We may have different requirements and tools across business lines, but we’re all seeing a fundamental shift in how we support our clients on their digital transformation journey. We’ve established the Asia digital consulting practice which partners with clients to create strategies for projects and programs that will support our client’s success into the future. By creating mutual digital goals to deliver projects in a more effective way we enhance and improve digital adoption for ArchTam and our clients.  

The BIM Harmonization project is a great example of how our new digital consulting practice helps clients on their digital journey. We worked with the client to create a harmonized standard for use in all future public works deliverables. The new standard enables the sharing of information regardless of the technical software used, which is especially useful for BIM and GIS disciplines. As a result of the project it will be easier for the client to make assessments across their entire program, and they know what to expect from the models because they are standardized.  

Cities today face unique challenges which can be solved with innovation and the use of digital strategies to pre-empt risks and digitize city assets. A recently published Digital Cities report offers perspectives from myself and other global leaders at ArchTam about solving these unique challenges. We’ve found there are also numerous opportunities for urban planners to work holistically in the expansion and alignment of urban underground spaces by using advanced technologies such as the latest VR and photogrammetry technologies together with 3D spatial technologies. The Asia leadership group contributed to a chapter in the Underground Cities publication which discusses the future of underground space development. In Hong Kong, we saw a lot of excitement over the Fast Track CityHack which we hosted earlier this month. The event helped introduce new solutions to accelerate better outcomes for how Hong Kong can simultaneously provide livability for its people while supporting the sustainability of our planet. It’s an exciting time to work in the AEC industry, and I’m so proud of the way ArchTam is part of the conversation transforming our industry and moving into the digital future.

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The coronavirus pandemic pushed the digital world forward as we worked collectively to find innovative solutions to keep us connected. However, it exposed and amplified the existing digital divide between areas with established broadband infrastructure and those without. This disparity grew as everything from remote learning, remote working, and telehealth activities required an effective digital connection. Reaching far beyond sheer convenience, an affordable and effective means to connect to data and information is now essential as it drives and influences our access to critical applications, innovation and opportunity.

In most cities across the United States, state, local and private infrastructure are separate or loosely connected, with organizations largely deploying their own broadband infrastructures. To advance our communities, we must collectively ensure quality and accessibility to these broadband networks, which can be achieved by converging what we refer to as public-private broadband stacks.

The Broadband Stack is the combination of physical infrastructures and technologies that public and private sector service providers use to connect to devices, locations, end-users and communities in order to improve quality of life experiences, enhance public safety initiatives, and increase economic development activities.

Image: The Broadband Stack

One part of the stack, or one entity, is not enough to be able to bridge this divide. A single form of implementation will not fix it, either. It requires the total partnership, integration, innovation and convergence of the entire broadband stack to create meaningful impacts on our communities, campuses and cities. This will ensure that everyone can address their most fundamental and critical needs and initiatives.

Moving toward converged stacks increases operational capability and lowers costs by reducing parallel infrastructures. The coalescing of state, local and private broadband networks  explores the potential that exists for these organizations to partner with one another in order to lay the foundation for wireless mobility, applications and transport needed to unlock access to knowledge, improvement and advancement for all.

Image: Convergence

We can strategically plan and design converged networks that meet the increasing needs for true broadband connectivity. By helping with governance and increasing interoperability, we can deliver significant cost savings for our clients while enhancing social equity for unserved and underserved communities. At present, many organizations operate in separate stacks, each having their own infrastructure. The goal is to move in the direction of a converged stack, which coalesces state, local and private networks and optimizes them through innovative and evolving partnerships. These partnerships guide a greater strategy of aggregation and allows meaningful accessibility through integrated and converged broadband infrastructures. Additionally, technology and public initiatives often extend beyond the means and reach of one organization or agency. These converged partnerships can maximize the existing budgets, unlock economic potential, and strengthen connection for those that are impacted by this digital divide.

Image: Planning for Impact

The pandemic has shown us the importance of enabling remote working, learning and living. An evolution in our approach will allow us to achieve the greatest impact in ensuring equity and connectivity for our communities, campuses, and cities. This transformation in partnership demonstrates the importance of integrating and converging broadband stacks to create positive social outcomes and advancing our communities. Getting to the possible is going beyond our self-imposed limits and capacity of our traditional partnerships, infrastructures and approaches so we can realize the full potential of achieving social equity and economic development opportunity, and improving the quality of life for all.

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Vehicle electrification can stimulate the economy, create jobs and, by reducing carbon emissions and other pollution, address inequity, protect our environment and improve public health. Here, we examine current and future policy and funding mechanisms needed to advance this equitable, clean and economically advantageous form of transportation.

Where we are

As we write this blog, the federal government has yet to develop meaningful targeted policies, funding mechanisms or regulations to advance vehicle electrification. States and localities are pressing ahead, working independently of the federal government to develop innovative policies that will advance the transition.

Vehicle electrification is progressing. States like California and New York are taking aggressive approaches establishing initiatives with specific policies and targets tied to utility and transportation sustainability, and climate action goals. The California Air Resources Board is mandating that fleet vehicles across the state be electrified by 2040. Progress is not limited to the coasts. Some of the most aggressive policies are coming from the Midwest and Mountain states. In 2018, Colorado established a comprehensive plan to develop fast-charging corridors across the state. In Illinois, the governor has pledged that his state will be the best place in the United States to drive or manufacture an electric vehicle as part of his published plan, “Eight Principles for a Clean and Renewable Illinois Economy.” Together, those states have pledged to have 1.7 million EVs on state roads by 2030. Both are part of comprehensive approaches aimed at creating jobs, reducing pollution, tackling the climate crisis and ensuring that all communities benefit from the transition to a clean energy economy. They aren’t alone — more states and cities are expected to roll out their own policies once they determine which are successful for early adopters.

Utilities are studying policies to expand energy generation and grid capacity as they work to meet the expected new surge of energy demand resulting from vehicle electrification. Generation increases are expected to come from renewables such as solar, so utilities are opening studies to determine how to best optimize financial and performance success when connecting clean energy sources to battery storage. Careful planning is required to develop a grid that can move energy where and when its needed. As part of this effort, governments and utilities are undertaking studies and projections of when and how people will charge to determine grid impacts and costs.

Funding requires flexibility

Even as states work on policies to accelerate electrification, funding possibilities must be expanded to ensure accelerated goals are met. We work with utilities, regional planners and fleet operators across the country developing options to prioritize investments, tapping new financing strategies and targeting incentives to accelerate electric vehicle adoption, so that e-charging infrastructure is available and affordable.

From that work, we recognize that paying for needed upgrades and charging infrastructure for fleet, transit and personal vehicles can be a major consideration. While there are a few federal grant opportunities available, there are other varied arrays of funding opportunities that can help with the costs. These include traditional incentives from utilities, as well as local and state transportation grants. And, in some instances, states and localities are developing public-private partnerships as one more strategy to innovate on the delivery side of this new infrastructure.

Partnerships: A winning proposition

States, municipalities, regional and local agencies, and utilities have a mutual interest in advancing electrification and are developing partnerships to move the process along. Partnerships provide benefits for all concerned.

Utilities benefit from new customers, a key consideration for an industry where demand has been historically flat. Municipalities and states will see new revenue sources resulting from infrastructure investments, utility taxes and use-based franchise fees. Agencies can reduce systems costs as electrification enables transit networks to run more efficiently with less required maintenance. Importantly, communities will see improved environmental and health benefits through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollution tied to transportation.

So where do we go from here?

The transition to electrification would benefit from a national policy addressing climate change and clear policy targets requiring electrification, sending a strong signal to the markets to boost already significant and aggressive technology investment. Setting this aside, it falls to the state and municipal governments and utilities to prioritize carbon reduction and organize their policies and programs so that vulnerable communities are prioritized for the economic and public health benefits that transportation electrification can deliver.

Some states have established aggressive carbon targets and ask utilities to help meet these goals. This is often accomplished by incentivizing customer behaviors, providing rebates for actions such as installing energy-efficient light bulbs to conserve energy. Similar incentive programs are being rolled out for electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, and increasingly, these programs place equity at the center of program design and delivery.

From government actions to private investments and stronger partnerships, innovative solutions are being developed and tested across the country and the lessons we can learn from those innovations are clear. If we want to get the most from transportation electrification investments, our policies must encourage and require a clear connection between climate action, economic opportunity and equity. Even the most aggressive actions by state and local governments still need an active and supportive federal partner to engage the private sector if we want to ensure that we recover from our current public health and economic crisis and build a future that is healthy, sustainable and inclusive.

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