Green Energy Investment, Artificial Intelligence and Purpose-Driven Technology Adoption Set to Storm 2024. 

As the civil infrastructure industry braces for another pivotal year in the bid towards net zero, Sensat, the leading visualisation software company, anticipates a perfect storm of green energy investment, artificial intelligence (AI) integration, and purpose-driven technology adoption in 2024. James Dean, Sensat CEO, highlights how these converging trends are required as we drive towards a net zero future. 

"This year carries immense significance. Civil infrastructure plays a pivotal role in the global push to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and the development of essential tools to reach this goal will be crucial in the years ahead," emphasises Dean. "The journey towards net zero has become a multigenerational, multisector mission. As we step into 2024, we must see green investment being put to work, the embrace of AI, and widespread technology adoption to champion this cause in civil infrastructure."

1. Putting Investment in Green Energy into action

Following the commitments made at COP28, world leaders have focused on securing substantial investment for green infrastructure globally. With $6.8 billion (£5.4 billion) earmarked for a renewable energy future, Dean emphasises the need for acceleration in putting this investment to work. The traditional 5-10 year timeline for planning energy projects must be expedited, requiring sector-wide adjustments to processes and methodologies so that teams can get building faster.

2. Building trust with Artificial Intelligence 

As the Gartner Hype Cycle highlights the prevalence of AI in various capacities, 2024 is poised to be the year when AI makes a significant impact across the asset lifecycle. With a multitude of applications, from optimising layouts to analysing vast quantities of data, AI will enable teams to generate insights to make better decisions, faster. 

For a risk-averse industry like infrastructure, AI applications are still in their infancy and 2024 will be a year of building trust with AI to support decision-making and avoid multi-million-pound mistakes. 

3. Purpose-driven technology adoption

100% of infrastructure industry professionals reported adopting new software in 2023 according to a survey conducted by Sensat. However, nearly one in five respondents found that they often do not understand the purpose behind new technology introductions. In 2024, Sensat anticipates a shift towards increasingly purpose-driven technology adoption, ensuring that integrating new tools aligns with specific objectives, enhancing efficiency and effectiveness across projects. Read how teams are implementing new software here.