Author: Peggy Smedley
Peggy zooms in on one of the seven critical infrastructure verticals: energy and power, which is projected to require a staggering $23 trillion in investment through 2040. She unpacks the global trends shaping the sector—from the rise of renewables to digital transformation—and explores how we must rethink infrastructure to meet rising expectations. She also discusses: · Why energy demand is rising and how renewable energy and low-carbon sources will come into play. · The emerging role of small modular reactors and what countries are already taking action. · The need for grid resilience—and how digital twins, edge, and AI (artificial…
Peggy zooms in on one of the seven critical infrastructure verticals: energy and power, which is projected to require a staggering $23 trillion in investment through 2040. She unpacks the global trends shaping the sector—from the rise of renewables to digital transformation—and explores how we must rethink infrastructure to meet rising expectations. She also discusses: · Why energy demand is rising and how renewable energy and low-carbon sources will come into play. · The emerging role of small modular reactors and what countries are already taking action. · The need for grid resilience—and how digital twins, edge, and AI (artificial…
Peggy Smedley and Anil Sawhney, head of sustainability, RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors), and Kay Pitman, sustainability analyst, RICS, talk about the highlights from a new AI (artificial intelligence) and construction report 2025, current rates of adoption, blockers to adoption, and the outlook. He says the report was an outcome from conversations and a survey from members who are at the forefront of technology. Pitman says the technology is rapidly evolving, and AI has the potential to reshape the industry. They also discuss: · How many construction respondents reported no use of AI. · The widening gap between investment…
Peggy Smedley and Anil Sawhney, head of sustainability, RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors), and Kay Pitman, sustainability analyst, RICS, talk about the highlights from a new AI (artificial intelligence) and construction report 2025, current rates of adoption, blockers to adoption, and the outlook. He says the report was an outcome from conversations and a survey from members who are at the forefront of technology. Pitman says the technology is rapidly evolving, and AI has the potential to reshape the industry. They also discuss: · How many construction respondents reported no use of AI. · The widening gap between investment…
Peggy Smedley and Dan Miklovic, founder, Lean Manufacturing Research and leader, Third Eye Advisory, talk about the real cost behind not investing in reskilling and if a talent gap is on the horizon already. He says it depends on how you define it because there are going to be skills by 2030 that we don’t even know we need yet. They also discuss: · Where the biggest risk lies. · One of the prime reasons workers leave companies. · Where the real skill lies today—and how durable skills come into play. https://thirdeyeadvisory.com/
Peggy Smedley and Dan Miklovic, founder, Lean Manufacturing Research and leader, Third Eye Advisory, talk about the real cost behind not investing in reskilling and if a talent gap is on the horizon already. He says it depends on how you define it because there are going to be skills by 2030 that we don’t even know we need yet. They also discuss: · Where the biggest risk lies. · One of the prime reasons workers leave companies. · Where the real skill lies today—and how durable skills come into play. https://thirdeyeadvisory.com/
As many know, California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed legislation designed to enhance online safety by installing guardrails on the development of frontier AI (artificial intelligence) models. Some people are praising the push for transparency and accountability, while others are worried about ambiguities and burdens on developers. Everyone has their opinion. A lot has to do with whatever political side of the aisle you stand on. Wherever you stand on this fencepost, the bottomline is regulation for AI is coming—and in some cases it is already here. And the fact remains; we are talking about AI almost in the same…
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending Year in Infrastructure 2025, learning about new offerings from Bentley Systems, hearing inspiring case studies from award winners, and meeting with others in this community to discuss the latest trends in infrastructure. Allow me to share with you what I learned. Here’s a hint: AI (artificial intelligence) was front and center, just as it is in many discussions today. “AI is emerging across design, construction, and operations, touching every phase of the infrastructure lifecycle,” says Nicholas Cumins, CEO, Bentley Systems. “The outcomes go well beyond time savings. They are showing us a…
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in more than two decades in covering the technology and industrial space, it’s that complexity is the new constant. Disruption used to be episodic—COVID, tariffs, material shortages—but now the baseline expectation is that everything is becoming faster and more interconnected at a rapid clip. In construction and manufacturing, that means dealing with supply-chain disruptions, labor scarcity, the push into direct‑to‑consumer models, and other business evolutions. The reality both construction and manufacturing are facing today is a difficult one. More than 76% of today’s supply-chain operations are impacted by labor gaps. In manufacturing alone, as…
Peggy takes a hard look at the staggering $106 trillion question: how will we build the infrastructure of tomorrow? She breaks down a major new report that maps the future of global infrastructure investment through 2040 and shares a real-world case study in Indiana. She also discusses: · Seven verticals where investment will be needed. · How infrastructure is shifting from centralized and government-led to tech-enabled, modular, and market-driven. · Why redefining infrastructure is no longer optional—and what leaders must do next. https://peggysmedleyshow.com