In today’s episode we will focus on the state of public infrastructure in the United States of America.

Every four years, the American Society of Civil Engineers releases what’s been called “the nation’s most important report you’ve probably never heard of” - the Report Card for America’s Infrastructure.

Using a simple A–F grading scale, it assesses the state of everything from roads, bridges, and railways to water systems, schools, broadband, and energy grids.

And this year’s Report Card gives U.S. infrastructure an overall grade of C highlighting a mix of hard-won progress - and mounting risk.

So what does that actually mean on the ground Well to help us break it all down, I’m joined by Tom Smith, Executive Director of the American Society of Civil Engineers, and one of the country’s most respected voices on infrastructure strategy, resilience, and investment.

Tom gives a great insight into why this year’s report card matters, what it reveals about how we build and maintain critical systems, and what it’ll take to move from crisis response to long-term planning.

And in particular explains what it means for everyday Americans.

Resources

• ASCE Report Card 2025
• ASCE website
• ASCE "Cities of the Future" film
• Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)
• Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)
• Bentley Systems' Transforming Infrastructure Performance New York summit
• Renewable Natural Resources Foundation
• ICE State of the Nation report card

In today's podcast we’re going to explore the UK government's latest announcement to invest vast sums of public cash in the nuclear industry.

The latest spending review included £14.2bn to kickstart the Sizewell C plant and £2.5bn to underpin ongoing research into fusion technology. But crucially, it also outlined plans to pump £2.5bn into Small Modular Reactor development – something that I think is perhaps one of the most ambitious – and transformational announcements in the UK’s energy history.

And it’s this announcement that I really want to focus on today.

But it is also clear that after decades of hesitation, the UK government – through it’s public energy business Great British Nuclear part of GB Energy - has committed to a bold new era of nuclear power, And its backing it with public cash.

So what does this actually mean in practice?

• What is an SMR – and why is the government betting on them to power millions of homes and secure the nation’s energy future?
• How do these small, factory-built reactors compare to the large-scale nuclear power plants like Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C?
• And critically – can we really deliver this bold vision on time, on budget, and with the skilled workforce we need?

Well to unpack all of this – and help make sense of the opportunities and challenges ahead – I’m joined once again on the Infrastructure Podcast by Tim Stone, Non-Executive Director, Great British Nuclear and former chair of the Nuclear Industry Association, the body at the heart of this once-in-a-generation transformation and my go to mind for all things nuclear.

Resources

• Government press release on SMRs
• Rolls Royce SMR press release
• Government press release on Sizewell C
• Great British Energy - Nuclear
• Nuclear Industry Association release on nuclear investment

Today’s podcast is another special episode, this week recorded live in New York at the recent Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit hosted by Bentley Systems.

My guest is Aruna Miller, Lieutenant Governor of Maryland State, who I interviewed to open the summit with a discussion on her role in the recovery and rebuild of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge which catastrophically collapsed in March 2024 after the container ship Dhali collided with a pier while passing beneath.

In a matter of seconds, this vital transportation artery crumbled into the River, claiming the lives of six workers and bringing Baltimore’s economy to a standstill.

The collapse was a pivotal event with profound implications for Maryland State, raising many questions about the value of our infrastructure and the economic and social consequences of failure.

And as a civil engineer turned politician, the Lieutenant Governor clearly has a unique perspective on the challenge of recovering and rebuilding after this disaster.

I started by taking her back to the 26 March 2024 to talk us through the immediate response to the collapse.

Resources

• Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit New York
• The Francis Scott Key Bridge rebuild
• Maryland State infrastructure priorities
• US Federal Government FSK Bridge response
• Bentley Systems Infrastructure Policy Advancement
• Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller
• ICE FSK question and answer

Today’s podcast is a special episode recorded live at Bauma 2025 in Munich—the global showcase for construction technology innovation.

My guest today is Ivan Di Federico, the newly appointed President and CEO of Topcon Positioning Systems, a leader in geo-positioning and construction technology, with solutions that are being used everywhere in infrastructure and agriculture today.

Ivan steps into this role at a pivotal moment. Digital transformation is accelerating across both infrastructure and agriculture, driven by automation, AI, and advanced positioning technologies

So how does a business like Topcon stay ahead of the curve - and the competition? What does the future of Topcon look like through Ivan's eyes?

In this episode, Ivan shares how the company is navigating today’s challenges and preparing for what’s next.

Resources

• Topcon Website
• History of Topcon Positioning
• Infrastructure tech
• Agriculture tech
• Topcon technology
• Millimeter GPS
• Topcon sustainability

In this week's podcast we talk about the challenges of building a career in the complex modern world of structural engineering.

My guest today is Claire Gott, Head of Structures at global consultancy WSP - an engineer whose work has helped shape some of the most ambitious and high-profile structures in the UK and beyond but who has also devoted large parts of her career to date helping and encouraging others to join and navigate the profession.

I first met Claire back in 2011 when, just out of Southampton University, she won the New Civil Engineer Graduate of the Year Award. She was hugely impressive then, and she continues to be today in a senior leadership role at WSP that puts her at the heart of designing many of the buildings and infrastructure that define our cities and communities.

Major projects such as 40 Leadenhall, a landmark commercial tower in the City of London that’s redefining how we think about wellbeing, heritage reuse and sustainability; the visionary Eden Project North in Morecambe, a regenerative design project pushing boundaries on biodiversity, embodied carbon and community engagement; London Bridge Station refurbishment, Paddington Square and of course a rake of structures on the London the Birmingham HS2 project.

And I imagine that she will be turning her hand to the newly approved 1 Undershaft, and it’s clear her influence spans some of the UK’s most complex and high-profile developments.

But as we will explore, Claire’s impact extends far beyond the drawing board. A powerful advocate for diversity in engineering, she is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, a mentor with the Circle Partnership, and a visible role model for women in STEM.

And she remains hugely active in Cameroon Catalyst, the charity she co-founded at university focused on sustainable development in rural Africa.

So how do you build such a rounded and complex career like this? Overcoming the technical and cultural challenges to lead projects that build not just for performance, but great places for people and the planet.

Resources

• Claire Gott Linked In
• WSP website
• Cameroon Catalyst
• Creating the LEGO Bridge: A Civil Engineering Challenge
• ICE Connects
• 40 Leadenhall
• Eden North

In today's podcast we look at the world of nuclear decommissioning

Nuclear power has played a vital role in the UK’s energy story for more than half a century. But as the country transitions toward a low-carbon future, there’s another story unfolding—one of responsibility, innovation, and transformation. The story of the decommissioning.

At the heart of this story is the UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, tasked with one of the largest, most complex environmental remediation missions in Europe, and responsible for safely, securely, and efficiently decommissioning the UK’s civil nuclear legacy.

This means dealing with decades-old infrastructure, hazardous materials, and a technical challenge that spans generations.

But it’s not just about dismantling what’s old—it’s about building the systems, skills, and strategies needed to do it better, faster, and more sustainably.

Today, the NDA is in the midst of a major transformation programme. From digital innovation and smarter asset management to a cultural shift that embraces agility, collaboration, and change, the NDA is rethinking what it means to manage nuclear legacy sites in the 21st century.

To find out how this strategy is being turned into reality, I am joined on the podcast today by Stuart Miller, Programme Director at NDA who will help us to explore the opportunities and obstacles on the road ahead.

What does decommissioning look like in an era of digital transformation? How do you drive change in a complex, risk-averse environment? And what does this work mean - not just for the UK today, but for future generations and global best practice?

In short, it’s an opportunity to shed light on one of the most important, yet often overlooked, national missions of our time.

Resources

• Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Website
• NDA priorities and policies
• Stuart Miller Linked In
• Sellafield business plans

In today's podcast we focus on the UK’s mammoth, unprecedented, and, often, highly controversial water investment challenge.

As climate pressures mount, population grows, and economic demands increase, the security of our water supply is becoming a defining issue for national resilience.

Last December, Ofwat’s latest Price Review - PR24 – underscored the scale of that challenge, with more than £48 billion in capital investment planned across England and Wales over the next five years.

At the heart of this effort is the need to secure an additional 5 billion litres of water per day by 2050 - equivalent to more than a third of the current supply.

This is a national endeavour. The RAPID programme, launched by Ofwat in 2019 to oversee water company spending and prompt more collaborative approach to investment, is now being scaled up to deliver a new generation of strategic water infrastructure in AMP9 – the water companies’ latest five year Asset Management Plans.

This means new reservoirs, water recycling, large-scale transfers and desalination schemes - many of which will define how and where the UK secures its water future.

But meeting these goals will require not just infrastructure, but public trust, regulatory innovation, and cross-sector collaboration. All issue that of course are being reviewed for government right now by Sir Jon Cunliffe, Chair of the Independent Water Commission.

My guest today is at the sharp end of this challenge. Siân Thomas is Director of Strategic Asset Management at Anglian Water, one of the biggest and perhaps most progressive water companies, serving over 7 million customers across the East of England

Siân is delivering Anglian’s AMP8 business plan - the largest in its history, including two new reservoirs, significant upgrades to water recycling and mains networks, and a commitment to cut emissions and improve river health. So well placed to give great insight into the challenges.

Siân welcome to the Infrastructure Podcast

Resources

• Ofwat's PR24 determination
• The RAPID programme
• Anglian Water's AMP8 plans
• Utility Week article - "Big projects lured me back into water" (behnid paywall)
• Sir Jon Cunliffe review

In today's podcast we focus on decarbonising the UK’s vast building stock.

The global buildings sector is one of the most essential but also perhaps the most overlooked frontiers in the fight against climate change.

Homes, offices, shops, schools, and factories - they're where we live, where we work, and where we gather. They are the fabric of our society.

But, as highlighted by a new report from the Energy Transitions Commission, they are also responsible for a staggering one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions – that’s around 12.3 gigatonnes of CO₂ in 2022 alone.

And for context, that’s more than the emissions from transport or from industry.

These emissions come not just from heating and cooling, but also from lighting, cooking, appliances, and even the materials and methods we use to build in the first place.

And as the global population grows and more people gain access to energy-intensive services like air conditioning, the challenge is only getting more urgent.

The good news is that we already have the solutions. In its powerful new report Achieving Zero-Carbon Buildings: Electric, Efficient and Flexible, the Energy Transitions Commission sets out a clear roadmap for transforming the sector - arguing that we can cut emissions while also improving quality of life and reducing energy bills – but only if we act quickly and ambitiously.

So what needs to happen? How do we turn strategy into action?

Today, we’re joined by a Lord Adair Turner, Chair of the Energy Transitions Commission to unpack the findings of this important report, explore what’s possible, and understand the path toward a zero-carbon buildings future.

Resources

• Energy Transitions Commission website
• ETC report "Achieving Zero-Carbon Buildings: Electric, Efficient and Flexible"
• Lord Turner of Ecchinswell
• COP 30
• UK government plan for net zero
• Retrofit 25 "what's stopping us?" - The Building Centre