Insights
The five most common risk prediction methods for water utilities – and how they compare
Jim Fitchett compares five risk prediction methods widely used by water utilities, highlighting their advantages, drawbacks, and best uses.
Outdated pipes, wasted water: smart infrastructure offers a better solution
Aging water infrastructure is costing the US gallons and money. New technologies are enabling a smart infrastructure philosophy that can improve water asset management.
Powering the Future: Addressing the Demand for High-Speed Broadband
As digital technology becomes increasingly essential to daily life, the demand for high-speed broadband in residential neighborhoods is skyrocketing. From telecommuting and online learning to smart homes and streaming, reliable internet access is the backbone of modern living. To meet these growing demands, efficient fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) deployments are more critical than ever.
Retrofit-Ready: How Preloaded Panels Simplify FTTH Installs
As the demand for high-speed internet continues to grow, broadband providers and installers face increasing pressure to accelerate fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) deployments—particularly in neighborhoods not originally designed for fiber infrastructure.
Tackling Aging Water Infrastructure in the Lone Star State
Aging water infrastructure is a significant issue in the United States. Texas is working hard to address it, but it will benefit from also working smarter.
Why Cat6A Cabling Matters for Today’s Fiber-Powered Homes
When you combine Cat6A cabling with the right gear, you get faster, more reliable networks—whether you're wiring up a single home or a whole community.
Cost Efficient Ways To Upgrade Your Wastewater Treatment Plant
The demands on wastewater treatment are greater than ever before, putting upgrades and refurbishment firmly in the spotlight, but with a firm requirement to manage costs.
Key Considerations When Upgrading Your Wastewater Treatment Plant
Wastewater treatment works upgrades are an essential and ongoing part of the treatment process. Here’s what you need to consider when upgrading your site.
Building Connected Communities: Expanding Broadband Effectively
The appetite for fiber Internet service is surging. As of 2024, 76.5 million homes across the United States are now connected with fiber to the Internet, marking a significant year-over-year increase. Such rapid expansion means a wide array of professionals, including builders, installers, engineers, architects, and service providers, are increasingly engaged in introducing fiber service to new residential developments and retrofitting existing structures. This task demands careful planning and a deep understanding of fiber architectures and their specific components.
Making the Invisible Visible: The Future of Water Asset Management
Water is arguably the one asset that people take most for granted – until something goes wrong. Suddenly, it becomes expensive, scarce, and difficult to deliver. Smarter solutions make these invisible assets visible and enable municipalities to effectively tackle their critical aging infrastructure.
Innovating for Safety and Sustainability: Engineering Solutions for a Resilient Future
As a Thermoplastics Materials Engineer at Oldcastle, I am deeply involved in developing materials that offer protection in critical situations. My previous article highlighted how Duralite® was created to meet rigorous safety standards and flame resistance tests, all while promoting environmental sustainability.
Innovating for Safety and Sustainability: Oldcastle’s Commitment to Wildfire Protection
As I woke up on Labor Day morning ready to make the most of the final days of summer, I looked outside and saw billowing sunlit smoke, the sign of a nearby forest fire threatening my city Portland, Oregon. It’s a stark reminder of the destructive power of wildfires and the importance of creating resilient solutions to protect our communities.
Reducing Wildfire Risk: The Fix Our Forests Act and Its Impact on Electric Cooperatives
On January 23, 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Fix Our Forests Act, a bipartisan bill designed to reduce the risk of devastating wildfires. This legislation will help electric cooperatives by expediting federal approval for grid hardening and allowing the removal of hazardous vegetation that could fuel fires. Both measures aim to prevent future wildfire disasters.
Accelerating EV Charging Expansion: The Advantages of Platform-Based Depots
As electric vehicles (EVs) become increasingly popular, the demand for a robust charging infrastructure is also growing. Traditional methods of building charging stations, especially in established sites, can be slow, costly, and disruptive.
Stormwater maintenance: it’s all in vain if you don’t maintain
All stormwater systems need to be maintained—green or grey, natural or engineered—and ironically, the better the system performs, the faster it will fill up. So while performance is the fundamental characteristic of any stormwater treatment system, without regular maintenance, that performance eventually means nothing.
The True Cost of EV Charging Installations: Price vs. Total Cost of Ownership
In my previous article, I delved on the differences in quality and control, speed of installation, labor resources and risk concerns between pre-cast and cast-in-place (CIP) construction methods. This article focuses on the vast difference between price and total cost of ownership (TCO) and why it is an important consideration when planning EV charging projects.
The True Cost of EV Charging Installations: Why Precast Solutions Win Over Cast-in-Place
When planning the installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, selecting between precast solutions and cast-in-place (CIP) is a crucial decision that influences both immediate expenses and long-term value. This choice requires a comprehensive understanding of the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), encompassing four key components: quality, installation, delivery, and upfront cost.
The Evolving Grid: Integrating Renewables and Supporting Future Demand
As renewable energy generation expands, the need for a more flexible, resilient, and efficient U.S. energy grid has become urgent. The shift toward cleaner energy sources like solar and wind is reshaping the grid, creating both challenges and opportunities.
The Role of Utilities in the U.S. Renewable Energy Transition
Utilities are central to the U.S. renewable energy transition, with a growing emphasis on clean energy driven by favorable economic conditions, supportive policies, and increasing demand for sustainable energy.
Building Smart Cities with BABA-Certified Infrastructure
As cities evolve into smart urban centers designed to support work, play, and living, the need for reliable communication infrastructure becomes more critical. Oldcastle Infrastructure's Build America, Buy America (BABA)-certified products enable those connections.
Passing the Test
Stormwater testing protocols show which companies can design a system that performs, but this should be the start of the conversation rather than the end.
Electric Utilities Lead the Charge in Expanding Broadband Access
In today’s connected world, broadband access is essential. A 2021 study by Microsoft revealed that approximately 120.4 million Americans use broadband internet, but millions of people still face barriers to reliable service.
Tapping into a Solution: Addressing Water Scarcity in the US
Water scarcity is becoming more prevalent nationwide, and protecting our available water is imperative. CivilSense™, a comprehensive new water loss management service that pairs expertly trained field teams and actionable artificial intelligence (AI), enables municipalities to take effective, targeted action to protect drinking water supply.
Revolutionizing Underground Enclosures
Underground enclosures are crucial to provide access to fiber networks and electrical equipment while protecting them from frost, rust, and the elements, but polymer concrete can be heavy and bulky. Oldcastle Infrastructure came up with an alternative: Duralite®.
Defender Walls: The Backbone of Substation Physical Security
As energy consumption rises due to factors like population migration, the proliferation of data centers, and the surge in electric vehicles (EVs), the urgency to protect critical infrastructure has intensified. This heightened demand has led to long lead times for essential equipment, such as transformers, making it vital to safeguard these valuable assets.
What Municipalities Don’t Realize About Non-Revenue Water
Non-revenue water is a major issue in the United States, with an estimated 6bn gallons of treated water lost every single day. Many utilities understand that non-revenue water is a problem, and they are taking steps to address it, but in the absence of reliable real-world leakage data they may be operating on assumptions that are leading them to miss out on potential asset management efficiencies.
Tackling the Non-Revenue Water challenge in Georgia
The regulations surrounding non-revenue water in Georgia are pivotal in addressing water loss and ensuring sustainable water management. By enhancing transparency, providing incentives for improvement, and fostering collaboration among stakeholders, Georgia is helping pave the way for a future where every drop of water is accounted for and valued.
Duralite® Makes Safety State of the Art In Every Situation
When it comes to telecommunications and other utility infrastructure product design, manufacturers typically focus their innovation and improvement resources on three factors: weight, strength, and cost. But there’s a vitally important fourth design element that often gets lost in the mix, and that’s safety.
Driving EV success: the Need for Scalable Solutions
There’s so much going on in the world of EV. The future offers all kinds of exciting prospects – yet there are numerous challenges and opportunities in the EV industry and built environment. While EV has been identified as a long-term solution for vehicle decarbonization, the U.S. adoption of these products has been slow.
Weathering the Heat: Standards for Fire Resistance for Underground Enclosures
Choosing underground utility access enclosures that comply with fire resistance standards enhances safety, reduces maintenance time, and safeguards underground utilities from potential fire damage and heat waves.
On the Fast Track: Revolutionizing Railway Infrastructure
StarTrack revolutionizes rail crossings with rapid, modular installations, reducing downtime and enhancing safety and supply chain efficiency.
Behind the Scenes: How Hydraulics Labs Drive Water Innovation
Advancing global water solutions: Innovative product development and rigorous testing in hydraulics labs drive compliance and enhance performance.
From Planning to Pavement: Charting the NEVI Journey to an Electrified Future
NEVI’s implementation, backed by a $5 billion investment, goes beyond installing charging stations, aiming to revolutionize our transportation infrastructure sustainably.
Grids of Tomorrow: Addressing the Dual Challenge of Age and Climate
Amidst climate threats, a push to rejuvenate our decaying utility systems emerges, spotlighting the imperative for resilient, forward-thinking solutions.
Rainwater Reimagined: Building Resilient and Sustainable Landscapes
Shallow detention blends functionality, efficiency and environmental stewardship in modern stormwater management.
Beyond the Badge: The Comprehensive Impact of UL Certification
Beyond certification, UL marks reflect Oldcastle Infrastructure's commitment to setting industry standards in product safety and quality.
Driving Change in eMobility: The Path to Efficient EV Charging Infrastructure
Pioneering scalable eMobility solutions that transform EV charging with efficient precast technology, enabling rapid, nationwide deployment.
Weathering the Storm: How Grid Hardening Shields Communities
Experience and innovation combat climate's wrath on power grids, spotlighting Florida's proactive grid hardening and Detroit's emerging strategies.
Catalysts of Innovation: Women Driving Infrastructure Forward
As we celebrate Women in Construction, explore how Shanti Tenneti, a seasoned industry leader, is driving transformative growth in water solutions.
Culverts to Conservation: Oldcastle Infrastructure’s Fish Passage Initiatives
Explore how we merge innovation, safety, and environmental stewardship in groundbreaking fish passage initiatives.
Liquid Assets: Investing in the Next Generation of Water Infrastructure
The transformative approaches reshaping America's aging water infrastructure and the opportunities they present.
From Planning to Pavement: How NEVI is Powering America’s Alternative Fuel Corridors
NEVI leads America's charge into an electric future, building accessible, efficient EV charging networks across the nation.
Green Infrastructure: A Sustainable Response to Stormwater Management
From theory to practice; implementing green infrastructure for effective stormwater management.
Bridging the Digital Divide: Overcoming Challenges in Rural Broadband Deployment
Explore innovative solutions to the high costs and complexities of extending fiber optic broadband in rural areas.
Powering Through: A Cross-Country Exploration of America’s EV Readiness
An odyssey across the U.S. reveals electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure challenges and solutions.
Small Bridges, Big Impact: The Role of BFP in Transforming America’s Infrastructure
The Bridge Formula Program, part of the IIJA, allocates $27B for revitalizing bridges across the US.
From Planning to Pavement: NEVI’s Funding Rollout
NEVI drives EV infrastructure development, focusing on accessible charging networks and state-level implementation for transportation improvements.
Bridging the Digital Divide: The Critical Need for Broadband Expansion in America
Expanding US broadband access involves overcoming cost and infrastructure challenges to bridge the digital divide and foster equitable connectivity.
Water Scarcity: Meeting a Global Challenge with Innovative Solutions
Innovative tech and community involvement are key in tackling global water scarcity and the financial burdens of non-revenue water.
Protecting the Reliability of the Electrical Grid: More Important Now Than Ever
Dive into the evolution of electrical grids, exploring crucial updates for our technology-driven world's safety and reliability
Deciphering the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)
The IIJA, injecting an astonishing $1.2 trillion into the sector, holds vast potential but demands expertise to navigate. Join us in transforming infrastructure.
The Hidden Value of Stormwater System Maintenance
Amid climate change, regular stormwater maintenance is vital for environmental resilience, safeguarding water systems, and preventing costly damage.
ANSI/SCTE Load Ratings: A Vital Aspect of Underground Enclosure Selection
ANSI/SCTE 77 load ratings guide the selection of underground enclosures, ensuring they meet specific performance needs for reliable installations.
Birds, Planes, and Sustainability: An Innovative Stormwater Solution
Discover how Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport's green infrastructure approach solved bird strike hazards while promoting sustainability.
The Data Center Evolution: Redefining Infrastructure Landscape
Navigating the rapid evolution of data centers, see what it takes to play a vital role in the "storage arms race," delivering on innovation and security.
Empower Your AEC Career: Stormwater Management AIA-Approved Continuing Education
Unlock AEC career growth with AIA-approved courses on green infrastructure, drywells, and stormwater maintenance by Oldcastle Infrastructure and Informed Infrastructure.