Unlocking values through infrastructure interdependencies

Abstract

Urban infrastructure is a complex interdependent system of systems. It provides a framework that connects and integrates social, cultural, financial, natural, technological and human values. This paper contributes to the development of new approaches towards urban infrastructure governance, identified as one of the key issues in the field of sustainable urban infrastructure. To do that, the authors explore cross-sectoral urban infrastructure projects, in which infrastructures supplying different urban functions are connected. This focus on a local level of cross-domain connection allows understanding the challenges of such connections on the project level, giving practical insights into management and governance challenges. The authors analyse four local projects of cross-sector connections of infrastructures, aiming to understand the collaborative dynamics of governing such projects towards successful outcomes, in terms of overcoming the barriers towards such projects while creating value. Given the high expectations of increased value of integrated urban infrastructures compared with traditional, siloed infrastructure development and management, the insights from local, project-level experiences, in addition to holistic perspectives, can be informative for investment strategy development by private and public stakeholders.