Infrastructure Integration:

Integrated infrastructure systems could be described as examining the interaction of two or more infrastructural systems working together as one system OR working with an explicit awareness of one another. Infrastructure systems could include the physical infrastructure (i.e. transportation, building and construction, energy, water and wastewater, solid waste), the cyberinfrastructure (i.e. information and communication technologies (ICT), emissions and air quality and between different sectors (e.g. social, physical, health, economic and political). The traditional approach in infrastructure studies is that each civil entity is analyzed in an isolated manner in which silo-based focus on one infrastructure element at a time, however, an integrated infrastructure system approach or cross-sectoral approach would create wide practical advantages in short and long term. Such a wide approach is also critical for enabling policy and decision making and sustainability goals. For example, planning or operations for transportation infrastructure cannot be studied without consideration of the built environment, land use and or emissions. Furthermore, modifications to the transport network may either negatively or positively impact storm water quality and the receiving water bodies. Therefore, integrated approach to infrastructure development requires system thinking approach to urban
infrastructure. Systems to study may include;

1. Transportation infrastructure focus with climate change (GHG emissions)
2. Road infrastructure and water quality
3. Urban forms and solid waste OR urban buildings and construction waste
4. Urban waste, energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
5. Buildings and energy use and GHG emissions
6. Urban development and water management

Areas that need to be studied include;

a) Reviewing the existing literature (or case studies) related to integration of infrastructure
systems;

b) Identifying the interactions/interdependencies within the infrastructure systems (type
of integration and level of integration);
c) Identifying the key challenges associated with integration;
d) Identifying the various tools used to examine the infrastructure and conduct the
analysis;
e) Focus on highlighting the need or benefits of integration between those infrastructure
systems; Discuss and examine how new technological advancements (energy, IoT,
sensing technologies, construction materials, vehicle electrification,
sharing/autonomy/connectivity, etc….) can possibly impact the examined two or
infrastructure systems and their interaction;
f) Discuss of any infrastructure deficit in Canada and suggestions on formulation of an
integrated engineering approaches to address this deficit in the most cost-effective
manner;
g) Identifying the gaps of research and focus areas for future research

Mobility-As-A-Service (Maas):

Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) describes a shift away from personally-owned modes of transportation and towards mobility solutions that are consumed as a service. MaaS is made possible by the synthesis and integration of the following four vehicle technology innovations:

1. Automation made possible by advances in sensor technologies, powerful computers
and artificial intelligence’
2. Connectivity to other vehicles, traffic infrastructure, the internet and individuals made
possible by high speed wireless technologies’
3. Electrification made possible by decreases in battery cost, and improvement in electric
vehicle technologies and recharging infrastructure
4. Sharing initiated by companies like Uber and Lyft with chauffeured cars, but with
automation, the costs can be reduced and convenience improved.

The massive investments in the A.C.E.S. technologies in recent years promises that MaaS will
soon be shaping the transportation systems and urban land use across North America and other
parts of the world. There is thus a pressing need for researchers, land-use developers and
transportation planners to understand the implications of MaaS, including:

a) Expected impacts of MaaS on travel demand and why;
b) Environmental implications in terms of air pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions;
c) Health and productivity implications associated with reduced accidents
d) Impacts on traffic congestion;
e) Policies that municipalities can adopt to manage traffic efficiently;
f) Implications of personally-owned autonomous vs. shared autonomous vehicles on
vehicle use;
g) An understanding of how many personal vehicles can be replaced by each MaaS vehicle
and the cost-effectiveness of the transition to the users of the technology;

h) Impacts on parking demand (on and off-street) and options for the use of the space;
i) Impacts on gas stations, repair shops and vehicle dealerships and options for use of the
space;
j) Impacts of urban densification on other critical infrastructure (i.e. water/wastewater,
waste management, electric grid, etc.)
k) Strategies that governments could use to replace the gasoline tax that currently funds
transportation infrastructure in Canada;
l) Impacts of a lower ‘opportunity cost’ for travel on choices for residence location (i.e.
urban sprawl)
m) Policies to contain urban sprawl and avoid its high infrastructure costs
n) Sensor, software and infrastructure needs for future deployment of MaaS in Canada;
o) Policies, incentives, disincentives and regulations that could be deployed to address
societal needs;
p) Urban / community design opportunities for communities lacking personal vehicle
ownership;
q) Grid impacts associated with a transition to MaaS;
r) Impacts of MaaS on crude oil demand and the economy of Alberta;
s) Optimal proportion of electric vehicles served by batteries only, or hydrogen fuel cell
electric hybrid engines.