innovation Tag

Safer Digging Part 3: Keep it in Park

10 May 2022, Posted by bdierker in All Posts, Blog Posts

This blog series is laser-focused on innovative technology that can improve the damage prevention process. While this particular series only discusses one technology – Electronic white-lining (EWL)– we have covered its manifold benefits, including public safety, damage reduction, and communications value. Electronic white-lining has multiple advantages, but here we focus…

Self-Driving into the Future

19 Apr 2022, Posted by John Cassibry in All Posts, Blog Posts

While some recent conversations about transportation in the U.S. are relatively simple – like the supply and demand for oil – others are more nuanced and complex. America is a car-dependent country, with more than 90% of households estimated to have access to a vehicle. But with the changing climate…

Innovation Drives Direct Air Capture’s Growing Viability

07 Apr 2022, Posted by bdierker in All Posts, Blog Posts

Vacuuming your house to be rid of dust can be quite a chore. Dirt and dust seem to accumulate faster than you can keep up. Yet, ever since the first vacuum was invented in 1908, larger and more powerful vacuums have made cleaning household carpets and factory floors far easier….

Push Toward Renewables Requires Mining and Fossil Fuels

23 Feb 2022, Posted by bdierker in All Posts, Blog Posts

The current push to electrify the U.S. transportation sector along with homes and businesses means that massive amounts of raw material will be needed to build out a more robust and smarter grid, deploy new renewable technology, and facilitate power storage. This electrified future that many long for will require…

A Sustainable Model

26 Jan 2022, Posted by bdierker in All Posts, Blog Posts

Thriving society requires energy. The source of that energy can come from an array of natural resources and technological processes to convert light, heat, and motion into power. Energy development must, of course, be reconciled with environmental protection to minimize negative externalities. As innovators and public officials seek a sustainable…

A $90 Billion Problem with Obvious Solutions

20 Dec 2021, Posted by bdierker in All Posts, Blog Posts

Every year, nearly $100 billion are lost in the U.S. economy due to excavation damage and the inefficiencies in the system designed to prevent them. With systemic issues unaddressed, these costs are poised to keep rising year after year. What is even worse, Congress enacted a $1.2 trillion infrastructure package…

Climate Change: A Differential Diagnosis

23 Nov 2021, Posted by bdierker in All Posts, Blog Posts

If Gregory House, MD has taught us anything it is that people lie and people have bias. On a topic as politically charged as climate change, we can chalk lies up to rhetoric and framing of an issue. But the more interesting and pertinent issue is bias. When starting a…

Supply Chain is a Green Choke Point

19 Nov 2021, Posted by John Cassibry in All Posts, Blog Posts

Green energy technologies like solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries help facilitate emissions-free energy to the U.S. power grid. While the promise of greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction directs attention to these technologies, the inputs required to build them do not receive as much recognition. With the current supply chain crisis…

Infrastructure Bill Becomes Law, Here is a Look Inside

08 Nov 2021, Posted by John Cassibry in All Posts, Blog Posts

The U.S. House of Representatives passed an over $1 trillion infrastructure package just before midnight on Friday, November 5, 2021. The bipartisan bill, which already passed the Senate in August, now moves on to the Executive branch for President Biden’s signature. While intraparty challenges among Democrats kept the bill from…

6 Carbon Market Solutions… and Counting

25 Oct 2021, Posted by bdierker in All Posts, Blog Posts

Climate, ESG, sustainability, resilience – these themes dominate the culture from boardrooms to academia and even confront us through our televisions and social media platforms. The most consistent thread of all these concepts is the emphasis to mitigate, remove, and reverse atmospheric emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and other gases….

Technology Highlight: Dig of the Future

29 Sep 2021, Posted by bdierker in All Posts, Blog Posts

        This blog series Technology Highlight has explored many of the ways that investments in innovation lead to better outcomes for infrastructure and public safety. When technology advances, it often becomes cheaper, more widely available and accessible, and helps facilitate faster, safer, and greener projects. This is…

Technology Highlight: GPR for Drone Usage

24 Sep 2021, Posted by John Cassibry in All Posts, Blog Posts

        This blog series Technology Highlight explores some of the ways that investments in innovation lead to better outcomes for infrastructure and public safety. When technology advances, it often becomes cheaper, more widely available and accessible, and helps facilitate faster, safer, and greener projects. Aii has looked…

Over 99.999% of all U.S. Hazardous Material is Transported Safely

21 Sep 2021, Posted by bdierker in All Posts, Blog Posts

Massive oil spills, natural gas explosions, produced water leaks, and train derailments are environmental and human tragedies. These rare but terrible events grab headlines and linger in the public memory for years or even decades. The extent of these issues are often difficult to conceptualize – and that is part…

Technology Highlight: AI Applications for Damage Prevention

16 Sep 2021, Posted by John Cassibry in All Posts, Blog Posts

      Artificial Intelligence (AI) has changed the way companies update, monitor, and build infrastructure. In the damage prevention sector, innovations like 24-hour monitoring systems, gas leak detection technology, and improvements in safety gear have also made worksites and infrastructure projects safer. Often overlooked in the damage prevention field…