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Reference Number	EP/I01344X/1
Title	UK Infrastructure Transitions Research Consortium (ITRC): PROGRAMME GRANT: "Long term dynamics of interdependent infrastructure systems"
Status	Completed
Energy Categories	FOSSIL FUELS: OIL, GAS and COAL(Oil and Gas, Other oil and gas) 5%; OTHER POWER and STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES(Electricity transmission and distribution) 5%; OTHER CROSS-CUTTING TECHNOLOGIES or RESEARCH(Energy system analysis) 5%; OTHER CROSS-CUTTING TECHNOLOGIES or RESEARCH(Environmental, social and economic impacts) 5%; NOT ENERGY RELATED 80%;
Research Types	Basic and strategic applied research 100%
Science and Technology Fields	PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Computer Science and Informatics) 20%; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) 20%; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Civil Engineering) 20%; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering) 20%; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Architecture and the Built Environment) 20%;
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation	Systems Analysis related to energy R&D (Energy modelling) 30%; Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Policy and regulation) 20%; Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Other sociological economical and environmental impact of energy) 20%; Systems Analysis related to energy R&D 30%;
Principal Investigator	Professor J (Jim ) Hall No email address given Environmental Change Institute University of Oxford
Award Type	Standard
Funding Source	EPSRC
Start Date	01 January 2011
End Date	07 February 2011
Duration	2 months
Total Grant Value	£4,730,842
Industrial Sectors	Construction; Energy; Environment; Transport Systems and Vehicles; Water
Region	South East
Programme	Cross-Discipline Interface, Energy Research Capacity, Process Environment and Sustainability
Investigators	Principal Investigator	Professor J (Jim ) Hall , Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford (99.987%)
	Other Investigator	Prof NJ (Nick ) Eyre , Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford (0.001%) Dr S Bullock , Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton (0.001%) Professor W Powrie , Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton (0.001%) Professor JM (Jonathon ) Preston , Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton (0.001%) Professor RJ Nicholls , Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton (0.001%) Dr S Barr , Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Newcastle University (0.001%) Mr C Kilsby , Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Newcastle University (0.001%) Professor TP (Thomas ) Curtis , Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Newcastle University (0.001%) Professor N (Nick ) Jenkins , Engineering, Cardiff University (0.001%) Professor M Birkin , Sch of Geography, University of Leeds (0.001%) Professor P Tyler , Land Economy, University of Cambridge (0.001%) Professor C Jones , Computing Sciences, Newcastle University (0.001%) Prof J (Jim ) Watson , Bartlett Sch of Env, Energy & Resources, University College London (0.001%)
	Industrial Collaborator	Project Contact , Royal Haskoning (0.000%) Project Contact , Atkins (0.000%) Project Contact , Ove Arup & Partners Ltd (0.000%) Project Contact , DfT (Department for Transport) (0.000%) Project Contact , Northumbrian Water Ltd (0.000%) Project Contact , DEFRA (0.000%) Project Contact , National Grid plc (0.000%) Project Contact , Innovation - BT Plc (0.000%) Project Contact , Environmental Agency (0.000%) Project Contact , Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) (0.000%) Project Contact , United Utilities PLC (0.000%) Project Contact , Network Rail Ltd (0.000%) Project Contact , Mott Macdonald UK Ltd (0.000%) Project Contact , Veolia Environmental Services (0.000%) Project Contact , Town & Country Planning Assoc (TCPA) (0.000%) Project Contact , Halcrow Group Ltd (0.000%) Project Contact , Highways Agency (0.000%) Project Contact , Scottish and Southern Energy plc (0.000%) Project Contact , Yorkshire Water (0.000%) Project Contact , MWH UK Ltd (0.000%) Project Contact , JBA Consulting (0.000%) Project Contact , The Met Office (0.000%) Project Contact , Association of North East Councils (0.000%) Project Contact , Institution of Mechanical Engineers (0.000%) Project Contact , Ordnance Survey (0.000%) Project Contact , Parsons Brinckerhoff (0.000%) Project Contact , Swanbarton Limited (0.000%) Project Contact , Transport Scotland (0.000%) Project Contact , Willis Limited (0.000%) Project Contact , Black & Veatch (0.000%) Project Contact , Energy Generation and Supply KTN (0.000%) Project Contact , The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) (0.000%) Project Contact , CABE - the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (0.000%) Project Contact , Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) (0.000%) Project Contact , Costain Ltd (0.000%) Project Contact , Department of Energy & Climate Change (0.000%) Project Contact , The Cabinet Office (0.000%) Project Contact , BP PLC (0.000%) Project Contact , BAM Nuttall Ltd (0.000%) Project Contact , E.ON E&P UK Ltd (0.000%) Project Contact , Local Government Group (0.000%) Project Contact , UK Water Industry Research Ltd (UKWIR) (0.000%) Project Contact , Infrastructure and Project Authority (0.000%)
Web Site
Objectives
Abstract	National infrastructure (NI) systems (energy, transport, water, waste and ICT) in the UK and in advanced economies globally face serious challenges. The 2009 Council for Science and Technology (CST) report on NI in the UK identified significant vulnerabilities, capacity limitations and a number of NI components nearing the end of their useful life. It also highlighted serious fragmentation in thearrangements for infrastructure provision in the UK. There is an urgent need to reduce carbon emissions from infrastructure, to respond to future demographic, social and lifestyle changes and to build resilience to intensifying impacts of climate change. If this process of transforming NI is to take place efficiently, whilst also minimising the associated risks, it will need to be underpinned byalong-term, cross-sectoral approach to understanding NI performance under a range of possible futures. The 'systems of systems' analysis that must form the basis for such a strategic approach does not yet exist - this inter-disciplinary research programme will provide it.The aim of the UK Infrastructure Transitions Research Consortium is to develop and demonstrate a new generation of system simulation models and tools to inform analysis, planning and design of NI. The research will deal with energy, transport, water, waste and ICT systems at a national scale, developing new methods for analysing their performance, risks and interdependencies. It will provide a virtual environment in which we will test strategies for long term investment in NI and understand how alternative strategies perform with respect to policy constraints such as reliability and security of supply, cost, carbon emissions, and adaptability to demographic and climate change.The research programme is structured around four major challenges:1. How can infrastructure capacity and demand be balanced in an uncertain future?We will develop methods for modelling capacity, demand and interdependence in NI systems inacompatible way under a wide range of technological, socio-economic and climate futures. We will thereby provide the tools needed to identify robust strategies for sustainably balancing capacity and demand.2. What are the risks of infrastructure failure and how can we adapt NI to make it more resilient?We will analyse the risks of interdependent infrastructure failure by establishingnetwork models of NI and analysing the consequences of failure for people and the economy. Information on key vulnerabilities and risks will be used to identify ways of adapting infrastructure systems to reduce risks in future.3. How do infrastructure systems evolve and interact with society and the economy?Starting with idealised simulations and working up to the national scale, we will develop new modelsofhow infrastructure, society and the economy evolve in the long term. We will use the simulation models to demonstrate alternative long term futures for infrastructure provision and how they might be reached.4. What should the UK's strategy be for integrated provision of NI in the long term?Working with a remarkable group of project partners in government and industry, wewill use our new methodsto develop and test alternative strategies for Britain's NI, building an evidence-based case for a transition to sustainability. We will analyse the governance arrangements necessary to ensure that this transition is realisable in practice.A Programme Grant provides the opportunity to work flexibly with key partners in government and industry to address research challenges of national importancein a sustained way over five years. Our ambition is that through development of a new generation of tools, in concert with our government and industry partners, we will enable a revolution in the strategic analysis of NI provision in the UK, whilst at the same time becoming an international landmark programme recognised for novelty, research excellence and impact
Publications	(none)
Final Report	(none)
Added to Database	10/01/11