Power & Broadband

North America’s energy and communications landscape has seen significant change over the past 10-15 years, and more of the same is expected in the next decade or two. Fifteen years ago, the first iPhone® came out and it revolutionized the cell phone market into a data streaming highway. The number of cell users consuming data as well as the number of people who now have a smartphone exploded during this time. Communications infrastructure has struggled to keep up with the rapid pace of data usage. There are still areas of the country who have slow or no broadband access.

Similarly, the power market has undergone significant changes in the make-up of energy generation from coal-fired power to cleaner and renewable energy sources. The nation has also invested significant funds to improve transmission and distribution lines to overcome increasing demand. Furthermore, the nation continues to strive toward more electric vehicle usage which is likely to push the capacity limits up again in the coming years.

Outside of bridge and highway, these two markets (power and communications) are poised to have some of the largest investments over the next five years. Building these systems for the future includes not only bringing more reliable communications signals and power to the masses, but should also include specifying sustainable materials, such as hot-dip galvanized steel, in the structures themselves.