Infrastructure 4.0: Achieving Better Outcomes with Technology and Systems Thinking

The report argues that infrastructure should be reframed as a 'system of systems' rather than a collection of separate assets. It identifies that the construction sector is the second least digitalized in the economy and proposes a framework called 'Infrastructure 4.0' to integrate technology across the project life cycle. The document outlines 13 specific recommendations divided into three themes: creating new ecosystems, creating new business models, and building skills and education.

• The infrastructure sector, particularly construction, has lagged behind other industries in adopting Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, with construction being the "second least digitalized sector in the economy, ahead of only agriculture."
• The report advocates for a shift toward 'Infrastructure 4.0', which it defines as forward-looking infrastructure that uses technology and information to achieve high-quality outcomes and functions as a "system within broader human and natural systems."
• To foster innovation, the document recommends creating 'digital commons' and marketplaces for public data, supported by national information management frameworks to provide a "golden thread of information" (end-to-end records) for assets.
• The report suggests moving away from adversarial procurement toward collaborative delivery models where risk is "jointly owned rather than transferred down the supply chain" and procurement focuses on acquiring the capability to achieve an outcome.
• Traditional cost-benefit analyses for infrastructure are deemed too narrow; the report argues they should be reframed to include non-financial considerations, such as "cybersecurity and climate resilience," and aligned with frameworks like the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• There is a identified need for a new professional discipline in 'infrastructure information' that integrates engineering with information management, as current university programmes are often "heavily focused on engineering rather than information."
• The report emphasizes the need to bridge the digital skills gap between the private and public sectors, noting that governments often "lack the capacity to leverage technology and to structure procurements that encourage its integration."

APA

World Economic Forum (2021). Infrastructure 4.0: Achieving Better Outcomes with Technology and Systems Thinking. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Infrastructure_Technology_Adoption_2021.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Infrastructure 4.0: Achieving Better Outcomes with Technology and Systems Thinking. 2021. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Infrastructure_Technology_Adoption_2021.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Infrastructure 4.0: Achieving Better Outcomes with Technology and Systems Thinking |date=May 2021 |url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Infrastructure_Technology_Adoption_2021.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2021infrastructure, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Infrastructure 4.0: Achieving Better Outcomes with Technology and Systems Thinking}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2021}, month = may, url = {http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Infrastructure_Technology_Adoption_2021.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }