The Infrastructure Podcast

In this episode we take a close look at the work of the Women in Property network and preview a special breakfast discussion that they have planned on 19th May at UKREiiF, the UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum being held in Leeds on 19th to 21st May.Joining me is Sam McCabe, the newly installed national chair of Women in Property who in her day job, is Passive House Lead for the UK and Sustainable Buildings Lead for Scotland at consultant WSP.There is much to discuss at the UKREIIF breakfast. The property and infrastructure sector is at a moment of both urgency and opportunity. Huge amounts of public and private investment are promised to underpin the nation’s growth ambitions, yet there are still a vast number of barriers to overcome.Sam’s theme for her year in office tackles these challenges head on and underpins her career mission to deliver buildings and infrastructure that actually work for the environment, for people,  for communities and for the bottom line.So when she talks about “Building more with less,” she makes a direct challenge to the industry’s "silo mentality" and the systemic inefficiencies that too often see great designs diluted by late-stage value engineering. And by championing inclusive leadership as a practical means to drive better decision-making, Sam is setting out at both WIP and WSP to bridge the gap between diversity and delivery.So as usual the question is how to drive change. So let’s dig in and discuss her vision for a more collaborative more diverse, more effective and more sustainable industry.ResourcesWomen in Property websiteUKREiiF website WiP breakfast meeting 19th May at UKREiiFMale Allies UK - National Allyship Summit 14 MayWiP People - Innovation - Place Summit - 23 April 2026WSP websiteSam McCabe Linked In

This this week's episode we discuss the decarbonisation of global aviation - and specifically a new project that aims to leverage the growth in nuclear technology to accelerate us towards a new world of affordable e-SAF - sustainable aviation fuelsBecause for all the pressures of driving towards a net zero emissions future, the world's hunger for air travel continues to grow. Which leaves the environmental cost of traditional kerosene as no longer sustainable.And to be honest, given the impact of war in Iran, the pressure to accelerate towards new types of fuel is only going one way.Today I am joined by Caroline Longman, director and guiding mind at nuclear energy consultancy Equilibrion and by Commercial lead Hannah Vickers. Together they are going to talk us through a potential solution - Equilibrion’s flagship e-SAF project, Eq.flight.Decarbonising aviation is a tough challenge – perhaps one of the biggest challenges of the global Net Zero transition. Unlike road transport, which can lean on batteries, long-haul flight requires high-density liquid fuels. And global SAF mandates are tightening – the UK and EU have mandated a 2% SAF blend by 2025, rising to 10%–22% by 2030 - making now an increasingly critical moment.While Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) exists, current bio-based methods face a feedstock ceiling - there simply isn't enough waste oil or land to fuel the global fleet.The Eq.flight programme attempts to changes the equation by leveraging the carbon-free power of nuclear energy.Working in collaboration with partners like Rolls-Royce SMR, Equilibrion it is moving from consultancy to delivery, recently launching a call for partners to join a "trusted, outcome-focused" supply chain.ResourcesEquilibrion websiteThe Eq.Flight projectEq.Flight - call for partnersEU mandate on SAFCaroline Longman Linked InHannah Vickers Linked In

Donna Lopata, senior manager at the Investor Group on Climate Change and systems stewardship expert. She explores shifting investor focus from single assets to system-wide risk, the gap between systems thinking and real action, and how procurement, incentives and regulation must change to attract long-term capital.

Mark Thurston, chief executive of Anglian Water and former HS2 leader, discusses water sector reform and the race to build resilient, low-carbon infrastructure. He covers integrated regional regulation, smart metering and demand management, funding and affordability, delivering new reservoirs, rebuilding public trust after pollution issues, and lessons from mega-project delivery for scaling up investment and supply chains.

In this episode of the podcast we are explore the way the UK Armed Services has been radically upping its game in terms of the support, promotion and development of professional engineering careers. To do this, I'm joined today by Squadron Leader David Littlemore from the Royal Air Force, currently executive officer infrastructure at Cyber and Specialist Operations Command. David is also fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, in fact, the only chartered civil engineer in the RAF, and I'd say that he is also a passionate advocate for merging the best of military and civilian engineering training to create complete and capable professional engineers fit for the future. David’s engineering career journey was unorthodox. He started straight from school, aged 16, working in a bridge design office, where he progressed through ONC and then HNC studies before gaining a degree in Civil Engineering at Durham University. He then switched to the military by being commissioning into the Royal Air Force in 2008. Since then his career has bridged the gap between civilian consultancy and high-stakes military infrastructure, tackling work across the UK and from the South Atlantic to the Middle East.And today, as a Chartered Civil Engineer, he is certainly testament to the "long winding road" of modern professional engineering careers. Beyond his technical expertise in project management and infrastructure delivery, he mentors young technicians and engineers and is committed to helping the next generation understand the profound value of professional recognition, and what it takes to build a career.ResourcesRAF Cyber and Specialist Operations CommandRAF professional engineering careersDavid Littlemore Linked InICE routes to membershipICE CouncilQUEST scholarships

Mark Coates, VP of Infrastructure Policy Advancement at Bentley Systems and leader of the TIP summit movement, discusses digitisation, decarbonisation and modern delivery. He covers data-as-an-asset, digital twins for lifecycle continuity, pragmatic AI to empower engineers, procurement for outcomes, and global-local lessons for boosting productivity and resilience.

In this week's episode we take a deep dive into the global infrastructure investment market as I chat to Jon Phillips, chief executive of GIIA, the Global Infrastructure Investors Association.The Association represents the world's foremost institutional investors who together manage over US$2.2 trillion in infrastructure assets across 68 countries. And as we stand in 2026, the landscape for private capital has never been more complex. The podcast is being recorded during the latest Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit hosted by software giant Bentley Systems and the Institution of Civil Engineers in Melbourne so gives us an opportunity to also explore how the infrastructure market is fairing on this side of the world and the pressures, challenges and opportunities that clients and investors face in the Australian and South East Asian market.While globally 2025 saw record-breaking fundraising, the industry is grappling with a fascinating paradox: a massive hunger for "bankable" projects set against a backdrop of geopolitical shifts, from the evolving impact of the Trump administration to the cooling of the AI-driven digital infrastructure boom.Jon’s career spans the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to Heathrow, and nearly a decade at the helm of GIIA, where he now sits at the intersection of policy, delivery, and capital. Which makes him the perfect person to give us a quick update on the global infrastructure investment market. ResourcesThe Global Infrastructure Investors AssociationGIIA’s latest Infrastructure Pulse survey Jon Phillips Linked InAustralian Infrastructure Investment MonitorVictoria State infrastructure strategyTransforming Infrastructure Performance Summit Melbourne

Emma Whigham, Alliance Director for the New Hospital Programme who designed the Hospital 2.0 Alliance. Rick Lennard, COO of the New Hospital Programme with deep major-project and alliance experience. They discuss designing a 12-year alliance model, aligning clinicians and industrialised construction, market engagement and supply-chain risks, contractor matching and procurement pacing, and how this could reshape UK hospital delivery.

This week's special 151st episode was recorded in front of a live audience at last year’s brilliant Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit hosted by Bentley Systems and the Institution of Civil Engineers in Toronto Canada.In fact, right about the time this episode is published I will be in Melbourne helping the team to deliver the next event in this TIP series – so look out for podcast flowing out of that!Back to this episode and my guest is Peter Weltman, Vice Chair of the Canada Infrastructure Council, Director at consultant Technomics and until 2023, Financial Accountability Officer for Ontario.We discuss the critical issue of Housing-Enabling Infrastructure and its impact on the future of Canada’s Communities – and in particular the work being done to help Canada respond to its growing housing challenge,. Because Canada’s housing challenge is not just about bricks and mortar - it’s about the infrastructure that makes communities liveable, sustainable, and connected. Roads, transit, water systems, energy grids, digital networks, and social infrastructure all form the backbone that enables housing to be built, scaled, and supported over the long term. Without this foundation, new homes risk becoming isolated developments rather than thriving communities.As population growth accelerates, climate shocks intensify, and affordability pressures mount, the question is not whether Canada needs more homes, but whether we can deliver the enabling infrastructure at the speed and scale required. That means moving beyond fragmented planning toward coordinated investment, smarter regulation, and nation-building programs that unlock land and create confidence for both communities and private investors. The creation of the new Major Projects Office (MPO) should help by creating a single point of contact to get projects built faster – the question is how - and what needs to change first.The Council is at the heart of shaping Canada’s infrastructure ambitions – we’ll hear how later on – and has just produced its first National Infrastructure Assessment report which I reckon will provide essential reading for all.So lots to chat through, and I kicked off by asking why is infrastructure so critical to solving Canada’s housing challenge. ResourcesCanadian Infrastructure CouncilCIC National Infrastructure Assessment report - Building Foundations for Tomorrow:Transforming Infrastructure Performance Toronto SummitTechnomics website

Mark Reynolds, Chair of the Construction Leadership Council and Executive Chair of Mace, leads industry efforts on workforce and skills. He talks about launching the Construction Skills Mission Board to tackle UK labour shortages. Conversations cover aligning training with the infrastructure pipeline, creating local training hubs, boosting employer confidence, targeting the £625m skills investment and pushing for coordinated, practical collaboration.