Infrastructure & Society

Catalog description

(F) On demand. Physical infrastructure is a critical element in the foundation of our society, being both shaped by our societal values, goals and technical abilities and simultaneously shaping our social and economic landscape. Our federal, state and local governments spend hundreds of billions of dollars on infrastructure each year (over $400 billion, for example, in 2014). Despite the importance of this infrastructure in our daily lives and the magnitude of our investment in it, most individuals lack a basic understanding of how infrastructure systems work, how they are paid for and the consequences of our individual and societal choices relative to the built environment. One result of this situation is that America’s basic infrastructure is deteriorating with major long term impacts to our safety, health and economic prosperity. This course will provide a basic understanding of how the nation’s water, wastewater, solid waste, transportation, electrical power and communications systems are designed and operated. The decision-making processes through which infrastructure projects are initiated and funded will be described and discussed. The manner in which individual choices and actions impact basic infrastructure systems will be explored and discussed. Development of more sustainable systems will be researched.