Trends June 2025
Water technology company Xylem released two separate reports in May 2025. “Rethinking Resilience: How a New Era of Extremes Is Changing How Utilities Invest,” co-produced with Global Water Intelligence, notes that the cost of water could hit $1.5 trillion a year as droughts and floods become more extreme.
According to new NASA data published in the report, the average intensity of drought and flood events tripled between the periods 2013-2018 and 2019-2024. A six-fold increase in the intensity of extreme wet and dry events could be expected by 2040 if current trends toward higher global temperatures continue.
Approximately 41 percent of the $401 billion total utility capital expenditure will go toward resilience-related projects in 2025, according to a survey of more than 1,000 investment projects analyzed for the report. This proportion is set to rise to 46 percent by 2030, but this still isn’t enough—the total spend would need to reach $1.5 trillion to guarantee water security.
Read the full report at iimag.link/NhuaP.
The Xylem Vue report, “Water Technology Trends 2025: Revolutionizing Water Management,” identified four key technology strategies to strengthen water sector cybersecurity in 2025:
1. Technology upgrades and physical security
2. Continuous monitoring and real-time risk assessments
3. Strengthening cybersecurity-focused organizational culture
4. Developing resilience and recovery plans
To learn the details of these strategies, read the full report at iimag.link/LnpMv.
April 2025 U.S. Transportation Sector Unemployment Falls Below April 2024 Level
The unemployment rate in the U.S. transportation sector was 3.6 percent (not seasonally adjusted) in April 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These data have been updated on the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) Unemployment in Transportation dashboard at iimag.link/yzEfg. In April 2025, the transportation sector unemployment rate fell 1.1 percentage points from 4.7 percent in April 2024 and was just below the pre-pandemic April 2019 level of 3.7 percent. Unemployment in the transportation sector reached its highest level during the COVID-19 pandemic (15.7 percent) in May 2020 and July 2020.
Multiple Surveys Look at State of Global Infrastructure Industry
In spring 2025, several companies in the architecture, engineering, construction and operations (AECO) industries released surveys of the latest trends and concerns, with labor shortages and artificial intelligence (AI) leading the way.
Newforma’s “2025 AECO Project & Information Management Survey” (iimag.link/VpEns) captured insights from more than 600 design and construction professionals, highlighting current pain points within the sector, including labor shortages and rising data complexity.
According to survey results, about 41 percent of project delays within the AECO space are attributed to labor shortages. Firms also face inadequate tools and resources, including insufficient systems for capturing and acting on project information. Newforma finds that 70 percent of professionals use email and messaging apps that don’t contribute to the “golden thread of information,” with only about 30 percent using industry-specific software to consolidate project information.
The 46th annual “Deltek Clarity Architecture & Engineering (A&E) Industry Study” (iimag.link/xCnKy) is based on a survey of nearly 700 firms across the United States and Canada, offering critical benchmarks, identifying emerging challenges and providing insights into future trends shaping the industry.
The latest report reveals that firms achieved record profitability, reaching their highest operating profit margins in a decade, even as economic pressures and labor costs persisted. A stronger financial footing enabled A&E leaders to focus on operational discipline, strategic technology investments and ongoing workforce development. As AI adoption and digital transformation continue to accelerate, firms are sharpening their focus on efficiency, resilience and long-term growth.
In addition, AEC consultancy Arup released “Embracing AI: Reshaping Today’s Cities and Built Environment” (iimag.link/VKfQF), which highlights how infrastructure already is being affected by AI and where firms see this trend moving in the future. Of the 5,000 industry professionals polled, approximately 61 percent see AI as an opportunity and 36 percent already rely on AI daily.
TOP Stories
The following are the top stories from the last few months (in terms of traffic) on the Informed Infrastructure website. This also reflects key coverage areas that are regularly refreshed online and via our weekly e-newsletter. Simply search key words on Informed Infrastructure online to find the full story.
Buildings
- Catching Problems Early, Making Repairs Key to Proper Parking Structure Maintenance
- MTA and Design-Build Project Team of Citnalta-Forte, JV, Urbahn Architects and Gannett Fleming Complete $300 Million ADA Upgrade and Renovation of 14 Street/Sixth Avenue Subway Station Complex in Manhattan
- American Concrete Institute Releases ACI CODE-318-25, the New Standard for Structural Concrete
- U.S. Green Building Council Announces Top 10 U.S. States for Green Building in 2024
- Wilsonart Surfaces Transform the Most Sustainable Apartment Building in the World
Water
- Denver Water Sets Net-Zero Carbon Emissions Goal for 2030
- Tampa, Florida’s MacDill 48 Park Celebrated for Providing Nature-Based Stormwater Mitigation
- Hot Springs Cuts Non-Revenue Water Loss Nearly in Half with Digital Solutions from Xylem
- Algae Outbreaks in Reservoirs Threaten Our Nation’s Potable Water Supply
- Vortex Companies Launches New Water Division to Transform Water Infrastructure Rehabilitation
Transportation
- Stantec-Designed Operation and Maintenance Facility Opens in Arlington
- Maryland Transit Administration Awards Contract to STV for Rail and Bus Vehicle Upgrades
- PERI USA Engineers Safe, Sustainable Formwork Solutions for California Bridge Project
- Acrow 700XS Towers Provide Critical Support to Damaged Interstate Bridge in Ohio
- Video: Change Your Life. Change the Lives of Others—Volunteer for Bridges to Prosperity
Tools and Technology
- ORIS and Ramboll Unite for Advanced Carbon Lifecycle Analysis in Road Infrastructure
- Newforma Announces Newforma Konekt File Server Connector, Bridging On-Premise and Cloud File Management for AECs
- Transoft Solutions Launches TORUS 2025
- Virtual Surveyor Adds Topographic Design Tools to Smart Drone Surveying Software with Focus on Temporal Concepts
- Trimble Expands Connected Workflows in Tekla Structures 2025
