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From VR experiences at in-person events to online webinars, there are several opportunities to explore Future World Vision. See the full list of events to find one that fits your calendar.

Hyperloop station (Image courtesy of Delft Hyperloop)

Hyperloop faces challenges as it attempts to get back on track

After years of hype, has the push for hyperloop transportation finally stalled?

Meow Wolf Denver Convergence Station

Immersive identity shapes design of Meow Wolf Denver

An open, collaborative design process enabled the project team to overcome multiple challenges on a unique building on a severely constrained urban setting.

Plastic-infused asphalt research at Rutgers University

Waste plastic repurposed for use in asphalt mix

Researchers study performance of New York city roads paved with plastic-infused asphalt.

Earthquake-resistant ductile iron pipe section (Image courtesy of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California)

If the Earth moves, this flexible iron pipe moves too

The 104 in. diameter ductile iron water pipe can move horizontally up to 13 ft.

View of city buildings

Major action needed to meet 2030 Sustainable Development Goal deadline

A National Academies report highlights actions to be taken by engineers and others to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals intended to be met by 2030.

Wastewater systems

Internet-connected sensors can catch wastewater overflow early

A case study gauges whether ultrasonic sensors can detect a sewer system's choke events better than traditional video monitoring.

Pilot project to test forward-osmosis membranes for water reuse

Pilot project to test forward-osmosis membranes for water reuse

A Canary Islands research consortium is pilot-testing the use of a forward-osmosis membrane system as a means of reusing brine from a local seawater desalination facility.

Irrigation water

A better way to purify irrigation water by trapping sediment in basins

Here's a way to enhance the performance of vortex-settling basins in removing sediment from irrigation freshwater.

Pores seen in a balsa wood cross section (Image courtesy of Tian Li, School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University)

‘Living’ wood to add strength, capture carbon using microbes

A bioink application would introduce mineral-producing microbes into cut lumber.

Man using laptop

Finding mega city solutions for rural problems

The 2022 ASCE Innovation Contest challenged students to address one or more UN Sustainability Goal by connecting their new ideas to Future World Vision.

Vehicles featured in HBO’s "Westworld." (Image courtesy John Johnson/HBO)

HBO’s Westworld, ASCE’s Future World Vision offer competing futures

For civil engineers, the vision of the future presented by HBO's Westworld is instructive, especially in the ways that it compares to and contrasts with ASCE’s Future World Vision initiative.

Hurricane Idea Satellite

Why we must learn from disasters

In episode 132 of ASCE Plot Points, Bruneau discusses his new book, the “Three Little Pigs” fable, and why we must find blessings in disasters.

Bookshelf

Book details how to find change-maker employees

Ray Bert reviews Tyler Cowen and Daniel Gross' 'Talent: How to Identify Energizers, Creatives, and Winners Around the World.'

Biogenic asphalt

Biogenic asphalt binder aims to drive down carbon in road construction

Adding plant-based biogenic components to asphalt binders can help decarbonize road construction.

The new Interstate 74 Bridge spans the Mississippi River, linking Iowa and Illinois. (Photograph courtesy of Modjeski and Masters)

New Quad Cities bridge improves commuter and pedestrian connectivity

The new twin-span, basket-handle, through-arch bridge improves commuter and pedestrian connectivity in the Quad Cities region of Illinois and Iowa.

The dome shape of the tornado simulator is designed to reduce energy loss as the system operates. (Photograph courtesy of Guirong (Grace) Yan)

Largest US translating tornado simulator opens

A tornado simulator capable of simultaneously producing swirling and translating winds has opened in the Wind Hazard Mitigation Laboratory at the Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla.

Weather radar

Work ramps up to integrate climate data into ASCE codes and standards

ASCE continues to work across multiple fronts to better incorporate climate data into its future codes and standards.

(Rendering courtesy of geoLAGON)

Energy self-sufficient lagoons and villages set to be built in Canada

A series of four $325 million energy self-sufficient villages are set to be built in the French-speaking Canadian province of Quebec.

Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, a concentrated solar-thermal plant in the Mojave Desert

Next-gen concentrating solar-thermal power plants one step closer

These technologies use mirrors to concentrate sunlight to generate heat for low-cost electricity production and industrial processing that can be used independent of daylight hours, according to the DOE.

VR image of Mega City

Future World Vision updates enhance Mega City 2070 community

The platform updates follow a clear path for the user: more information to discover; more ways to explore that information; and more ways to contribute your own perspective.

Working with AI book

Book examines positive side of human-machine collaboration

Ray Bert reviews Thomas H. Davenport and Steven M. Miller's “Working with AI: Real Stories of Human-Machine Collaboration.”

Raw sewage empties from a straight pipe

Initiative launched to aid US areas without wastewater treatment

Known as the Closing America's Wastewater Access Gap Community Initiative, the project ultimately is intended to address unmet sanitation needs in rural areas throughout the United States.

(Image by Framlab & Lysverk)

Floating volumes could mimic clouds’ cooling effects

Reflecting the sun’s heat, collecting rainwater, absorbing noise: the cooling and pollution control benefits of the volumes for urban spaces would be multifaceted.

Man using laptop

Engineers' nontechnical skills are even more important now

Thomas Z. Scarangello, P.E., M.ASCE, shares his thoughts on how nontechnical skills could redefine the future of engineering.

Coastal community during storm

Protecting shores in critical Gulf Coast regions demands creative solutions

Nature-based and hard infrastructure solutions work in tandem to protect and restore coastal communities in Louisiana and Florida.

Renewable energy

How engineers are helping cities seek zero emissions

Because cities are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, civil engineers are working to decarbonize buildings, power generation, transportation systems, and other urban infrastructure.

college lecture hall

With Mega City 2070, the future comes to life in classrooms

During a recent ASCE webinar, professors discussed how they've incorporated the platform into their curricula at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Lunar infrastructure

Concrete mix for lunar applications is one step closer

NASA is funding research on new concrete mixes that rely on materials found on the moon to construct habitats, launch platforms, and other infrastructure that astronauts will need.

Drone image of construction project

Drones improve surveying on Indianapolis highway project

An Indianapolis highway project uses drones for site surveying to improve efficiency and safety.

Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope

Telescope inspectors reach for the stars in West Virginia

Rope access systems help engineers keep a giant radio telescope scanning the skies within a protected zone in Green Bank, West Virginia.

Wildfires

How engineers combat conditions within the ‘red zone’ of global warming

As the world grows warmer, engineers strive to protect and preserve our threatened infrastructure from wildfires and heat waves.

Person holding smartphone while in bike lane.

Smart bike system to improve cycling infrastructure

A team has developed an instrumented bike that will improve cyclist efficiency, safety, and mobility by tracking the condition of cycling infrastructure such as trails, sidewalks, and paved pathways.

Carbon-positive hotel rendering courtesy of Studio Gang

Carbon-positive concrete hotel rising in Colorado

Scheduled for completion in late 2023, the hotel's striking facade with domed windows will contribute to the building’s carbon-positive operation while also evoking Colorado’s aspen trees.

Beach coastline

Using historical survey data to assess today’s coastlines

A study sought to combine historical records with current survey data to form a complete picture of erosion that has affected coastlines over the past 50 years.

Isleton, California, is situated beside the Sacramento River, one of the main waterways in California’s Delta Region.

California city forms abatement district to reduce flood risk

The city is forming the Delta Region Geologic Hazard Abatement District, the first such district in California seeking to combat levee failure rather than more traditional geologic hazards.

California wildfire

How civil engineers can help with wildfire prevention and preparedness

In episode 118 of the ASCE Plot Points podcast, Taylor talks about how wildfires continue to affect his homestate of California and what civil engineers can do to help.

Flood signage

Studying the impact of impervious land cover on flooding in urban areas

Results show that impervious land cover yields higher percent changes than rainfall changes for the minimum, mean, and maximum event flooding intensity.

Floating city prototype (Rendering courtesy of BIG/OCEANIX)

Floating city prototype unveiled for South Korea

Known as OCEANIX Busan, the prototype is being built to demonstrate that floating infrastructure can create new spaces for coastal cities that want to expand sustainably as sea levels rise.

A car with mountable high-quality mobile mapping equipment (left) capturing the data (right)

Saving Our Infrastructure and Cutting Expenses: Artificial Intelligence and Predictive Road Maintenance

Technological advancements are enabling various strategies for capturing geospatial data, ranging from cheap and simple smartphone-based solutions to expensive high-tech devices.

Starbucks, Volvo electric vehicle charging pilot network

Starbucks, Volvo launch electric vehicle charging pilot network

The project aims to “electrify the driving route from the Colorado Rockies to the Starbucks Support Center in Seattle,” according to a March 15 news release from Starbucks.

Potential SMART repeaters

Subsea telecom cables could detect earthquakes, tsunamis

A joint task force is charged with investigating the use of submarine telecommunications cables for ocean and climate monitoring and disaster warning.

Aerial view of self-driving vehicle

What are the next disruptive emerging transportation technologies?

Episode 115 of the ASCE Plot Points podcast explores some of the key technologies and their implications for civil engineers.

Drones search and rescue

After a storm, send in the drones

In the aftermath of a storm, search and rescue teams face considerable obstacles. Drones can provide sky-high views during search and rescue operations.

Cyber infrastructure

Cyber incident reporting to be required of infrastructure owners

The policy statement lists nine actions that infrastructure owners should take “to avoid disruption and preserve public safety.”

Net-zero tower to be built in Manhattan

Net-zero tower to be built in Manhattan

The 1,388 ft tall, 60-story building will be the city’s largest all-electric tower, and will operate with net-zero carbon emissions.

cybersecurity

Securing our nation's critical infrastructure

As the global threat of cybercrime grows, so does concern for our nation's critical infrastructure. How engineers can prepare our systems for cyberwar?

Concrete bridge

Using innovative reinforcement technology to strengthen concrete

This paper introduces a method of strengthening prestressed concrete continuous box-girder bridges with prestressed steel strands.

Autonomous vehicles

What is needed to support adoption of connected and autonomous vehicles?

A new study examines how to integrate connected and autonomous vehicles into transportation agencies' future infrastructure plans.

Purdue University engineers developed sensors that can instantly measure concrete strength, speeding construction and, in some cases, reducing cement use.

In situ concrete maturity sensors save construction time, money

Piezoelectric concrete sensors are capable of assessing concrete’s maturity in situ, a development that will increase construction site flexibility.

McNary Lock and Dam

Hydropower helps ensure energy grid resilience, report says

Released in October, the report examines the contributions to grid resilience made by hydropower in the case of certain extreme events.

California’s State Route 37

Key Northern California highway to be protected from sea level rise

State Route 37 is a low-lying and flood-prone highway. Caltrans and local partners are assessing measures to protect SR 37 against high water in the future.

City of Houston

Digital twin being developed for Houston water system

Houston Public Works is developing a digital twin that will help determine water quality management and future capacity needs.

Rendering © SOM | Miysis

Are high-rise urban forests possible?

High-rise design would absorb carbon and purify the air, creating urban forests.

Mega City 2070 platform

Reimagining infrastructure with Future World Vision’s Mega City 2070

Gerald Buckwalter, ASCE's chief innovation officer, discusses how Future World Vision is helping engineers reimagine infrastructure.

Future World Vision platform

Experience your future: Mega City 2070

Leading engineers examine the Mega City 2070 platform and its potential to transform the profession and holistically shape the future built environment.

trends alt energy

Harnessing renewables in a changing energy landscape

Youn Sim, Ph.D., P.E., principal engineer at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, discusses the surge of renewables in energy infrastructure.

artist rendering of an AI-driven building

AI-driven building façade will learn and 'improve' itself

A 53-story tower, dubbed Vertical Oasis, will be capable of harnessing nature through a combination of factors such as renewable energy harvesting and AI.

off-shore turbine

Floating wind system gathers 5 times the energy of typical offshore turbine

The system’s stacked formation effectively creates a wall of wind turbines.

futuristic vehicle

Nomads of the future

Customizable, mobile intelligent micro-units are coming soon. Developed by a Slovakian company, the "cars" could transform where we live and work and how we get there.

Trends - auto

The rise of shared mobility

The rise of shared mobility is reshaping cities, which presents its own set of opportunities and challenges.

four kinds of natural disasters

How to make infrastructure more resilient against climate change

Civil engineers are promoting resiliency to ensure that the infrastructure they design today can withstand the impacts of a changing climate tomorrow.

photo of metabeam

Futuristic ‘metabeam’ manipulates structural properties

The beam counteracts deformations and other stresses without active human input.

photo of road damage caused by an earthquake

Android phones now offer earthquake detection alerts

Android phones can now be used like miniature seismometers.

Become a Future World Visionary

VR image of Mega City

Explore

See how Future World Vision comes to life through an immersive VR experience.

Cities of the Future film, Singapore

Prepare

Stay updated on the upcoming Future World Vision giant-screen film, Cities of the Future.

Mega City 2070 platform

Create

Create and share your own custom tour of Mega City 2070.

Reimagine the world and shape the future.