Insights for what's next

Explore practical perspectives that turn complex challenges and emerging trends into real-world outcomes.

475 items
Why Quality Must Be Our Priority
Report

Powering the future: Why net zero carbon buildings aren’t enough

Gain insights behind this powerful shift, written by industry experts Adam Selvey, Jacobs and Ahmad Makkieh, Schneider Electric, and discover how Net Zero Carbon Power offers a scalable, future-ready path to decarbonizing our built environment. As the U.K. pushes toward its Clean Power 2030 targets, significant work is underway to decarbonize our buildings in a bid to reduce both operational and embodied emissions. However, the grid supporting these buildings is aging and under growing pressure. Up to 67% of grid supply points sit at or near capacity; we face a massive challenge: growing peak demand from electric heating, electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable generation is overwhelming a system never designed to handle it. The answer isn’t just to use less energy. It means using energy differently. Introducing Net Zero Carbon Power This new approach redefines how buildings interact with the grid. Direct current (DC) microgrids, local energy storage and smart load management allow buildings to: Eliminate inefficiencies caused by outdated alternating current (AC) infrastructure Cut energy loss by up to 20% with DC-ready technologies Slash project timelines and infrastructure costs Reduce dependence on a slow-moving grid Make buildings active contributors to energy stability Why DC? Why now? Today’s renewable sources and digital devices run on DC. Each time energy converts between AC and DC, losses increase and costs rise. Hybrid AC/DC microgrids address this issue. These systems store off-peak energy, power DC equipment directly and accelerate decarbonization without the long wait for large-scale grid upgrades. About the authors Adam Selvey

Aviation-Hydrogen-White-Paper
Report

Airports as catalysts for decarbonization

Airport owners and operators need to plan for the delivery and storage of hydrogen now if they are to be ready to fuel hydrogen-powered aircraft which are expected by 2035. New research by Jacobs, "Airports as Catalysts for Decarbonization", provides a roadmap for airports to implement to begin preparing for hydrogen fueling technologies, building on our work for the Aeronautical Technology Institute FlyZero Report, “ Airports, Airlines and Airspace - Operations and Hydrogen Infrastructure”. Due to the length of time it takes to plan, design, consult and implement new airport infrastructure, airports must make provisions ahead of the first commercially available hydrogen-powered aircraft expected in the early to mid-2030s. To help airports transition, Jacobs evaluated three scenarios for the supply and storage of hydrogen at an airport: Scenario 1 - the delivery of liquid hydrogen directly to the airport by truck. Scenario 2 - the use of a hydrogen gas pipeline with on-site liquefaction. Scenario 3 - the use of electrolysis for hydrogen production on site at the airport.

Water for life cover
Report

Water for Life

Water for Life: Why valuing water in all its forms is key to thriving and resilient communities explores why the water system must consider water in all its forms – and the economic, social and environmental systems that depend on it – to better navigate the increased pressures of climate change and rapid urbanization and enhance resilience in our communities.

looking at a cityscape through a forest
Report

A Better Way: Transforming the delivery of U.K. infrastructure

Jacobs has released a new paper titled: A Better Way: Transforming the delivery of U.K. infrastructure. The paper outlines six areas where change in the delivery of major infrastructure programs can be achieved in a timely, targeted way to help the U.K. Government fulfil the ambitions it set out in its infrastructure investment plan.

woman on train
Report

Fast Rail: A Catalyst for Growing Regions

Jacobs has released a new paper titled: Fast rail – A catalyst for growth in the regions. The paper explores how fast rail connections can benefit regional economies and populations, beyond providing improved connections to jobs, opportunities, activities and services in nearby capital cities.

train
Report

The Integrated Rail Plan

Released following COP26, the Integrated Rail Plan (IRP) for the Midlands and the North of England sets out the investment in an integrated rail network across large parts of the U.K. However, this is just the start in delivering the outcomes needed by the plan of regeneration, improvement and "levelling up". To realize these ambitions, what needs to happen next?

crossrail train
Report

Net Zero Rail: The U.K.'s network of the future

The U.K.’s rail industry faces an intensive period of infrastructure upgrade and new delivery. This paper provides insight and solutions on seizing the opportunity to help the industry deliver passenger first and net zero outcomes.

Rail and Transit Infrastructure
Report

Transforming infrastructure through smarter information: A rail industry case study

Jacobs partnered with Network Rail and the University of Cambridge Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction - an innovation and knowledge center that feeds into the Centre for Digital Built Britain - to successfully trial and further innovate leading-edge research on digital twins, establishing a method to identify information requirements that are appropriate, relevant and effective.

coastline port
Big Questions

How can integrated adaptive planning shape coastlines and ports of tomorrow?

Climate change is reshaping coastlines faster than traditional ports and shoreline defenses can keep up. To stay ahead, nations need integrated adaptive planning — a smarter, system‑wide approach that blends coastal science, engineering and long-term risk-modeling. It layers solutions across scales, from regional coastal systems to local catchments and individual assets, creating strategies that adapt to changing conditions. This is where Jacobs Project Manager Jia Hann makes a real difference — bringing extensive experience at the intersection of coastal science, maritime engineering and climate adaptation. With integrated adaptive planning at the core of his approach, Jia Hann leads multidisciplinary teams to tackle some of the Asia Pacific region’s most urgent coastal challenges. such as flooding, wave overtopping, coastline erosion, port downtime and climate driven operational risks. Across national coastal protection studies in Singapore, coastal masterplans and major port developments globally, he supports organizations in making high impact decisions on tidal gates, pumping systems, shoreline protection strategies and critical marine infrastructure. Whether he’s designing coastal protection measures for vulnerable shorelines, advising on inland drainage measures for coastal developments or planning ports for future environmental conditions, Jia Hann brings deep insight into how water, infrastructure and the environment interact, and how to adapt them for tomorrow’s conditions. Jia Hann brings over 12 years of coastal engineering, port consulting and climate resilience experience with expertise in breakwater design, port layout planning, berthing and mooring analysis, navigational design and nautical studies. His professional foundation is built on technical training and active industry leadership. He

Jia Hann Tan
2026-01-Cyber-Podcast
Podcast

Resilience by design: Safeguarding water utilities from cyber threats

According to Check Point Research and Reuters, cyberattacks on U.S. utilities in 2024 increased nearly 70% compared to the year before, leading to an average of 69 attacks every week. In 2025, the trend continued, in the U.S and globally. What can water utilities do to protect themselves from these digital threats? The OT environment at Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) is a success story as it protects one of the largest regional water and wastewater utilities in the U.S., servicing more than 20 counties and cities and 1.5 million people. Thanks to its signature program of embedded visibility, governance and consequence-driven planning, it can serve as a blueprint for water utilities globally.

aerial of coastline
Big Questions

How can nations protect their coastlines and water systems as climate risks intensify?

Rising sea levels, climate change and growing urban density are increasing pressure on Singapore’s coastal and water infrastructure. Without long-term planning, this pressure will only intensify. The challenge is multifaceted: strengthen coastal and flood resilience and secure the nation’s water future, all while contending with limited land availability, dense urban development and the need to keep communities and industries functioning with minimal disruption. This is where Jacobs’ Senior Project Manager, Reve Chin Jen Yee, steps in. Working at the forefront of Singapore’s most ambitious coastal, stormwater and water infrastructure programs, Reve supports clients to tackle escalating risks head‑on. He advances Singapore’s climate resilience through coastal protection planning, designing waterways that withstand tidal and stormwater pressures and driving system upgrades that safeguard the country’s water infrastructure for decades to come. Backed by over 20 years of geotechnical, civil and structural engineering experience, Reve brings deep technical expertise, strong regulatory knowledge and a future-ready mindset to Singapore’s nation-shaping projects. What drives Reve is a profound commitment to protecting people, communities and the places they call home. As climate pressures intensify, he sees engineering not just as a technical discipline, but as a responsibility to ensure future generations inherit a safer and more secure environment.

Reve Chin Jen Yee
Electricity pilon
Big Questions

How do we modernize power grids at scale?

Across the globe, power systems are being pushed to do more than ever before. Aging assets need replacement. Gigawatts of renewables must connect at speed. Regulators expect resilience, reliability and value all at once. Utilities are being asked to modernize entire networks while controlling costs and maintaining security of supply. Modernizing power grids isn’t about upgrading one substation at a time. It requires coordinated programs that bring engineering standards, digital workflows and delivery models together — across hundreds of assets and stakeholders — with consistency and certainty. With deep experience across alliance frameworks, Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) delivery, and Owner’s Engineer roles, Prakash leads multi-year transmission and distribution (T&D) programs spanning grid reinforcement, asset replacement, High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) corridors, and digital substations. He has advised on regulated portfolios involving hundreds of substations and reinforcement assets, ensuring technical consistency and delivery discipline across countries and regulatory environments. A defining part of his approach is Jacobs’ Digital for Design & Build (D4D&B) operating model. Instead of designing substations, cables and protection systems in isolation, D4D&B connects them in a shared, data-centric delivery environment. That means fewer surprises in construction, faster approvals and more predictable outcomes for utilities delivering complex capital programs. Under Prakash’s leadership, teams use digital production methods to create integrated, build-ready models that accelerate approvals, reduce schedule risk and support repeatable delivery across large asset groups. Recently, his team supported a nationally critical program in the U.K. to reinforce key north-south power corridors and enable long-term energy

Prakash Dey

  • Future Foundations

    Co-creating the world to come

    From developing climate resilience and transitioning to a low-carbon future, to modernizing and transforming infrastructure, governments and businesses face critical challenges. How they respond will define our future.

    As our clients navigate these challenges, we help them think differently – working together to pioneer tomorrow's infrastructure solutions and build the foundations for a prosperous, secure future. 

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