SPI Insights

Technology is changing the world as we know it! It seems new technological advances are emerging at the speed of light – and the world shifts a bit with each new development. Sensors and advanced technology now monitor public officials’ activities in hundreds of ways, and artificial intelligence is already providing them with the assistance […]

There is a significant trend to watch as cryptocurrency gains momentum and acceptance. If this trend continues, it will bring about many changes throughout America. The total global value of cryptocurrency now is approximately $3 trillion, and while that may sound small considering the world’s GDP, it is significant because of how quickly that value […]

Clean and renewable energy continues to get abundant attention, and the funding support flowing to support clean power projects is historic. Approximately $3 trillion is invested in energy globally each year, and $2 trillion of that amount is devoted to renewable energy. Hundreds of billions have been invested in clean energy initiatives in the United […]

Light Detection and Ranging technology (LiDAR) delivers critical data to protect the health of our ecosystems, and government officials use it extensively. This particular type of technology is not well known to everyone, but the benefits it provides make it worthy of note. Simply put, LIDAR provides a unique way to check for natural hazards […]

Congress continues to allocate billions to a long-overdue effort to make the country’s bridges safer. About 50,000 bridges in America recently were deemed structurally unsound, and weather-related events are taking a huge toll on bridge structures. Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced $5 billion in awards for 13 large bridge projects. Many of […]

Unexpected disasters of every type are extremely costly. It might be surprising to realize that earthquakes in the U.S. cost about $15 billion annually in economic losses. While earthquakes are less common, there have been 28 earthquakes reaching a magnitude of 6 or greater in the past decade. Most of the risk is concentrated on […]

Universities throughout the country are investing significant capital in existing campus facilities. National statistics show these types of initiatives are increasing significantly. The state of Texas is an excellent example of this emerging trend. A report by the Texas Higher Education Board indicates that 923 capital expenditure projects are planned for the Texas university system […]

Earlier this month, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced $1 billion for 656 new climate resiliency projects. The capital was awarded to support projects that address infrastructure risks and prepare for future natural disasters, including flooding, drought, earthquakes and extreme heat. Approximately $395 million will be invested in 28 flood-control projects designed to eliminate […]