Gaining a New Perspective In Infrastructure Investment

In many countries, particularly developing ones, there is a significant wave of industrialization and an increase in wages.

Developed countries, meanwhile, have older infrastructure that are continually becoming rundown and depreciating in value, requiring repair or even replacement. In Minneapolis in August 2007, the Interstate 35W Bridge collapsed, an incident underscoring the need to address aging infrastructure.

Investment experts now see infrastructure as a bankable sector. The McKinsey Global Institute estimates that over the next 15 years, $57 trillion worth of capital would be needed for infrastructure.

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The challenge that presently besets various investor groups is the apparent lack of attractive projects. Limited partners, multilateral institutions, development-finance organizations, and sovereign-wealth funds readily pursue such investment projects, as long as they immediately see the profit opportunities in these.

Several emerging markets are presenting themselves now for infrastructure investors, such as the following:

Greenfield assets

A greenfield asset is a type of foreign direct investment that involves developing operations and constructing infrastructure in a foreign country from scratch. Although the risks are relatively high and returns can be difficult to assess, the reward for such an investment can be substantial.

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Overlooked public assets

Reforming or privatizing government-owned infrastructure or properties can be complex, especially the operations and labor situations. But investing in these types of assets has so far yielded significant returns.

Lisa Dudzik of Perth, Australia works as a contracts and claims manager, having overseen large-scale construction projects across various industries. Read more insights about infrastructure by visiting this blog.

What Communities Can Benefit From An Efficient Transportation System

Public transportation is vital for a country’s growth. While some people think that owning a car is a status symbol, the reality is, the increasing number of individuals who have to use their vehicles to go to work is a reflection that their community is having challenges with public transportation. Below are some of the reasons communities should strive to build an efficient mass transportation system:

Public transportation reduces road congestion

When people choose to ride public transport like buses and trains, roads become less congested. An efficient mass transit system helps people, especially in highly urbanized areas, save time on their daily commute. They won’t have to worry about being late for work and other appointments because there are fewer cars on the road.

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It lessens peoples’ spending

People get to save a lot of money when they use public transportation. They spend less on gasoline, and they don’t have to pay for car insurance bills and repairs. It’s an affordable alternative to owning a car.

It reduces a community’s carbon footprint

The earth is under threat, and more cars mean more carbon emissions. By using public transportation, people help the community reduce the carbon footprint that comes from owning and driving a car.

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Public transportation offers opportunities to locals

Businesses that are located near bus or train stations earn more because of high customer frequency. This setup creates more jobs and opportunities for people in the community.

Lisa Dudzik of Perth, Western Australia, is a contracts and claims manager. She is passionate about public transportation and infrastructure development. Learn more about her work by visiting this blog.

A Builder's Tour Of Perth

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Perth is known for its endless sunshine, gorgeous beaches, and verdant bushlands, which is great for sun-and-sand worshippers and nature lovers. But fans of architecture and design need not despair because Western Australia's capital has a number of attractions suited to them.

On the Esplanade, one can take a tour of the four-story Atlas Building. Built in the Classical Style during the Inter-War period, the building is made out of stone with a beautiful salmon-pink tinge. While the statue of Atlas carrying supporting the globe is no longer there, having been taken down in 1969, the Atlas Building still maintains the same impressive art deco bronze doors from when the building was erected.

Another architectural work of art worth visiting is The Cloisters, found in St. Georges Terrace, a dark red brick building erected in 1858 to serve as the Perth Church of England School. The building's style comes from various influences, notably using Tudor and Gothic features. Today it's a mixed-use property with offices, retail spaces, and a café.

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A standout because of its bright orange or red colors is Bishop's House, a two-story Victorian Georgian home where Bishop Mathew Blagden Hale, first Anglican bishop of the area, lived. The heritage site was home to Anglican bishops from 1859 to 1946 and has served various functions since then. It's currently a Modern Australian restaurant called Lamont's Bishop's House.

Along with these three examples of heritage buildings, there are the Governor's House, Perth Town Hall, A.W. Dobbie Building, among others, that are sure to satisfy a construction and design tourist in Perth.

Lisa Dudzik, from Perth, Western Australia, has overseen large-scale construction projects like subways and highways. Follow this Twitter account to learn more about her industry and her interests.

Road Trips: The World’s Most Iconic Highways

Traveling can sometimes be such a chore, especially when it entails days and hours just to get to a destination. But before feeling jaded with the activity, travelers should know that there are roads that can ease the stress of traveling:

Image source: Australia.com

Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia
When you pass through this road, rock formations, clear skies, and a view of Australian waters will welcome you. Aside from these picturesque sights, did you know that this rugged coastline is also known for being the world’s largest war memorial?

Trollstigen, Norway
This road with marvels culled from a fantasy series is a sight to behold. Trollstigen or Trolls’ Path has 11 hairpin turns that will reward a traveler with a view of the breathtaking Stigfossen Waterfalls and the valleys below.

Highway 1, California
Passengers on a road trip will enjoy the sights of Pacific Ocean whitecaps. Though the area can get congested with vehicles, the Big Sur’s views are surely a good way to ease traffic woes.

Appreciating the road’s scenes even when they’re far from the ultimate destination is a good way to take in a long and winding journey.

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Lisa Dudzik is a contracts and claims manager originally from Perth, Australia. She lists Colorado, the U.K., Belize, and Maldives as some of her favorite travel destinations. Visit this page for more information on Lisa and her work.

Acidification And The Great Barrier Reef – Preventable? Reversible?

Of late there has been a lot of attention given to global warming and its’ affects on one of the world’s greatest nature assets, the Great Barrier Reef. In addition to global warming and the impact of bleaching, scientist have determined that ocean acidification is also a major factor in the stifling the growth of coral and impacting the ecosystem. “The mixed effects of ocean warming and acidification, as well as other human-induced and natural stressors, pose serious threats to the ecosystems we know today.” http://theconversation.com/ocean-acidification-is-already-harming-the-great-barrier-reefs-growth-55226

 Image Source: sciencedaily.com

So what is acidification? Simplified it is the chemical reaction when carbon dioxide is absorbed by seawater. Its effect is the reduction in the acidity levels in the ocean resulting in the devastating and seemingly undoable damage to the overall structure of marine ecosystems http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/story/What+is+Ocean+Acidification%3F

 Image Source: telegraph.co.uk

A group of dedicated researchers together with colleagues from the Carnegie Institute for Science conducted and published a new study: http://theconversation.com/ocean-acidification-is-already-harming-the-great-barrier-reefs-growth-55226 which shows the first ever experiment on seawater chemistry in the nature setting of a coral reef.

This is particularly concerning in light of the major coral bleaching events observed globally over the past few years amid prolonged high sea surface temperatures.

Of significance, their research confirms that an increase in alkalinity in and around isolated and shallow areas does have a beneficial impact. However the challenge will be to understand what can be done in a much larger scale and with permanent effect.

Lisa Dudzik is from Perth, Western Australia, and is an advocate of nature and animal preservation. For more related articles, visit this blog.

Spiritual Healing: Taking Care Of The Self’s Most Important Aspect

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The body, mind, and soul are interconnected. The health of these three aspects is anchored in the state of the individual’s spirit, which could dictate the overall condition of the person. While most people have the time to take care of their body, mind, and even emotions, they fail to recognize their spirit’s condition and end up neglecting it.

Recollecting past actions, events, thoughts, and desires could lead a person to reassess important life choices. It could also lead an individual to know whether he or she is doing what’s best for the self. The goal of reflection is to lead an individual to accept the things that can no longer be changed and look forward to things that can still be improved to fulfill the person’s purpose.

Aside for reflection, meditation can also help a person reconnect with the spirit. Embracing the silence and shutting off oneself from the world’s endless buzzing can lead an individual to go back to a peaceful place where purpose and rest can be found. The physical place can differ but what’s important about meditation is that it allows a person to recognize peace and have unity within the self.

Taking care of the spirit may also come in the form of sharing life with others. When the person is too centered on the self, he or she may fail to see the impact that can be done through helping others. Sharing life with people may also lead to significant insight and stir a person to action.

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Spiritual care may come in different forms and methods. Others find it through exercising their faith or engaging their minds in searching for a way that will lead to peace. There are those who find it doing what they have always wanted to do be it creating art or traveling alone to find serenity. Whichever the means, when the individual’s spirit is the thriving, the other aspects of life follow.

Lisa Dudzik of Perth, Australia, is part of The Foundation for Spiritual Renewal, a community that encourages meaningful change that enriches the lives of individuals and the world they live in. For more Lisa, visit this LinkedIn page.