Construction Zone: A Plan for Action

This year, the Forum offered six concurrent workshop sessions on dedicated to developing action items for specific infrastructure systems. The following are the action items agreed to by the workshop participants.

Building Smarter Energy Infrastructure

Education about smart grid, grid operations and grid infrastructure

investment certainty for both renewable energy generation and energy efficiency

Transportation Among North Carolina's Urban Core

Create more local and regional options for financing transportation improvements

Use existing resources in smarter ways -- maximize density, incorporate affordable housing

Transportation of Goods by Multiple Means

Produce a statewide logistics strategy integrated into an overall transportation plan that addresses mobility, economic development and sustainable growth

Sustaining Our Water and Sewer Systems

Create a state vision and strategic plan for drinking water, wastewater and storm water infrastructure

Dedicate a permanent funding source for water, wastewater and storm water

Rethinking School Construction

Expedite shared facility agreements by adopting readily available prototypes

Remove barriers to permitting, financing, design, and construction (i.e., Public Private Education Facilities Act)

Building in Environmentally Sensitive Areas

Enhance exiting tools (i.e., flood mapping) to enable NC to improve pre- and post-disaster planning

Utilize engagement organizations wherever possible in this effort

Integrated Technology

Create a public/private oversight organization to upgrade and build a common broadband infrastructure

Expand the use of virtual approaches as an alternative for training, simulation, and communication