Mark posed three questions which each of the five dinner tables considered. The responses presented are summarized below:

  

Question 1:​ “Which public initiatives should have their funding reduced to prioritize climate change impacts and urban flooding?”

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Key Insights:

• Wrong Question Framing: Many participants felt the question was misdirected. Rather than cutting funding from essential services like healthcare or education, the focus should be on better use of existing funds, whole-life costing, and system-wide planning.

• CapEx vs OpEx: Capital Expenditure is easier to secure than operational expenditure. However, maintenance and resilience require sustained Operational Expenditure, which is often neglected.

• Innovation and Efficiency: The construction sector must improve productivity, planning, and innovation. Projects should not start without full design and approvals, avoiding costly overruns (e.g., HS2).

• Alternative Funding Models: Suggestions included land value capture, developer taxation, and incentivizing civic responsibility (e.g., reduced council tax for sustainable land use).

• Insurance and Risk Sharing: Only 4% of national infrastructure is insured. Exploring insurance models for infrastructure could help manage financial risk.

 

Question 2: “Who is better suited to promote the need for increased infrastructure funding: journalists or industry experts?”

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Key Insights:

• Joint Responsibility: Most agreed that both journalists and engineers have roles to play. Journalists can capture public imagination, while engineers must clearly articulate risks and consequences.

• Strategic Communication: Engineers need to improve storytelling, develop elevator pitches, and engage in stakeholder management. Training in communication should be embedded in engineering education.

• Go-To Spokespersons: The industry should identify credible, consistent public voices (e.g., like Simon Calder in travel) to represent engineering issues.

• Social Media and Influencers: Leveraging social media and influencers can help reach younger audiences and build public support for infrastructure investment.

• Trade Bodies and Regulators: These institutions must step up to advocate more effectively to government and the public.​

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Question 3: “How do we encourage the growth of the engineering industry to support long-term infrastructure needs?”

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Key Insights:

• Rebranding Engineering: The profession needs a broader, more attractive image. Emphasize the social impact, problem-solving, and interdisciplinary nature of engineering.

• Education and Outreach: Engage with schools, colleges, and universities to promote engineering careers. Highlight real-world impact and career diversity.

• Diversity and Inclusion: Tap into underutilized talent pools, such as refugees with STEM backgrounds, to address workforce shortages.

• Career Pathways and Recognition: Improve career progression, recognition of technical expertise, and financial incentives to retain talent.

• R&D and Innovation: Invest in research and development to make the sector more dynamic and appealing to younger generations.

• Unified Profession: Support for the unification of engineering disciplines (e.g., Uff Report) to strengthen identity and influence.