By Samuel Wiffen, Smart Cities Council Global Thought Leader
Urban growth is most notable through surface-level changes and challenges; but the roots of our cities are out of sight and often out of mind. Beneath our cities lies a complex, often-overlooked world of infrastructure - communications cables, water pipes, energy conduits - layered and fragmented through decades of development. As cities continue to densify and the demand for resilient, efficient infrastructure grows, an important question is emerging: Are we making the most of our underground spaces?
Every year, thousands of projects, from new connections to multi-billion-dollar transport projects, occur in urban centres around the world. These are essential for not only growth of urban centres but underpin commerce and economies. Regardless of growth, maintaining what is there to meet basic needs of city dwellers and users, is a core part of the operation of cities.
While precise city-by-city or global statistics on the number of ground-breaking buried infrastructure projects are elusive, the scale of activity is undeniably vast. A significant driver is the urgent need to refurbish and replace aging systems. However, a considerable challenge remains in closing the gap between the rate of infrastructure degradation and the pace of renewal, a situation that demands increased investment and innovative approaches in the coming years.
So demand for underground space in increasing, as well as activity. Without clear, accessible and accurate information about the underground, the rate of adverse impacts and the costs associated with there is likely to increase. Every day, thousands of incidents disrupt water, power, and communications beneath our cities—costing millions and putting lives at risk. With damages to underground infrastructure rising by over 12% in just two years, and three-quarters of these incidents caused by preventable errors, the need for coordinated, data-driven management has never been clearer. International examples show that with the right approach, cities can halve these damages in five years, cut carbon emissions, and unlock new opportunities for innovation and resilience.
In most cities, underground utilities are installed in silos. Typically, each provider builds and maintains their network independently, often with limited visibility of what others have placed before. The result? Redundant construction, unnecessary costs, avoidable emissions, and frequent disruptions to public life. There are examples of co-location and sharing of underground networks with excess capacity or space, but these are familiar to limited networks, and on sporadic and targeted co-operation occurs.
But what if we approached underground infrastructure differently?
Imagine an operating model where sub-surface space is treated as a coordinated opportunity domain - not individual real estate for competing utilities, but a coordinated, intelligent layer of the city designed for efficiency, sustainability, and resilience. The potential benefits are significant: reduced costs, lower carbon impact, improved coordination, and better service delivery for communities.
In Australia and beyond, this conversation is gaining momentum. Utilities, researchers, and technologists are beginning to explore how data-sharing, coordinated planning, and pilot projects could help shift underground infrastructure from an afterthought to a strategic asset.
The implications go far beyond technical coordination. Optimizing sub-surface spatial use could dramatically reduce the impact of infrastructure works on people’s lives, cut greenhouse gas emissions from repetitive construction, and unlock new forms of collaboration across sectors.
The time has come to ask: Should we treat the sub-surface as a core part of city planning and innovation?
We’re opening a conversation to shape this next frontier - and you’re invited.
Join the Conversation
We're seeking expressions of interest from utilities, universities, and innovators interested in exploring this critical topic. Whether you’re ready to contribute a case study, help shape a pilot project, or simply want to stay in the loop as the thinking evolves, we want to hear from you.
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Let’s shape the future of what lies beneath.
