Smart infrastructure and sustainability the challenge of modeling the human element

The world we share is experiencing formidable stresses and changes along multiple dimensions. Coping with these changes while ensuring the well-being of current and future generations is the grand sustainability challenge of our times. Smart infrastructures form the essential bedrock for building sustainability solutions; however, a due consideration of human behavior in their use, operation, and evaluation is crucial in achieving the desired outcomes. In this paper, we discuss the ongoing global changes and the role of smart infrastructures. We also illustrate the need of and challenges in modeling the human element in order to realize the potential of smart infrastructures.