Caribbean

Driving Sustainability to the Caribbean

By: Siddhi Mahajan, iris team member

Driving Sustainability to the Caribbean

Each year from June to December, the Caribbean gets ready for hurricane season, a period marked by extreme weather events like cyclones, heat waves, landslides. In 2022, UN Secretary General described Caribbean as “ground zero” for climate emergency 1. Hurricane Dorian in September 2019, for example inflicted over $7 billion in structural damage 2. Unfortunately, effects of climate change are escalating and the UN estimated that by 2050, annual losses in the region are projected to reach $22 billion 1.

To add on, the Caribbean island’s economy heavily relies on tourism- a sector that contributed $85 billion to the regions GDP in 2023 3. In fact, Aruba had the second largest share of GDP from tourism in 2022 4. However, poor road conditions are worsened by environmental stressors which deter visitors, thus worsening already strained national budgets. Many Caribbean nations have historically prioritized short- term economic gains over sustainable infrastructure development, leaving roads ill-equipped to withstand climate impact 5. Current mitigation strategies have proven insufficient in addressing these challenges. Things need to change, and sustainability may just be the solution.

Benefits of Sustainable Road Management

Traditional road assessment tools like LCMS and LIDAR often come with challenges such as high costs causing surveys to be conducted only once every few years and traffic disruption as this technology requires specialized equipment that blocks traffic during surveys. Additionally, infrequent use of LCMS and LIDAR limits early intervention leading to expensive repairs. Investing in better- maintained roads will be the first step towards sustainability. According to research, preventive maintenance can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, cut transportation costs and lower vehicle repair and maintenance costs 6. Iris operates at a fraction of the cost of LCMS or LIDAR while maintaining 85%+ accuracy which provides precision in capital planning. We also provide more frequent road condition surveys without blocking traffic and within budget, repairing a defect early in its onset compared to major roadworks every few years. This in turn allows municipalities to allocate funds more effectively while improving resident safety. 

Aruba’s Success Story

Aruba’s Department of Works DOW faced difficulties in managing road conditions under limited budgets. Traditional tools were costly leaving roads vulnerable to damage. With Iris the DOW transitioned from siloed processes to unified, A.I. enabled inspection system. Prime Minister Evelyn Wever –Croes commented the use of Iris “DOW’s efforts with Iris reflect a creative step forward for Aruba’s well-being.” Read more on how DOW launched irisGO program here. Economically, better roads mean fewer delays, reducing repair costs and less downtime.  With Iris, road management becomes a pathway to sustainability. 

Ready to build sustainable roads? Book a demo with us today.

References: 

  1. Global Americans. Extreme Weather Events and Resilience in the Caribbean. Retrieved from https://globalamericans.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Extreme-Weather-Events-and-Resilience-in-the-Caribbean.pdf
  2. National Hurricane Center. Hurricane Dorian. Retrieved from https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL052019_Dorian.pdf
  3. Caribbean Tourism Organization. Direct Contribution of Tourism to GDP. Retrieved from https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6329bc97af73223b575983ac/665732c2cb899b64be251bba_Caribbean2024_.pdf
  4. Statista. Direct Contribution of Travel and Tourism to GDP in the Caribbean by Country. Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/789517/caribbean-direct-contribution-travel-tourism-gdp-country/
  5. World Bank. Caribbean Overview. Retrieved from https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/caribbean/overview
  6. Science Daily. Pavement Preservation's Impact on Greenhouse Gases and Costs. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/01/190115124451.html
  7. https://www.dow.aw/en
  8. https://www.gobierno.aw/en/dow-launches-irisgo-road-patrol-program