FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, April 4, 2025
CONTACT: Christina Johnson, christina@on3pr.com, 850.391.5040
Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch released Using Microelectronic Sensors to Continuously Monitor Vertical Infrastructure. Florida TaxWatch undertakes this independent research project to analyze and recommend how improved and timely technology, like microelectronic smart sensors, can be used to identify potential infrastructure problems like structural fatigue, corrosion, or damage, before they become critical and before they fail.
Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro said, “The tragic collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium building in Sunrise, and the subsequent special session called by the Florida Legislature to enact new condominium safety requirements, allowed for immediate action to protect Floridians – but more work remains to be done to provide additional relief to condominium owners and associations. Florida TaxWatch presents this report to underscore the critical need for early warning systems, like microelectronic smart sensors, in Florida’s vertical infrastructure to avert catastrophic failures, save lives, and preserve property values.”
Florida TaxWatch Executive Vice President and General Counsel Jeff Kottkamp said, “The use of smart sensor technology will not only protect precious lives, but it can also save millions of dollars in inspection costs and billions of dollars’ worth of public infrastructure and property. It is critical that Florida move to a system of proactive, data-driven infrastructure management. Embedded sensors will enable this shift and ensure public safety and resilient infrastructure.”
Microelectronic smart sensors are small, highly sensitive electronic devices that use microelectronic technology to measure certain physical parameters in real time. These sensors have the capability to drive highly integrated systems that monitor, control, and optimize industrial processes while enabling real-time insights and informed decision making.
Sensors can be physically integrated (embedded) into the structure of a building, bridge, or other component of infrastructure to continuously monitor and collect data on critical parameters within the infrastructure material itself, offering a more accurate picture of its condition compared to surface-mounted sensors. Artificial intelligence and enhanced analytics enhance sensor data, enabling predictive maintenance and the prioritization of risk. Embedded sensors can transform infrastructure management into a proactive, data-driven process, while aligning with Florida’s unique infrastructure challenges.
Additionally, embedding sensors in infrastructure offers significant cost savings. By identifying areas of concern early, maintenance can be targeted and scheduled proactively. This could mean the difference between spending thousands for a minor fix or spending millions for a major repair.
As the backbone of Florida’s economy, public infrastructure is necessary for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods from one part of the state to another, and to provide effective and efficient public services. Florida’s infrastructure system is aging and, as it ages, the risks of failure increase due to a number of factors, as outlined in this report.
Florida TaxWatch recommends policymakers:
- Mandate that new infrastructure projects (e.g., high-rise buildings, bridges, dams, etc.) include embedded microelectronic sensors.
- Implement a program of incentives (e.g., tax credits, grants, etc.) to retrofit existing vertical infrastructure.
- Create a statewide sensor data platform for real-time oversight.
To learn more and access previous reports, please click here.
About Florida TaxWatch
As an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit government watchdog and taxpayer research institute, and the trusted “eyes and ears” of Florida taxpayers for more than 45 years, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) works to improve the productivity and accountability of Florida government. Its research recommends productivity enhancements and explains the statewide impact of fiscal and economic policies and practices on taxpayers and businesses. FTW is supported by its membership via voluntary, tax-deductible donations and private grants. Donations provide a solid, lasting foundation that has enabled FTW to bring about a more effective, responsive government that is more accountable to, and productive for, the taxpayers it has served since 1979. For more information, please visit www.floridataxwatch.org.
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