Infrastructure is a numbers game. When considering investment in the asset class, institutional investors will want to know such things as the lifespan of an asset, building and maintenance costs, long-term leases and, of course, revenue. But some new numbers are making certain realities come to light that investors should take note of — namely how technology will be needed, or incorporated into, and used to build and maintain the infrastructure of the future global economy.

For example, according to research firm Miller/Howard Investments, wireless data use will rise from 96 exabytes per month in 2016 to 278 exabytes per month in 2021. Between 2013 and 2030, it is estimated that $4.64 trillion will need to be invested in U.S. energy infrastructure. By 2035, the United States will have net exports of 35 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas. By 2020, global e-commerce sales are expected to go beyond the $4 trillion mark, and by 2040, it is estimated that 54 percent of a