Bentley Systems' 2024 Year in Infrastructure and Going Digital Awards kicks off in Vancouver
Vancouver is playing host to the 2024 Year in Infrastructure and Going Digital Awards on October 9 and 10. Each year, the awards program celebrates Bentley Systems’ software users who drive advancements in the design, construction, and operation of infrastructure worldwide, all while enhancing the quality of life in their communities.
An independent jury panel evaluated over 250 nominations from 36 countries, ultimately selecting 36 finalists across 12 categories. In this edition, Alejandro Maceira, Director of Smart Water Magazine and iAgua, served as a juror for the Water and Wastewater category, lending his expertise to the evaluation process.
Water permeated the morning category sessions, reflecting the conference's emphasis on cross-disciplinary collaboration
The event was inaugurated by Ken MacArthur, Vice President, Regional Executive, Americas Bentley Systems, who underscored the critical role of digital technologies in shaping the future of infrastructure, illustrating how collaborative efforts can lead to groundbreaking advancements in sustainability and community development.
Next, the various award categories began with the finalists introducing their breakthrough projects, while the jury asked engaging questions. Water permeated the morning category sessions, reflecting the conference's emphasis on cross-disciplinary collaboration and the fact that water is becoming more and more relevant in the world. The Structural Engineering category included a project by Arcadis on the Advanced Analysis and Design of Flood Protection Structures in New York, Indianapolis, and Dallas. The team faced challenges with conventional modeling that required extensive time and resources. By adopting STAAD, they automated and standardized their design processes, reducing modeling time by 95%. This efficiency not only streamlined workflows but also enhanced the accuracy and consistency of their flood protection structures, paving the way for improved flood management strategies.
Another notable presentation in the Surveying and Monitoring category was the Digital Twin of the Ex-Sham Shui Po Service Reservoir in Hong Kong by the Water Supplies Department. Tasked with preserving this historically significant structure, the Land Surveying Section (LSS) encountered challenges in data capture and integration. Utilizing Bentley’s iTwin applications, the team successfully transformed drone-captured images into a digital twin. Their efforts improved data exchange efficiency by 30% and model accuracy by 50%, setting a precedent for future applications of digital twin technology in heritage conservation.
The afternoon session featured the three finalists in the Water and Wastewater category. The first was the Seawater Desalination Project by Wanhua Chemical in China aimed to support an environmentally sustainable chemical park by delivering 90 million tons of freshwater annually. The project team utilized ProjectWise, OpenPlant, and OpenFlows, achieving a 70% increase in design efficiency while resolving 247 design conflicts, thus minimizing material waste and expediting the construction process.
The second was the Uttar Pradesh Tube Well Project under the Jal Jeevan Mission in India, executed by L&T Construction. This project sought to provide safe drinking water to 6.8 million people through the construction of over 3,000 overhead tanks. The team employed 3D BIM technology alongside STAAD and OpenFlows, resulting in a 90% reduction in construction time. Their innovative approach not only enhanced quality control but also set a benchmark for the digitization of rural infrastructure projects across India.
And finally, SABESP’s Integra 4.0: Cultural Transformation Through Digitalization initiative in Brazil aimed to improve access to clean water across 375 municipalities. By integrating water supply, sewage, and sanitation data into a unified digital environment, the project achieved a 29% reduction in water losses and significant cost savings. This initiative highlighted the potential of connected data environments in efficient water management, showcasing how technology can drive sustainability and operational excellence.
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