Attending The Year in Infrastructure and Going Digital Awards in Singapore last week was an enriching experience. The conference provided several noteworthy highlights. Apart from the exceptional opening keynote delivered by Chief Executive Officer Greg Bentley, Chief Operating Officer Nicholas Cumins, CTO Julien Moutte, CPO Mike Campbell, and industry experts, there were many noteworthy aspects.
During the #YII2023 Opening Keynote, Greg Bentley showcased Bentley’s state-of-the-art solutions and presented groundbreaking projects across various domains, underlining the promising future of infrastructure. He emphasized that “Going Digital” had resulted in a median savings of 18% among the Year In Infrastructure Going Digital Awards finalists. This strategy is pivotal in bridging the engineering resource gap and reducing engineering work backlogs.
The event felt like a celebration of digital advancements in infrastructure. It offered an opportunity not only to witness Bentley’s advanced solutions but also to observe their practical application by end-users from various domains. Extraordinary projects and selected finalists from different countries and domains were showcased, spanning areas such as Bridges and tunnels, Roads and Highways, Water and Water Waste, Construction, Structural Engineering, Railways, Process and Power Generation, Campus and cities, and more.
The Structural Engineering breakout sessions were particularly captivating, featuring excellent projects by finalists that demonstrated excellence and innovation in planning, modeling, design, analysis, documentation, and detailing for high-quality structures. The application of STAAD in constructing a wastewater treatment facility in Delhi by L&T was a standout example, rightly recognized as a finalist for the Going Digital Award.
Another remarkable project in the Structural Engineering category was Hyundai Engineering’s Automated Design of Civil and Architectural Structures using STAAD API. They leveraged STAAD for automated design and extended its application with artificial intelligence (AI) for design creation through machine learning predictions. This integrated digital solution accelerated front-end engineering design by 30%. It was truly engaging to see the application of AI in designing processes, and this project deservedly won the Going Digital Award in the Structural Engineering category.
It was also heartening to see several outstanding projects in each category, including four nominations from India. One project worth mentioning is L&T Construction’s initiative to provide multi-village rural water supply in India, significantly improving the quality of life for thousands of girls and women who had to spend two hours daily fetching water for household needs.
This year, Bentley introduced the 2023 Going Digital Awards in Infrastructure Founders’ Honors, recognizing 15 remarkable projects. The use of AI, IoT, Cloud, and Digital Twins in these projects was impressive.
During a press event, Nicholas Cumins introduced Bentley’s new executive team, which includes Kaushik Chakraborty, Michael Campbell, Kristin Thompson Fallon, Chris Bradshaw, Graham Grant, and Colin Ellam. Their exciting solutions are set to revolutionize the infrastructure landscape, and their visionary leadership promises a bright future for Bentley.
Looking ahead, there’s a prediction for extraordinary infrastructure growth in India, and there’s a crucial need to bridge the gap between academia and industry, particularly in software industries like Bentley, to equip young engineering graduates with the skills needed for infrastructure projects, not just in India but globally.
On the second day, Dr. Víctor Khoo, Director of Survey & Geomatics at SLA, shared insights from their digital twin journey, highlighting the importance of data fidelity and acquisition frequency in improving safety, sustainability, and infrastructure intelligence.
There was also exciting news for MicroStation users, as Susanne Trierscheid, VP Modeling and Facilities Engineering at Bentley Systems, unveiled the new iTwin-powered capabilities in MicroStation 2023, demonstrating how digital twins offer added value to engineering practitioners.
Lastly, Bentley Systems announced Seequent’s acquisition of Geothermal Simulation Software Developer Flow State Solutions, indicating ongoing developments and collaborations in the industry.
Engaging in a swift interview with Bentley’s Structural Engineering experts, Jana Miller and Josh Taylor, provided valuable insights into how Bentley Systems’ progress in structural analysis, offshore structural analysis, and pipe stress and vessel analysis delivers global benefits to users.
The conference featured industry breakout sessions and speed interviews with the press, culminating in the Going Digital Awards Gala, where finalists were celebrated and winners were announced.
Overall, the event left a positive impression and aligned with Greg Bentley’s description of 2023 as a “groundbreaking year” for infrastructure intelligence.
Thank you Bentley Systems for giving DailyCADCAM an opportunity to be the media partner for YII2023.
