At the Year in Infrastructure conference held on October 8 and 9 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Bentley Systems highlighted its ongoing commitment to open data standards and innovative technological integrations in the design and construction sectors. This conference served as a platform for Bentley to announce significant partnerships and product enhancements that will influence the infrastructure industry.
Bentley Systems CEO, Nicholas Cumins, emphasised the necessity of openness in infrastructure development. "Openness is essential for infrastructure," he stated, underscoring the complexity of infrastructure projects that engage varied organisations, necessitating the use of diverse software solutions. Bentley has made strides towards fostering this openness through recent strategic moves, including the acquisition of Cesium, a robust partnership with Google for utilising Google Maps data, and the introduction of products like OpenSite+ and Carbon Analysis in their iTwin platform.
The conference spotlighted OpenSite+, an innovative tool employing generative artificial intelligence to transform civil site design. This advanced software utilises a copilot experience to leverage project data stored in documents, recognised specifications, and 3D site models accessed through natural, conversational language inputs. Francois Valois, Bentley's Vice President of Civil Infrastructure, highlighted the pressing industry needs addressing through AI: “With a severe shortage of engineers and the problem of climate change, the answer is AI.”
OpenSite+ stands out by directly importing design changes into an iModel, bypassing the intermediary file formats traditionally used, thus enhancing efficiency. The software, currently in beta testing and slated for public release in the forthcoming year, offers capabilities like generating 2D and 3D views during early design stages, allowing users to better explore cost-effective alternatives that satisfy engineering requirements. Furthermore, Bentley's CTO, Julian Motte, commented on the inclusion of Microsoft Copilot in OpenSite+, which facilitates question and answer processing using open-source data.
Furthering its capabilities, Bentley heralded a new collaboration with Google, announced on October 9. This alliance allows Bentley's software users and developers to incorporate Google Maps' geospatial content into their workflows, including immersive 3D visual experiences via Google’s photorealistic 3D Tiles. This partnership builds on Bentley's acquisition of Cesium, known for its 3D geospatial application platform and as the creator of the 3D Tiles open standard. Through this integration, Bentley aims to enhance geospatial and subsurface data interfacing seamlessly into their Building Information Modelling (BIM) structures.
Moreover, Bentley unveiled the iTwin platform’s Carbon Analysis feature which engages tools like EC3 and One-Click LCA to assess and manage embodied carbon emissions throughout the design process. This integration allows viewing CO2 outputs visualised as cloud-based heat maps in a live 3D digital twin model, empowered by Cesium's state-of-the-art visualisation technology. Chris Bradshaw, Bentley's Vice President for Sustainability, noted that this contributes to more sustainable design alternatives in the construction field.
Additionally, Bentley is enhancing traditional tools, with MicroStation, one of their earliest and most recognised desktop design tools, now integrated into the iTwin platform. This move facilitates smoother transition of data from design through to operations without altering its core application structure, while also enabling real-time geographic information systems (GIS) integration into Microstation 2024.
These initiatives underscore Bentley Systems' strategic focus on leveraging open-source platforms, advanced AI technology, and in-depth partnerships to advance the design and construction industry's capabilities in dealing with modern challenges.
Source: Noah Wire Services