‘Constructioneering’ and the Digital Twin

Q: Why should the industry apply “Constructioneering” and why is Bentley Systems the right partner to guide it?
A: In detonating infrastructure, we aim to innovate. Constructioneering applies technological advances to automate construction by implementing engineering and construction as a single concept that allows a better flow in the development of the project. It prioritizes the project over the personal interests of stakeholders. Bentley sees technology as a facilitator to achieve digital construction though surveying, engineering design, constructible model development and data collection within a connected data environment that improves the execution of a project and reduces its costs. The physical asset has a digital twin and the synchronicity between both creates resilience for Smart Cities as it allows a better knowledge and monitoring of all construction assets. The digital twin also enables a full follow-up of all the project requirements, which can be environmental, for construction or for operation.
Q: Where are you adding the most value and in which segment do you expect the greatest growth?
A: The way in which we add the most value to the industry is through a deep understanding of our role in the infrastructure supply chain. We know the information flow through an asset’s life cycle so we can help companies achieve their digital transformation by building the digital asset or twin of their infrastructure. Over the years, we have worked ever more closely with offshore, oil and gas, vehicle manufacturing and the telecoms sector to make the country more competitive. We find that there is a significant investment in telecommunications, especially in fiber optic and 5G internet. We provide the software to make these projects a reality from the engineering and construction to the 50-year operation. In addition, we could bring our leadership and worldwide experience in airports, roads and rail to the expansion of infrastructure projects in Mexico.
Q: What are the main subsectors in which Bentley is working in Mexico and what new alliances is it pursuing?
A: For Bentley Systems, infrastructure is the link between earth and people. Without people or infrastructure, welfare is scarce. We equate infrastructure to generating social welfare through the sustainable exploitation of natural resources, including road and rail, ports and airports, bridges and telecommunications. We provide software solutions across many industries but, in this context, we are paying special attention to water and waste infrastructure given the importance it has in the long term. We are leaders in the design of sewage and hydric networks. But we find the participation of the private sector is still restricted compared to Latin America. We are working at the municipal level to collaborate with local governments in improving the performance of water assets. The first step is to carry out detection steps to understand how a given network is working. For example, we work in Australia to apply analytics to these networks and make the energy cost of pumping water more efficient. It is possible to have smarter infrastructure but we need the willingness of the parties to apply the available technologies and the trained human component to do so.
Q: By how much can your software solutions accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance in infrastructure?
A: This depends on the asset’s baseline performance. To improve performance from 60 to 80 percent can be quick. But as the asset is working more efficiently, the effort required to see a smaller hike is greater. For example, an increase from 90 to 92 percent can require the same effort made to get the asset to the 90 percent level. But in any case, our technology can ensure improved performance up to 90 percent with analytical and operational reliability. I am convinced that analytics will be the key to making the final improvements in performance. To continue improving these numbers, we invest to understand infrastructure as a welfare generator and keep innovating. We help put together all the pieces of the puzzle related to taking a project from construction to operation by building the project’s digital twin.