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March 28, 2008
Be Newsletter
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Awards competitions
The Emirates Glass LEAF Awards 2008
Oct. 23, London
The Emirates Glass LEAF Awards are open to all companies, technologies and individuals that have made an outstanding contribution to the world of architecture, and who continue to set the benchmark for the buildings of tomorrow. The closing date for entries is June 27.
Categories include best structural design, best sustainable development, commercial building of the year, interior design award, mixed-use building of the year, innovation of the year, residential building of the year, and others.
>> more (Web site)
>> more (contact)
Calling All Green Buildings!
The AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE) is conducting the 2008 COTE Top Ten Green Projects awards program. Since 1996, this juried recognition program has celebrated the best in sustainable design. The 2008 jury for the AIA/COTE Top Ten Green Projects awards program includes architects, educators, and a student. Submission is now closed; winners will be announced on Earth Day (April 22).
>> more
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Calls for papers
PCI National Bridge Conference
Oct. 5-8, Orlando, Fla.
The annual PCI National Bridge Conference (NBC) is the premier national venue for the exchange of ideas and state-of-the-art information on concrete bridge design, fabrication, and construction – particularly for precast, prestressed concrete bridges. PCI is currently accepting submissions for the NBC program, which will include approximately 16 technical sessions comprising 56 papers, plus an additional session with papers devoted to the featured “Spotlight State.” The deadline for receipt of abstracts is April 2.
>> more (call for papers flyer, PDF)
>> more (paper guidelines, PDF)
>> more (submit abstract)
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Events
Be CONFERENCE 2008 Updates
May 28-30, Baltimore Convention Center Baltimore
Keynote and Presenters Announced – Noted industry experts deliver vision, emerging trends, and analysis of what the trends mean for your work and the technologies you employ. Confirmed presenters have been added to the conference Web site.
>> more
Be Conference housing now open – Discounted rates available until April 30. Bentley has reserved discounted rooms at seven hotels in Baltimore. Reservations can be booked online at the Passkey Web site.
>> more
North American Steel Construction Conference
April 2-5, Nashville, Tenn.
The North American Steel Construction Conference provides structural engineers, steel fabricators, erectors, and detailers with practical information and the latest design and construction techniques. In addition, the Steel Construction Conference offers an extensive trade show featuring products and services ranging from fabrication machinery, galvanizing, and connection products to detailing and engineering software. It’s an opportunity to learn the latest techniques, see the most innovative products, and network with your peers and clients.
>> more
NTCA IP Possibilities Conference
April 7-11, Chicago
The National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA) is a nonprofit association representing more than 570 small and rural telephone cooperatives and commercial companies. At this conference, attendees can evaluate new applications and their impact on their operations, discover practical answers to the most pressing questions surrounding IP technology, assess lessons learned from players already active with IP broadband deployments, and more.
>> more (conference site)
>> more (register)
2008 CELSOC Annual Conference
April 8-12, Lake Tahoe, Calif.
The 2008 annual conference of the Consulting Engineers and Land Surveyors of California will provide attendees with a comprehensive continuing education curriculum, two exciting keynote presentations, a diverse exhibit hall, and an excellent opportunity for networking with colleagues with the added attraction of beautiful scenery and fun in Lake Tahoe. Bentley will be exhibiting in booth 23.
>> more
AASHTO Subcommittee on Information Systems Meeting: “Lighting the Way through Information Technology”
April 13-16, Biloxi, Miss.
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is the voice for transportation and a catalyst for organizational and technical excellence. The Mississippi Department of Transportation is hosting the AASHTO Subcommittee on Information Systems National Meeting for 2008.
>> more
>> more (tentative agenda, PDF)
2008 DBIA Design-Build in Transportation Conference
April 16-18, Louisville, Ky.
Developing and maintaining our transportation infrastructure is an integral part of the livelihood of the U.S. The 2008 Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) conference will bring together transportation planners, economic development professionals, state agency representatives, contractors, and other stakeholders from around the country for two-and-a-half days of learning new and noteworthy practices, networking with peers and hearing about emerging issues in design-build as it pertains to roads, ports, airports, and rails. Bentley will be exhibiting in booth 113.
>> more
MEA Global Energy Forum
April 29, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Microsoft will hold the Global Energy Forum for the Middle East and Africa in Abu Dhabi. The event will target top-notch customers from across the Middle East and Africa, and select customers/speakers from global majors from Europe. This is a buildup on Microsoft’s Global energy forum that has been held in Houston for the past four years with key figures such as James Baker, President George H. W. Bush, and others. The theme of the event is “People, the Real Energy in Oil & Gas” – building on Microsoft’s advocacy for People-Ready Business Solutions for the oil and gas industry.
>> more (2007 conference)
2008 PCI Committee Days
April 24-27, Chicago
The 2008 PCI Committee Days will be held at the Westin Michigan Avenue, 909 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago. PCI committees convene at Committee Days to discuss current and future PCI initiatives as well as efforts to promote the industry and fight for the issues faced every day. This year, Committee Days registration is complimentary for all attendees and is open only to PCI members. If you register by Friday, April 4, you will receive a lunch ticket for each day you register.
>> more (free registration required)
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AEC and GIS news
Beneath the Sea: Asset-tracking system maps subsea obstacles for safer, faster offshore oil basin operations
As offshore activity in the Campos Basin off the southern coast of Brazil, subsea obstacles have multiplied, posing a hazard not only to offshore operations, but also to other ships navigating the basin. Petrobrás S.A. has reduced the risk of accidents and oil spills by creating a continuously updated 3D map of the basin and all the pipes, platforms, and oil wells it contains.
>> more (BE Magazine)
Designs revealed for the Annette Strauss Artist Square, Dallas
The Annette Strauss Artist Square will create a lively, welcoming public space in front of the Winspear Opera House, also designed by Foster + Partners. The new square, a key part of the wider master plan for the area that will see the creation of a whole new Performing Arts District for Dallas, the new square will serve both as a venue for popular music, dance and events, as well as playing a vital role in bringing the world-class performances of the Dallas Symphony and Opera to a wider audience.
In keeping with the Winspear’s reinvention of the opera house for the 21st century, the new square is intended to attract a wide audience – of all ages and musical tastes – and will help to ensure that the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts becomes a popular destination for the whole community, as well as the vehicle for the continued support and growth of all of the performing arts in the city.
>> more
Taking Charge: Employees Who Position Themselves for Promotion Benefit Both Themselves and Their Employers
Employees who initiate, are decisive and flexible, and steer clear of workplace negativity are more likely candidates for that next opportunity, according to Julie White, Ph.D., senior managing partner of Impact Achievement Group. Organizations continue to look on the outside for open positions because many internal employees don’t make the effort to develop their talent to position themselves for upward opportunities. Why? White points out it is often because many internal employees don’t approach their professional development purposefully.
>> more
Multi-hazard preparedness: Critical issues in achieving a resilient transportation infrastructure
An accident, natural hazard, or terrorist attack causes human casualties, environmental, psychological, and infrastructure damage. To make infrastructure resiliency for multi-hazards work, there must be a place reserved for engineers at the exercises for disaster planning. Most important to reaching the objective of multi-hazard engineering and achieving transportation infrastructure resiliency is the acceptance of the new and broader role for engineers and a new philosophy for the engineering of transportation facilities and systems.
>> more (Bridges Online Magazine)
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User stories
Geospatial & Geopbs
Eandis
Eandis is an energy provider in Flanders, Belgium. The company maintains both an electricity and a gas distribution network, with 2.4 million connection points in the former and 1.37 million in the latter. The company’s in-house map management system, based on Bentley products, organizes and serves up more than 250,000 drawings.
The maps are geolocated, which means that by clicking on a location in the system’s interface, any of the company’s 1,000 employees can see all the plans related to that location. All spatial information about the entire network – including cables, pipes, transformers, and so on – is stored in Oracle spatial. Some 90,000 plots are printed per month, and more than 200 field PCs take advantage of the user interface, even when offline.
Click to enlarge image.
Integrated Multisystem Project Lifecycle Management Solution
RAFAKO S.A. Boiler Engineering Company
RAFAKO is one of Poland’s largest power engineering firms. Its main activities include the design, manufacturing, and delivery of steam boilers, power generation equipment components, and air pollution control equipment (flue gas desulfurization plants). The primary goal of the project was full integration of IT systems at RAFAKO.
The success of this project was critical to RAFAKO because of its influence on the quality of engineering data and overall productivity of the organization. ProjectWise now plays a key role in RAFAKO’s solutions as it constitutes the central engineering data repository in which data may have different sources – Bentley’s integrated solutions, CAD, CAE, ERP, and other applications – but can be maintained on one platform for the project lifecycle.
Click to enlarge image.
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Bentley news
SmartGeometry Conference Shows Continued Enthusiasm for GenerativeComponents
With the official release of GenerativeComponents (GC) as part of Bentley Systems’ MicroStation platform late last year, this parametric design tool could be poised to move beyond its traditional base of users in academia and at technologically advanced design firms. The move from long-gestating research project to commercial product seems not to have diminished the enthusiasm for GC, or parametric design tools in general, if this year’s Bentley-sponsored SmartGeometry Conference is any indication. Roughly 400 people attended the March 5 conference held in Munich, at Coop Himmelb(l)au’s BMW Welt, where designers from Grimshaw, Schlaich Bergermann, Zaha Hadid Architects, and other firms presented computationally driven work.
>> more (Architectural Record)
How BIM and Green Tech Will Change the Construction Industry
Why is the BIM adoption trend important for green technology companies to understand and incorporate into their market strategies? The use of BIM - both the technology and changes in increased collaboration - allows for significant exchange of information by all stakeholders involved over the lifecycle of the facility: owners, architects, engineers, contractors and operators. This information includes that associated with green technology adoption: efficiencies in energy use, increased emphasis on environmental health and the drive to generate less waste.
>> more
It’s Time for a Developer-Centric Approach to Sustainable Land Development
How can a non-technical developer determine that their project team is “raising the bar” on project performance? The answer is to seek companies that are always striving for best practices and improving efficiency. Unfortunately, common practice tends to be based on the limitations of paper-based processes. While electronic computer aided design (CAD) files have been used for decades, all too often traditional project deliverables are still two dimensional (2D) paper plan sets. Non-technical audiences are not comfortable with having to interpret drawings to assess the project “footprint” on the environment.
Best practices should therefore provide visuals suitable to non-technical decision makers. Three dimensional (3D) visualization has been used for nearly two decades to communicate context-sensitive transportation projects. Community resistance to land development projects can be mitigated with similar 3D visualization.
>> more
Flying Enterprise - An International Airport Integrates Oracle Spatial
Toronto’s Pearson International Airport is Canada’s busiest airport, handling 31 million passengers in 2006. Established in 1939, Pearson Airport currently handles more than 1,200 arrivals and departures every day - more than 418,000 aircraft movements in 2006. By the year 2020, the number of travelers passing through the airport’s gates is expected to reach 50 million.
Toronto Pearson International Airport is the first airport in North America to receive certification to the ISO 14001 international environmental standard. Among its many recent developments are the design and construction of Terminal 1’s new Pier F and a revitalized and expanded Terminal 3.
When the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) took over responsibility for the operation of Toronto Pearson from Transport Canada in 1996, it took on major challenges. To maximize efficiency and minimize cost, a bold plan was developed to phase the construction of a revitalized airport the size of a small city.
>> more
Manufacturer’s Turn: Structural synergy
For the structural engineers at KNA Consulting Engineers, an accelerated design schedule was the least of their challenges. More pressing was incorporating diverse structural systems such as masonry shear walls, steel-braced frames, and cantilevered column structures into the design.
Additionally, a seismic fault on the site of the Murrieta Mesa High School required the designers to pay close attention to how the buildings would perform during an earthquake, especially considering the project’s architectural requirements for a broad range of materials, including concrete, masonry, and steel. KNA handled these challenges by deploying Bentley's RAM Structural System solutions, which included RAM Steel, RAM Frame, and RAM Foundation.
>> more
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Sponsors
FIATECH 2008 Annual Technology Conference & Showcase
March 31-April 2, New Orleans
“Creating Sustainable Business Value the ‘Big Easy’ Way: Deploying Innovative Technologies” is the theme this year. The primary focus of FIATECH’s efforts is on how it can accelerate delivering increased, sustainable business value to its companies. Presentations will focus on new, emerging technology solutions not currently in wide use within the industry. Technology vendors will be on hand in the showcase area.
>> more
HP delivers workstation technologies that help you work efficiently and reduce costs.
The HP workstation line includes mobile, desktop, and blade workstations. HP offers a choice of processors including Intel dual-core processors or quad-core processors or AMD processors. In addition, HP offers highly secure Blade Workstations, which provide the capability of remote engineering from centralized server-based workstations with powerful 3D performance.
>> Learn more about HP and great deals on HP workstations
>> Learn more about HP and Bentley
MicroStation V8 XM Edition for CAD Managers Training –
April 22-25, Charlotte, N.C.
This course examines in detail the tools and procedures that allow complete control of the installation, appearance, and operation of MicroStation. Topics include: installations and design file components; workspaces and plotting; applications and useful utilities; and powerful project environment enhancements.
>>Register
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The worldwide schedule of Bentley Institute training
Find the Bentley Institute training that can best fill your needs.
>> more (PDF)
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Recent Bentley press releases and news stories
Bentley Names Volker Mueller Research Director for Computational Design
Bentley Publishes Digital Version of 'The Year in Infrastructure 2007'
Bentley Appoints Edward Mueller as Chief Marketing Officer
Bentley Releases RAM Advanse Version 9.0
Grimshaw, SHoP, Zaha Hadid, and Other Leading Organizations to Speak at SmartGeometry 2008 in Munich
TCE Consulting Engineers Ltd. Joins Bentley’s Enterprise License Subscription Program
NLI Engineering Oil & Gas
Joins Bentley’s Enterprise License Subscription Program
TyumenNIIgiprogas, Subsidiary of Gazprom, Joins Bentley’s Enterprise License Subscription Program
NNE Pharmaplan Joins Bentley’s Enterprise License Subscription Program
Linde Group Joins Bentley’s Enterprise License Subscription Program
Bentley Highlights Key Trends in Process Plant Creation
Bentley Announces OpenPlant – the First Plant Applications Based on ISO 15926 Data Model
Bentley Acquires promis•e Product Line to Further Extend Electrical System Design Portfolio
Bentley Acquires LEAP Software, Inc., Expanding Portfolio of Software for Analysis and Design of Concrete Bridges
Bentley Acquires Hevacomp, Ltd., Expanding Portfolio of Software to Improve Performance of Buildings
Apeejay School, Noida, Wins 2007-2008 Future Cities India 2020 Student Design Competition
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© 2008 Bentley Systems, Incorporated 685 Stockton Drive Exton, PA USA 19341. Bentley, the "B" Bentley logo, Be, Bentley Institute, Enterprise License Subscription, Future Cities India 2020 and logo, GenerativeComponents, Hevacomp, LEAP, MicroStation, PowerCivil, promis•e, ProjectWise, OpenPlant, RAM, RAM Advanse, RAM Foundation, RAM Frame, RAM Steel, and RAM Structural System, are either registered or unregistered trademarks or service marks of Bentley Systems, Incorporated, or one of its direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries. Other brands and product names are trademarks of their respective owners.