Project Visualization Software Provides Key to Success on Busy Norwegian Road

During a project to improve a critical national road in Norway, Skanska used Topcon’s MAGNET Project software to optimize cut and fill quantities and minimize mass haul distances while maintaining safety and quality. At 27km long, up to four lanes in width and with 28 separate civil engineering structures, Riksvei 3/25 is one of Norway’s most critical national roads, connecting Oslo in the south and Trondheim in the north. So, when it came to improving the road – aptly called the Green Shortcut (Den Grønne Snarvei) due to its passing through tranquil, natural landscapes – the project would always prove... (read more)

2020-07-16 09:55:52

Richard Humphrey

Richard Humphrey is the vice president of construction product management at Bentley, focused on delivering construction solutions. He has more than 20 years of high-tech marketing and product management experience, most recently as the vice president of marketing at B2W Software, where he drove marketing strategy for heavy civil construction products. Humphrey spent 10 years as a senior director at Autodesk, where he led the civil design and construction software business. He started his career in the engineering, architecture, and construction industry as a project manager for the Army Corps of Engineers and Clark Construction, with a M.S. in civil... (read more)

2020-04-23 03:01:41

The 123 of AEC: Renewing the Architecture, Engineering and Construction Industry with Satellite Imagery

A reoccurring sustainable issue faced by the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry is that of green buildings. The global market for green construction is projected to reach $364.6 billion USD by 2022. The demand for this kind of minimally invasive construction design will not only increase over the next 25 years, but is also set to significantly alter the industry. Combined with population growth, a challenge now exists for AEC professionals to creative innovative designs that are both economical and sustainable long term. Incorporating Very High Resolution (VHR) optical satellite imagery into the planning and development stages of any... (read more)

2020-09-08 02:45:45

Interoperable Data Exchange – A Key Factor for BIM

Interoperability is key in the building information modelling (BIM) context. Data diversity and interfaces, as well as possibilities for combining different data in BIM projects, are outlined in this article. Hardly any other topic dominates the digitalization of the construction industry with such intensity as building information modelling (BIM). The pressure to reduce costs and to plan and build more complex buildings faster and more safely is increasing due to international competition. Interoperable data exchange between systems and players is a key factor for BIM. Previously used data formats have to be brought together with newer formats that are constantly... (read more)

2020-04-23 01:45:16

Innovation and the Extending Reach of Geospatial Intelligence

The need for geospatial intelligence has never been so great. Today’s global challenges are reinforcing a growing requirement for precise location information and situational awareness insight about assets, resources, vehicles and people. This is for economic reasons as well as environmental and societal ones. The importance of the sector is also reflected in the UK’s Geospatial Strategy, “Unlocking the power of location” as recently launched by the Geospatial Commission. Underpinning technological advances The convergence of some core technology developments, including many associated with Industry 4.0, is driving advances in geospatial solutions and the opportunity for further innovation. With the emerging digital era... (read more)

2020-08-25 09:53:19

RIEGL Strengthens Terrestrial Market Presence in North America

RIEGL, an Austrian manufacturer of high-end laser scanning solutions, recently announced the expansion of its terrestrial Lidar presence in North America with the introduction of a new distribution partner, SITECH South. The cooperation further strengthens both companies’ terrestrial market presence on the continent with a strong focus in the construction and surveying industries, helping to diversify the portfolios of both organizations. Operating out of its office in Smyrna, Georgia, SITECH South joins a distinguished group of RIEGL partners helping to promote the RIEGL brand. A reseller of precision technology for civil engineering and construction, SITECH South has a large footprint... (read more)

2019-12-02 09:45:08

The Source of Power: How Satellite Imagery Propels the Energy Sector into the Future

No statistics could possibly convey the importance of energy to our economies and everyday lives. Nearly everything people interact with on a daily basis has a source of power. Growth in any nation is impossible without massive amounts of energy for development, transportation and agriculture. (This story is brought to you by European Space Imaging) We currently sit at the crossroads between fossil fuels, renewables, rapid development and increasing safety and environmental concerns. New tools and techniques are being developed daily to better produce energy as well as efficiently monitor and protect current sources. Analysing tremendous amounts of new and... (read more)

2020-09-01 02:21:27

Combining BIM and GIS in Building Operation and Information Management

The combination of BIM and GIS technology (BIM+GIS) can provide complete and real-time data about facilities and equipment as the basis for more effective monitoring and management of information about a building. GIS technology is already widely used in building information modelling (BIM) and urban information management such as grid systems, public information systems, etc. GIS technology can be used to visualize public information and management information, and when the GIS technology is combined with business data such as process and real-time monitoring information, the information can be managed efficiently. The advantage of the use of GIS in building management... (read more)

2020-01-13 08:28:08

Geo Plus BIM Does Not Make GeoBIM

The added value of integrating geomatics (Geo) with building information modelling (BIM) to solve contemporary multidisciplinary challenges of our urban environment is widely recognized, writes Jantien Stoter. Much research and many projects have shown how geodata has been successfully used in design and construction activities, and how BIM data serves as a source for geodata. It seems straightforward, but there are various challenges still to be overcome, as outlined here. An architect (BIM) can take environmental information (Geo) into account while designing a building, and a municipality can then automatically check the design (BIM) against its environmental impact (Geo), such... (read more)

2018-07-04 04:04:35

Australia Develops Principles for Spatially Enabled Digital Twins

Foundation spatial (or location) data is essential for effective decision-making across the built and natural environment. Increasingly there is a need to integrate this data with other information such as digital engineering models, Internet of Things (IoT) sensor data and environmental data to provide more holistic insights. In Australia, a nationally consistent approach to spatially enabled digital twins has been developed. In recent years, digital twins – being highly advanced digital representations of the real world – have emerged as a powerful tool to better harness and integrate data to understand our physical environment. The value of digital twins increases... (read more)

2019-12-16 10:50:19