As climate change continues to throw the world off balance, it is the designers, builders and owner-operators of infrastructure who will need to lead the transition to low-carbon solutions, says Rodrigo Fernandes of Bentley Systems.
In The Art of Taking Action, author Gregg Krech wrote, āWe are all depending on each other, as we weave our lives, families and communities together. So, when we do not carry our weight, the fabric gets a buckle in it.ā
Iād like to think that designing, building and operating infrastructure plays a significant role in weaving our lives, families and communities together, as Krech said. And with that, we carry the weight of advancing that infrastructure for a more sustainable, environmentally friendly existence.
In fact, as climate change continues to throw the world off balance, numbers show it is the designers, builders, and owner-operators of infrastructure who will need to lead the transition to low-carbon solutions, waste reduction and energy conservation.
According to the UNOPS report Infrastructure for Climate Action, infrastructure āis responsible for 79% of total greenhouse gas emissions and 88% of all adaptation costsā. Clearly, no one can tackle these sustainability challenges alone. So, how do we work together in the quest to meet and exceed sustainability goals while we design, build, operate and maintain the worldās infrastructure?
Empowering action for sustainable infrastructure
In 2015, all UN member states adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with 17 sustainable development goals for humanity and the planet.
Using an infrastructure lens, we can zoom in on one goal to empower organisations in their effort to design, build, operate and maintain infrastructure sustainably – Goal #17, to āstrengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable developmentā.
Empowering effective implementation and collaboration through partnerships requires a data-centric approach. Most data, while abundant, is typically siloed in different formats, multiple repositories and various disciplines across the supply chains. Using a data-centric approach removes these boundaries and provides open access to extract value for problem-solving.
Likewise, digital twins enable organisations to visualise and analyse data to make more informed decisions. This decision intelligence has been proven to reduce waste and lower carbon emissions in the construction and operation of infrastructure and also even conserve energy and water.
From decision intelligence to sustainable solutions
In Finland, for example, the smart city of Helsinki uses natural gas to power its central heating system. Transmitting heat from a central source through a network of insulated pipes, these systems work to warm individual buildings. However, even with regular care, those heating and water systems deteriorate with age, leading to leakage events that can cause service outages, energy inefficiencies and water insecurity.
Action 1: Optimise data and expertise
Using a data-centric approach, Suur-Savon SƤhkƶ Oy, one of the largest grid operators in Finland, partnered with Silo AI, an artificial intelligence laboratory, to develop a data-driven asset optimisation service for the citywide pipe networks. Silo AI, experienced in smart city solutions and networks, then unified data from numerous systems into a single view of overall pipeline health.
Action #2: Let digital twins and AI do the work
These two organisations leaned heavily on digital twins and AI to develop a federated source of pipeline network data that owner-operators could use to improve operations and eliminate water leakages.
Silo AI brought together all data, including information on heating and water supply, as well as detailed data on pipeline age, type, and condition. The organisation then developed a method to analyse the data and visualise it in an intuitive user interface, leveraging Bentley Systemsā iTwin Platform.
The AI-driven cooling performance analysis significantly improved energy efficiency and decreased fuel consumption, lowering the heating network temperature by three degrees Celsius.
By determining how to prioritise maintenance activities where leaks are likely to occur, the pipeline owner-operator also restricts water loss and prevents blockages and outages while reducing maintenance costs.
Action #3: Reuse and recycle
For most practical purposes, any data can be federated into a single digital twin, which becomes a kind of centralised data repository (connected data environment) open to all and easily consumed in its native format. Silo AI combined all the data they needed to perform their AI, enabled by an open infrastructure, digital twin platform as the core of their solution.
Sustainability realised
Resolving Helsinkiās central heating system challenges started with a data-centric approach, weaving artificial intelligence and digital twin technology into its infrastructure operations to bring energy savings and water security to its citizens. An open, accessible digital twin platform where the disparate data is federated in one place empowers third-party companies like Silo AI and their customers to achieve sustainable development goals for infrastructure. This is a true example of the collaborative ecosystem needed to accelerate the Global Goals implementation and one of many implementations effectively changing how we design, build and operate infrastructure to reduce our impact on the planet.
Intelligent change agents
Infrastructure professionals face the enormous task of sustainably adapting the fabric of our world. The good news is we can rely on the intelligence of digital twins to help carry the weight.
By embracing a data-centric and collaborative approach to problem-solving, we will enable an ecosystem of organisations that can be advancing infrastructure for a sustainable future.
It may be a complicated road ahead, but experience shows us the most effective changes start with small steps. Using intelligent digital twins, we can work smarter and faster together to achieve these goals.
Rodrigo Fernandes is director of empowering sustainable development goals at Bentley Systems.
