BeInspired conference in Amsterdam features outstanding design and construction projects worldwide

By Bob Vavra, Content Manager, Plant Engineering

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At the opening of Bentley Systems’s BeInspired event in Amsterdam Monday, the information management software company announced two major acquisitions and a new software launch that will assist with energy modeling at all stages of a building construction project.

Be Inspired is an invitation-only event featuring presentations by the Be Inspired Awards finalists as well as executive roundtables focusing on critical issues in business, technology, and practice facing infrastructure professionals around the world.

Bentley announced the immediate availability of its new AECOsim Energy Simulator software. Its AECOsim Building Designer software will be available in early 2012, while the AECOsim Compliance Manager for LEED certification was released in May. 4

The Bentley energy products enable best practices in integrated building systems design and performance simulation. The AECOsim Energy provides comprehensive simulation for both quick and comparative evaluations, as well as for detailed engineering.

The EnergyPlus simulation engine is maintained by the U.S. Department of Energy, and it can greatly improve project quality with accurate simulations that closely correspond to actual building performance.

“AECOsim Energy Simulator engages building systems engineers’ expertise in specifying detailed building mechanical systems – along with all the other relevant building information and its context – and then again takes full advantage of its EnergyPlus engine to rigorously and reliably simulate performance,” said Dru Crawley, Bentley director, Building Energy Performance Products. "This will enable building designers, engineers, energy consultants, and owners to finally have confidence that the building will deliver on predicted energy performance.”

“AECOsim Energy Simulator gives us a precise and quick way to consider energy usage and efficiency to produce better-performing buildings,” said Gerry Kettler, managing principal, CEO, Facility Performance Associates. “Compared to other software available, it is more powerful and flexible while still being very easy to use. We have been doing energy modeling for ten years, and we’ve always wanted to be able to evaluate all of the key variables at once within the context of the architectural model, including lighting, materials, and heating and cooling systems. AECOsim Energy Simulator gives us the ability to do all of this with unmatched power and flexibility.”

Bentley Systems also announced it has acquired two other companies to expand its 2D and 3D modeling capabilities into cloud computing. Bentley acquired Pointools Ltd, a hardware-neutral provider of point cloud software technology, in order to integrate point cloud processing in innovative ways throughout its product portfolio. Point cloud inclusion supports Bentley’s commitment to advance information mobility in the rapidly-expanding world of point cloud file sharing.

Bentley also has acquired FormSys, based in Perth, Australia. The acquisition will expand Bentley’s SACS offerings for the design and analysis of floating structures, further extending the company’s reach in the offshore energy market

“I’m pleased that we are further expanding our leadership role in deeper offshore opportunities with this acquisition,” said CEO Greg Bentley. “We are mindful that ‘offshore’ makes up 70% of the Earth’s surface, and we would like to contribute even more toward its vital role in sustaining infrastructure.”

The BeInspired event culminates Wednesday with an awards ceremony recognizing outstanding achievement and innovation in infrastructure design, construction, and operations by winners selected from 57 project finalists by five independent panels of jurors. In total, nominations from 270 organizations in 42 countries were submitted in this year’s awards program.