Engineering Matters

• #354 AI in Infrastructure: Adoption and Guardrails

  The infrastructure sector is adopting AI with enthusiasm. A new whitepaper from Bentley Systems, Pinsent Masons, Turner & Townsend, and Mott Macdonald, The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Built Environment, surveyed the sector, and found the 48% of the infrastructure companies they spoke to were trialling AI, or had already implemented it. But only one fifth had a comprehensive AI policy, more than a third had no organisational policy, and 37% had only limited project controls, or none at all. As part of Bentley Systems Year In Infrastructure series of events, Mark Coates hosted a panel discussion on the white paper. Bringing together key members of the infrastructure sector—engineers, contractors, and lawyers—the panel discussed how infrastructure businesses can implement a project management approach to AI implementation. In this episode, Mark Coates joins us to examine some of the risks associated with AI adoption, and particularly of ‘stealth adoption’, happening outside of organisational guardrails. The panel discussion members bring their own perspectives, explaining how AI can be used successfully now, and the organisational, data management, and contractual steps needed to ensure its safe, ethical, and efficient use across complex supply chains. Guests Mark Coates, vice president of infrastructure policy alignment, Bentley Systems Yeunjin (YJ) Kim, AI technical lead, group AI, Mott MacDonald Anne-Marie Friel, partner, infrastructure, Pinsent Masons Guy Beaumont, director, digital lead, Turner & TownsendResources The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Built Environment, PartnerInfrastructure is too big to fail, so you need AI you can trust. Bentley Systems is delivering infrastructure-ready AI across design, construction, and operations. As the partner of choice for engineering firms and owner-operators worldwide, Bentley’s software and digital twin solutions span engineering disciplines, industry sectors, and all phases of the infrastructure lifecycle, unlocking the value of data to transform project delivery and asset performance.The post #354 AI in Infrastructure: Adoption and Guardrails first appeared on Engineering Matters.

  --------  

  30:57

  --------

  30:57
• #353 Carbon Assessment in a Time of Housebuilding

  This week, the UK House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee, or EAC, released a report on environmental sustainability and housing growth. The UK government is striving to meet a target of building one and a half million new homes, and has raised concerns about the risk that environmental objections could delay their construction. But, the EAC says, the UK must balance these needs. One tool to do this is the Whole Life Carbon Assessment guidelines, produced by the RICS, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. In the absence of a national programme for measuring the carbon impact of construction, the EAC recommends that this tool should be adopted into the planning process. In this episode, first aired in 2023, we talked to Simon Sturgis, lead author of the guidance, as he and his colleagues worked to produce its second edition. Guests Simon Sturgis, founder, Targeting Zero LLP Matthew Collins, senior specialist, construction and infrastructure management, RICS Resources Simon Sturgis’s paper Redefining Zero, which helped spur debate on the carbon costs of buildings. An earlier UK House of Commons environmental audit select committee report Building to net zero: costing carbon in construction. The Bath University Inventory of Carbon and Energy (Bath ICE) database. The post #353 Carbon Assessment in a Time of Housebuilding first appeared on Engineering Matters.

  --------  

  28:06

  --------

  28:06
• #352 Health Monitoring for Offshore Wind

  From blood pressure monitors and smart watches, to MRIs and step counters, many of us make tracking health metrics part of our daily routine. Armed with data, we can take steps to extend our lives. And this approach can also be used to extend the life of key components of our energy infrastructure. The offshore wind industry is entering a period of transformation. The first stages of development are over—now wind farm owners must focus on efficiently extending the lives of their assets. In other offshore industries, this could be achieved by inspecting assets on a fixed schedule. But with thousands of turbines being built, and tens of thousands of kilometres of cables laid, the energy transition will require a transformation in maintenance and practice. The industry must move from a reactive approach to a more efficient and proactive approach to inspection and monitoring. Fugro is steering a new course through emerging wind farms, with a fleet of low-emissions uncrewed surface vessels and remote operations vehicles. With a wealth of sensors, these can collect data on the health of every component of a wind farm. This data can be tracked over time, enabling tailored schedules of checks and interventions to be developed for each asset, reducing costs and extending their life. Guests Joel Ferreira, Global Solution Director for Inspection and Monitoring, Fugro Joe McCabe, Global Solution Manager – Offshore Wind Inspection & Monitoring, Fugro Nick Simmons, Regional Director, Uncrewed Surface Vessels and Remote Working, Fugro Partner Fugro is the world’s leading Geo-data specialist, collecting and analysing comprehensive information about the Earth and the structures built upon it. Through integrated data acquisition, analysis and advice, Fugro unlocks insights from geo-data to help clients design, build and operate their assets in a safe, sustainable and efficient manner.The post #352 Health Monitoring for Offshore Wind  first appeared on Engineering Matters.

  --------  

  31:27

  --------

  31:27
• #351 Rough Seas and Reliable Defence Partnerships

  Around the world, climate change and shifting alliances are opening up new theatres of geopolitical competition. In the Arctic, Canada must be ready to patrol a new coastline; in the Pacific, Australia faces increased tension with China. Naval defence will be a key component of these nations’ security planning. But the so-called ‘exquisite’ capabilities of modern navies—such as submarines and frigates—are often beyond the technological and supply chain capacities of any single nation. They require new global partnerships between friendly nations. And these require careful synchronisation of major engineering projects, spanning the globe.In this episode, we consider the engineering challenges of these partnerships. In Australia, engineers are contributing to the development of a new nuclear regulator, ahead of the construction of new shipyard facilities able to safely handle nuclear powered submarines, delivered under the AUKUS deal. In Britain, we see the challenges of building new infrastructure, and recruiting new skilled workers, for the construction of these submarines and the reactors that power them. And in Canada, we learn about the challenges of building new naval bases to support patrols of newly accessible Arctic seaways. Guests David Eyles, defence market lead, Australia, AtkinsRéalis David Clark, global head of defence, AtkinsRéalis Antonella Tomaro, VP, defence, Canada, AtkinsRéalis Samira Braund, defence lead, ADS Group Partner AtkinsRéalis is a world-leading professional services and project management company dedicated to engineering a better future for our planet and its people. Employing over 37,000 people across Canada, the US and Latin America, the UK and Ireland, and Asia, the Middle East, and Australia, AtkinsRéalis creates sustainable solutions that connect people, data and technology to transform the world’s infrastructure and energy systems.The post #351 Rough Seas and Reliable Defence Partnerships first appeared on Engineering Matters.

  --------  

  34:28

  --------

  34:28
• #350 Living in Space: The Next Generation of Astronauts

  Dr Meganne Christian is a scientist and adventurer. In her research, she has studied the performance of novel materials including the use of nanoscale metals for hydrogen storage, and the use of graphene across a diverse range of applications. But her career has taken her far from the traditional university lab. In 2018-2019, Meganne was a member of the over-winter research team at Concordia Base in Antarctica. Here, she managed experiments in one of Earth’s most extreme environments. The view of the stars she experienced during the weeks of polar night, inspired a new goal: to work in space. After an 18 month selection process, in which she was one of 22,500 applicants, Meganne was chosen to take part in European Space Agency’s training programme, as reserve astronaut representing the UK Space Agency.In this episode, Meganne shares her story, explains the many reasons why we should continue to build our presence in space, and the diverse roles that will need to be filled for this new era of space exploration. At the end of the episode, Meganne answers questions posed by a group of schoolchildren, a generation who will one day see many more of us living in space. Guest Dr Meganne Christian, reserve astronaut in training, UKSA/ESAThe post #350 Living in Space: The Next Generation of Astronauts first appeared on Engineering Matters.

  --------  

  33:18

  --------

  33:18

Flere Forretning podcasts

Trendige Forretning podcasts

Om Engineering Matters

Engineering Matters: Podcasts i samme familie