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CONFERENCES time feedback loops directly within MicroStation. Enabling iTwin to work together with ProjectWise within Bentley Infrastructure Cloud provides the highest level of application integration with Bentley's Open applications, managing workspaces, reference files and design standards. Suzanne explained how it worked. Checking files back into ProjectWise, the digital twin will automatically be updated with the latest changes. Also, when a design is approved for the next stage, the associated digital twin will also automatically update with all the latest changes and the file metadata. Limiting the dependency on human interaction will save time and reduce errors. Although these features won't be available till next year, Suzanne said that MicroStation 2023 contains exciting new capabilities, such as new geospatial designing context capabilities. Enabling real world conditions is now possible using MicroStation geospatial integration, using Esri Arc/GIS mapping and image service. This provides real time updates, improves visualisation and precise locations natively in MicroStation. ACCELERATING INFRASTRUCTURE INTELLIGENCE Using iTwins to unlock synergies across all Bentley products is already advancing Infrastructure Intelligence. Bentley's Chief Technology Officer, Julian Moutte explained how Bentley intends to extend the process further using AI. Using products empowered by digital twins creates a rich source of aligned data, ready to be mined and used for insights. AI is all about automation - the automation of repetitive and mundane tasks. Microsoft nailed it, he said, with the term copilots. AI will not replace people but complement their activity with automation to unlock productivity gains. AI is not new for Bentley, as some of its products have been using the technology for a couple of years - such as monitoring solutions, computer vision and machine learning for predictive maintenance. Some of Bentley's clients are also utilising the technology, like Collins Engineers, a finalist in the Year in Infrastructure Awards, who use AI and digital twins to augment asset inspection, to find and record cracks in Robert Street Bridge for Minnesota DOT. Another example is Phocaz, a company that catalogues roadway features such as lanes shoulders, the location of crosswalks, traffic signals and utilities from CAD drawings for more than 80,000 miles of road managed by the Georgia Department of Transportation. To manually extract the data from 1000s of drawings and visually inspect them would have taken countless hours, Phocaz estimated. However, using ProjectWise powered by iTwins enabled them to incorporate feature detection with spatial referencing. Their forecasts went further though. Using a novel iTwin technique to fill in gaps between the models, they were able to create an AI agent that can virtually drive along the lanes in the digital twin by detecting the centre lines, enabling them to create a comprehensive digital representation of the road network. Can we go further still and generate designs and drawings using AI? Julian said that there is enough past data that can be reused, providing insights into the design that can be used to assess future performance and explore alternatives. That would enable junior engineers to benefit from past experience or seniors to leverage their experience in new ways. The latest iterations of AI can use transformers which understand human language to leverage the data and understand and create drawings automatically based on users inputs. Using widely available data, though, creates ownership issues, as Greg explained earlier. That is why Bentley is working on creating a copilot that assists engineers in drawing upon an extensive portfolio of design, analysis and simulation tools that still respect basic engineering principles - a foundation where AI doesn't need to learn infrastructure engineering from scratch, but already knows the rules of the physical world - along with its constraints, local codes and surrounding context. In short, to create and train an AI model that understands infrastructure like the most professional engineers. Would that include the ability to automate drawings, which can consume 30% to 50% of project development costs? Certainly, said Julian, who showed an iModel where AI was used to detect model views using a base model view and generate a number of alternates based on selected criteria, with the correct annotations and project documentation. He finished his presentation by saying that they were still in the early phases of R&D in AI, but it is already helping designers create better designs, faster, and improving the quality of deliverables. What's next, Mike Campbell asked, AI construction monitoring agents to ensure designs comply with sustainability requirements? He concluded that accelerating infrastructure is a never-ending journey of discovery, learning, advancement and continuous improvement. The best way of accelerating infrastructure intelligence within your own company is to get your data ready for AI. www.bentley.com 30 November/December 2023
SOFTWAREfocus Payapps Payapps, winners of the Cloud Computing category at this year's Construction Computing Awards, have enhanced their offerings in the construction payment management field with the acquisition of WebContractor Holdings In an industry not noted for its adherence to prompt payment schedules - and which is also facing rising costs and disappearing profit margins - the efforts of Payapps, established in 2014, in streamlining and simplifying payments to subcontractors has already benefitted over 40,000 customers worldwide. Their influence is going to expand further, following its acquisition of WebContractor Holdings, a UK based construction software company, similarly focussed on subcontractor applications for payment. Payapps, with offices in the UK and Ireland, America, Australia and New Zealand, is already processing payments of over £40 billion per annum. The acquisition of WebContractor Holdings will enable the company to provide even greater value for its' customers. As a cloudbased application, Payapps optimises the management of contractors' and subcontractor's finances by leveraging the information available within aproject team's distribution channels. It brings main contractors and sub-contractors together to expedite applications for payment and certifications, retentions and variations. The software works as a stand-alone application or with other leading construction, project management, ERP and financial applications perhaps already being used by the contractor, providing a simplified accounting solution that reduces input errors, keeps easier track of all transactions, and eliminates disputes. Payapps has been purpose-built to be used by commercial managers, contract administrators, CFOs and company Accountants, and directed at main contractors and subcontractors, keeping data consistent and producing fast and accurate applications for payment. Managers can therefore spend more time on projects instead of chasing, correcting and managing paperwork. Payapps is designed to cut the time it takes to assess and certify applications for payment in half, and to keep track of payments against project budgets, stay compliant with security of payment legislation and minimise disputes with subcontractors. Subcontractors and sole traders can also use it to make accurate applications for payment, see the status of all applications and get faster certification. They can also manage both approved and unapproved variations and retentions, ensuring that nothing is missed, and improving their own business cash flow. Variations are accurately reflected from main financial and project management systems for complete transparency and accuracy, and can be managed within or outside the application or payment cycle. Retention funds across an entire project ensures that nothing is missed once a project is complete, and retention funds can be invoiced in full. ELIMINATING PAPERWORK Users can discard error-prone spreadsheets, handwritten forms and other documents, which can easily be lost or damaged, and instead use standard applications for payment, with a single submission from any connected device. Payapps increases payment application visibility so you can see where all applications for payment are at in real-time, meaning you don't need to waste time chasing up payments with phone calls and emails or looking for misplaced paperwork. Payapps can also be used to reduce risk and improve UK Construction Act compliance. Payapps provides a central document repository for all compliance documents, such as licenses and insurances, as well as evidence and supporting documents, comments, modification reasons and images to backup applications for payment. The application will send reminders and help users to meet submission and certification deadlines, and auto-generated payment schedule documents facilitate accurate and timely payments. A detailed history of individual applications for payment with timestamps provides an accurate audit trail, reducing the risk of payment disputes. Subcontractor document compliance is ensured with verification required for application for payment submission and certification. Commenting on the acquisition, Geoff Tarrant, Executive Chairman of Payapps, said, "The WebContractor platform and highly complementary ream will strengthen our offering to further meet the needs of the UK and Irish markets." His words were echoed by Dan Nichols, CEO of WebContractor, who said, "I am excited by the opportunity for WebContractor and our contribution to the evolution of Payapps." SETTING UP PAYAPPS Payapps is fast and easy to install, enabling users to be up and running very quickly. It can be set up to run with unlimited users and multiple entities, projects, and even currencies in a single account. It is fully secure too, with different permissions assigned to specific sections, optional single sign-on and multi-factor authentication. Detailed reports are available using individual or custom dashboards, and range from Retention Ageing, Compliance, Contract Summary, Variations by Project and Applications for Payment by Project. www.payapps.com November/December 2023 31
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