A Night at the Be Inspired Awards

Blogsy is a wonderful tool, so far the best for writing from an iPad. As a demonstration, I intend to update this article just as the prizes are being awarded. I would have liked to follow the visitors live with Woopra, but its script is so heavy that it has thrown me a couple of times, which has forced me to give Zopim a try. Although in America it is noon, the night inside the enclosure is warm, with andelabra that after a while have the smoky atmosphere in a romance that is perceived by the multicolored lights that rotate gently. After a cold white wine they served us a strange greenish soup that must be the Viking version of bean soup with a boiled egg inside ... and when margarine is added ... Delicious!

Everyone is at your table, bidding for your project. For America just Brazilians in a corner, although it has been nice to see more Hispanic friends who come and have been grouped into a single table, three girls from a couple of Mexican magazines tucked into the topic of oil / energy, a girl in a magazine Spanish of the urbanistic theme, a boy from an Italian publication the area of ​​infrastructures and a Brazilian also the area of ​​infrastructures. So they more or less accommodate to an average Spaniard.

I have preferred to stay with Azersu's friends, I say the name of the company because the country does not memorize it. Sorry, those didn't exist in my school years ... The USSR made everything easier for us. I have looked at the end of the article, it is Azerbaijan. And I swear I have come to this table because I want to enjoy the reason for being of Be Inspired, I want to capture the whole atmosphere without bothering you, and that at this table they are so sociable that the only two who speak potable English don't dare to lose the moment … nor I.

In total there are 57 projects from 29 countries in 20 categories, finalists for the award that is being held for the third time in the Netherlands and which according to my predictions could be in Asia next year. It is no wonder, it is the third continent to propose finalist projects on this occasion, it is to be understood that in Europe and three events are enough and to return to the United States ... I do not think so with Obama threatening investments.

Greg has passed table by table greeting and wishing the participants luck. Nice gesture, very warm. Then they have passed a dish that has a piece of steak on something spongy something sweet… it brings back memories of distant lands, with the hair on the face and the branch of the sky that you can only have in your own land.

Suddenly that feeling of being here comes from your own commitment, for vacations, for privilege. While the cut of the UTM zone in negative the strike has left without transport to half Madrid, something that little differs from the archaic customs of the politicians across the pond who have little notion of what it means to be left democratic. But hey, being here after several years represents to live again the reason of the human being: To be inspired in its potential and to take it as his own despite having done it for work and that in the meantime he has been paid for it. To be inspired is to be what we are, ordinary people, forgetting the accumulated titles and knowledge, pushing for pride in one's own effort.

Now a dish with some strange meats, one of them is sure to be lamb, the other could be a dinosaur and I would still eat it because it's delicious... and the background music starts playing, as if wanting to start the “Bentley Infrastructures song”. But not yet, it's just a song with demonstrations of the projects, while the colored lights begin to spin and from time to time they pass through the tables giving us blue and purple tones.

Now yes ... Greg enters telling an American joke ... he appreciates everyone's presence with a short reflection on why Bentley's priority in infrastructure ... in his hand a glass of white wine, ready to call the toast.

And then they call Chris Barron, and this part of the show I know… Haha. An old song that every year adds a humorous touch to the event, with the irony of personalities and technologies that those who have not read much lose in flavor. I think this year has a nice update, with better and more professional background animations.

Then Greg returns, and presents the awards for the sustainability of our society and our environment. These are given to an Australian project and another to a Denver project ... the backstory is quite emotional and reminds us that we must leave some positive mark.

The reward prize has returned to be that of 2004, 2005, which has reminded me again what it is to have that in hand, in the name of a country where we were not born but we learn to love both, almost as we feel When he wins in the tie to Mexico, well suffered, and in the Azteca.

Then the sustainability of the professions, educator of the year and return to innovation awards are presented: They go to China, Austria and the United States respectively. The award for advanced management of mobile information stays in Virginia, controlled driving to the Netherlands and the developer of the year to Japan with an amazing job of assembling objects step by step Tetris style ... scary!

Below the list of projects, I will update as the award passes, in red those that in my opinion would win, although I have used the most attractive image. I admit that after seeing the exhibitions and project defense I would have wanted to change my bet ... but I leave it to validate two of my doubts:

• How possible is my predictions to be fulfilled.
• How much a good presentation of the project influences with images well worked and representative of the category in which they compete.

I will mark the winners in bold.

This stage returns to the participants who shout every time they are mentioned. While it is repetitive we win or lose, it is real in each group, especially those who are here for the first time, 7 dreamers who have broken their heads in a project that starts by getting the guts to dgn, to store them on a PostGreSQL database and publish it In MapGuide OpenSource. Among them they comment in their strange language that seems to be taken from an episode of Obelix, some seem that for the first time come to this country and could even swear that with the surplus of their per diem spent a joint in a cafeshop or 40 Euros in a Red light If not even a single of 2 + 20 Euros next to the Museum that summarizes the historical thought of the human being.

Connection of work equipment

• Fluor / HDR Global Design Consultants - RTD FasTracks Eagle P3 Project - (Denver, Colorado, USA)
• Hanson Professional Services Inc. - I-74 Corridor Mississippi River Crossing - (Davenport, Iowa and Moline, Illinois, USA)
• Saudi Electricity Company - Establishment of Kingdom-wide EDMS at SEC - (All Regions, Saudi Arabia) I hit the first prediction!

A group of Arabs who barely fit in the photo, with smiles from ear to ear, and the applause of the audience, stand on the stand.

Innovation in Information Asset Management (Life Cycle)

• Ameren Callaway Energy Center - eB Supports Nuclear Outage Management - (Fulton, Missouri, USA)
• Crossrail Ltd - Asset Information Management System - (London and South East England, UK)
• Southern Company - Data Quality Manager Implementation ROI - (Birmingham, Alabama, USA) Winner

A boy gets up and gives a strong kiss to his wife ... While everyone claps loudly.

Innovation in Bridges

• Armando Rito Engenharia SA - April 4 Bridge - (Catumbela, Angola)
• Borton-Lawson - Lehigh / Pohopoco Bridge Replacement - (Parryville, Pennsylvania, USA)
• Modjeski and Masters, Inc. - Huey P. Long Bridge Widening - (New Orleans, Louisiana, USA) winner!

A couple of cheles that seem to have enjoyed taking them apart with graphite pencil and calculator, they go up, happy to use Bentley Rebar and 3 more aplombs to the sublime.

And so the night continues in a coming and going of emotions, which saves me for now not to make the article whole.

Innovation in Design

• Arthur Golding and Associates - Helsinki Central Library Competition - (Helsinki, Finland)
• John McAslan + Partners - King's Cross Station Redevelopment - (London, UK)
• Morphosis Architects - Giant Interactive Group Corporate Headquarters - (Shanghai, China)

Innovation in communication networks

• IMMCO, Inc. - Quality Control Automation - (Denver, Colorado, USA) the Winner!
• Precision Valley Communications - Utilizing Bentley in the Hottest Spots - (Boston, Massachusetts, USA)

Innovation in Construction

• HNTB Corporation - Firm-wide Design Build Quality Plan - (Alexandria, Virginia, USA)
• Shawmut Design and Construction - Dudley Square Municipal Building - (Boston, Massachusetts, USA)
• Taylor Woodrow / BAM Nuttall JV - Victoria Station Upgrade Jet Grouting - (London, UK)

Innovation in Generative Design

• LAB architecture studio - Guardian Towers - (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
• Robin Partington Architects - Park House - (London, UK)
• Stanley Beaman & Sears - Atlanta History Center Design Competition - (Atlanta, Georgia, USA)

Innovation in Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering

• Astiv Engineering - Restoration of a Recycled Slag Landfill - (Zumárraga, Spain)

• Mississippi Department of Transportation Geotechnical Department - gINT Implementation at Mississippi DOT - (Jackson, Mississippi, USA) the winner!

Innovation in Government

• City of Copenhagen - Solar Exhibition of Copenhagen City - (Copenhagen, Denmark)
• Crossrail Ltd - Crossrail - (London and South East England, UK) the Winner!
• Napier City Council - GIS and Asset Management - (Napier, New Zealand)

Innovation in Geo-Engineering and Territorial Development

• BBKS-Projekt Sp. Z oo - Taxiways at Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport - (Rzeszów, Poland)
• Mortenson Construction - Spring Valley Wind Project - (Ely, Nevada, USA) THE WINNER!
• Tandon Urban Solutions Pvt. Ltd. - Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Green City Project - (Bangalore, India)

InnoIn Mining and Metals

• AMEC - Cloudbreak Enhancement Project - (Pilbara Region, Australia)
• Kumba Iron Ore Limited - Kolomela Environmental Management Systems - (Postmasburg, South Africa)
• Petra Diamonds Limited - Finsch GIS - (Lime Acres, South Africa) THE WINNER!

Innovation in Marine Engineering

• CNGS Engineering - Ice-resistant Offshore Platform LSP-1 - (Caspian Sea, Russian Federation)
• Nippon Steel & Sumikin Engineering Co., Ltd. - Tokyo International Airport Re-expansion Project - (Tokyo, Japan) THE WINNER!
• Robert Elks & Associates - Rock Bolting Rig - (Onslow, Australia)

Innovation in power generation

• China Water Resources Beifang Research, Design and Research Co. Ltd. - Gelantan Hydropower Station - (Pu'er, China)
• HydroChina Zhongnan Engineering Corporation - Standard Design and Application for the Pumped Storage Power Station - (Zunyi, China) the Winner!
• Southern Company - Design Application Integration - (Kemper County, Mississippi, USA)

Innovation in Manufacturing Processes

• Giprotyumenneftegaz - Booster Compressor Station on the Yurharovskoye Oilfield - (Nadym, Russian Federation)
• PT. Inti Karya Persada Tehnik - Betara Complex Development Project - (Jabung, Jambi, Indonesia)
• Zeton Inc. - Modular GTL Commercial Demonstration Plant - (Aracaju, Brazil) Winner! In horabuena by our Brazilian friends.

Innovation in Rail and Transport

• Quigg Engineering Inc. - High-Speed ​​Rail - (Chicago, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri, USA)
• Sweco AB - Hallandsås "Live BIM" Railway Project - (Förslöv / Båstad, Sweden) THE WINNER!
• Utah Transit Authority - A New, Innovative Transit Asset Management Solution - (Salt Lake City, Utah, USA)

Innovation in Roads

• Creighton Manning Engineering - Fuller Road and Washington Avenue - (Albany, New York, USA) THE WINNER!
• Foth Infrastructure & Environment, LLC - NW 62^nd Avenue Improvements - (Johnston, Iowa, USA)
• Sotepa Ltda - Humberto de Campos Street Extension - (Blumenau, Brazil)

Innovation in Structural Engineering

• Arup - South Morang Rail Extension - (Melbourne, Australia)
• Fitzpatrick Engineering Group, PLLC - Rehabilitation Center - (Concord, North Carolina, USA)
• John A. Martin & Associates, Inc. - LAX International Terminal Expansion - (Los Angeles, California, USA), Winner

Innovation in the transmission of utility and Distribution Networks

• Enogex LLC - Implementation of AutoPLANT and ProjectWise - (Western Oklahoma, USA) The Winner!
• Henan 500D Power Grid 3D Digitized and Integrated Operations Platform - (Zhengzhou, China)
• Zhejiang Electric Power Design Institute - Jinhua Converter Station - (Jinhua, China)

Innovation in Water and Wastewater Treatment Plants

• Carollo Engineers, Inc. - South Secondary Improvements Project - (Denver, Colorado, USA)
• GE Water - Lanxess India - Thermal Zero Liquid Discharge Wastewater Treatment Plant - (Nagda, India)
• Melbourne Water - Eastern Treatment Plant Tertiary Upgrade - (Melbourne, Australia)

Innovation in water, wastewater, storm water and networks

• Azersu OJSC - GIS-based Infrastructure Asset Management at Azersu - (Baku, Azerbaijan) WINNER !!!
• Gannett Fleming, Inc. - Innovative Model Data Integration Processes - (Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, USA)
• NJS Engineers India Pvt Ltd - JICA-assisted Agra Water Supply Project - (Agra, India)

The guys at my table stay in suspense, even chewing with their knuckles, and when winners are mentioned they stand up, shout and hug each other. And they begin to wonder who will go to the front to collect the prize… They look for the cameras and embrace again, hiding a lump that weighs in the throat and moistens the eyes with the desire to pee.

Ahhh, this is Be Inspired !. Then some go to the front and one who seems to be the most communicated makes a call in his language to warn his house, with a joker's smile and half a tear stampeding down his left cheekbone, which reaches the lure of the nose, stops and takes over again in the company of half a mucus ...

Be Inspired! Be human!

Just what happens at each table where there is a winner.

Finally the event closes and I hurry to finish the article because although the exercise has been interesting, I must go to celebrate because tomorrow ... I must dawn in Madrid.

And then, my two conclusions:

• Regarding the selection of representative images of the project: Nothing to see, the image is good but the defense is everything. The jury has done a great job.
• Regarding my ability to predict: 8 was correct, 12 was not. Which suggests an Autority of 40%. So when you read me to write technical aspects, believe me 100%, and when I do predictions ... believe me less than half. 🙂

By the way, if you read this article because you are thinking of competing or competing in a similar award ... Give me a call for a couple of tips. 🙂