2008: THE YEAR OF INFRASTRUCTURE
The year 2008 might be called “The Year of Infrastructure.” It has been a year in which infrastructure’s role in both sustaining our
economy and our environment has been a topic of intense interest. We have seen the triumph of spectacular new construction and
witnessed the catastrophes that can accompany the failure of aging structures.
Yet the lasting impression of infrastructure in all its forms — the power plants and the transit systems, the sports arenas and the
concert halls, the water works and the communications networks, the roads and bridges — is one of optimism, based in the belief
that we are capable of solving any problem, regardless of scale or complexity, and in doing so, make the world a better place in
which to live.
The Year in Infrastructure 2008 is a testament to that optimism. Through its project descriptions and imagery, we at Bentley proudly
highlight the more than 250 extraordinary nominees in the 2008 Be Awards of Excellence competition. With it, we celebrate
outstanding achievements in infrastructure design, engineering, construction, and operations across the globe, as well as the
innovation in best practices among the infrastructure professionals who make these projects possible.
As a window into the state-of-the-art of infrastructure, it is no surprise that many of the projects shown here meet — head on — the
challenges of sustainability. The architects, engineers, planners, and owner-operators represented in the pages of this book are at
the vanguard of the global movement to provide society with pollution-free renewable energy, clean water, efficient transportation,
and sustainable buildings. To recognize the important work being done in this field, this year’s publication introduces two new
categories: “Sustaining Our Society” and “Sustaining Our Environment.”
We invite you to explore the wonderfully diverse and incredibly creative projects in The Year in Infrastructure 2008. They span the
globe from the frozen landscapes of Antarctica to deserts of Algeria and from the booming cities of India to the prairies of Indiana.
And while this reference book is set in 2008, its vision extends far into the future. Be inspired!
BENTLE Y S YS TEMS, INCORPORATED
