Bechtel | Engineering the Next 100 Years

As we enter a new decade, sustainability remains top of mind for Bechtel and many of our customers. Industry, technology, and policy all have a role to play in the transition to more sustainable systems.

“The Government of Côte d’Ivoire is looking forward to working with MCC and Bechtel as part of our continued efforts to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth and stability,” said Minister Patrick Achi.

As part of Bechtel’s commitment to contribute 100 ideas to support the United Nation’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we discuss Gabon’s Project Management Organization to implement its National Infrastructure plan.

The use of virtual reality technology offers some key opportunities to improve social risk management on projects. First, enabling indigenous communities to visualize the future state of a project can enhance the “informed consultation process” between project sponsors and communities. Second, it helps shift indigenous communities from observers to more active participants – technically and spiritually – in how the project will impact their long-term, sustainable development. Finally, it can be a mechanism to help new workers joining the project to more effectively understand how the construction can affect the socio-political, cultural and environmental context of the impacted indigenous communities.

The inputs into major projects are as important as the output. In other words, the “how” we build is as important as “what” we build. A full spectrum analysis of inputs like the materials, personnel, and equipment for a major project is an essential step toward identifying new opportunities to drive sustainability, reduce costs, and improve quality. The industry is already embracing innovation like design thinking, testing, and deploying enhanced processes and new technologies. For example, supply chain innovations such as 3-D printing or additive manufacturing could yield significant savings by reducing the need for excessive procurement of material and moving manufacturing on-site.

Additive manufacturing (AM) already has many industrial uses, with more being discovered every year. Similar in principle to 3D printing, but distinct in execution, AM is the process of joining materials to make objects from 3D models, usually layer by layer, followed by a finishing process that prepares the new part for installation or use. While 3D printing excels at producing models and imitations, AM combines printing technologies, computer-assisted design (CAD), and post-production processing to create usable components.

The idea that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robots will take our jobs and eventually conquer the world makes for a great summer blockbuster, but this fear of AI-robot overlords is grossly exaggerated.

As part of Bechtel’s commitment to contribute 100 ideas to support the United Nation’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this case study examines the efforts to build local inclusivity in urban communities impacted by major construction projects.

As part of Bechtel’s commitment to contribute 100 ideas to support the United Nation’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we ask experts from the Institute for Sustainable Development to offer a better way to tie disaster response and recovery plans to the national infrastructure agenda.

“This award means more to me and our company than you can imagine. I know Bechtel’s standards are high and this type of an award is not given lightly so to be singled out in this fashion gives us a great incentive to continue providing the service we do.”