Digital Twin Students Win Sustainability Challenge

Student Innovators Win 2025 iTwin4Good Challenge with Digital Twin Solutions

Bentley Systems and Enactus have revealed the winners of their annual iTwin4Good Challenge. This global competition empowers university students to apply digital twin technology to solve pressing infrastructure and sustainability problems.

Bridging Academia and Real-World Impact

The 2025 challenge united student teams from multiple countries. Participants came from the United States, Germany, Canada, the UK, Ireland, and Brazil. They used Bentley’s iTwin technology to develop practical solutions for environmental challenges. This initiative effectively connects academic learning with tangible infrastructure innovation.

Championing Construction Waste Reduction

The winning team, SiTESalvage from the UK and Ireland, tackled construction and demolition waste. The World Bank estimates this sector generates up to 40% of global solid waste. Their digital twin platform creates a marketplace for repurposing demolition materials. Using iModels, the solution provides visibility into upcoming projects. This enables stakeholders to identify reusable materials before demolition begins. Consequently, it diverts significant waste from landfills while promoting circular economy principles.

Transforming Plastic Waste into Fuel

German team Basola earned runner-up status with their plastic waste solution. They developed a solar-powered pyrolysis reactor that converts discarded plastics into usable fuel. The system integrates iTwin technology with IoT sensors for performance monitoring. This approach enhances operational safety and simplifies maintenance procedures. Their innovation demonstrates how digital technology can support circular economy models in waste management.

Repurposing Mines for Renewable Energy

Canadian team EcoTwins secured second runner-up position by addressing renewable energy siting challenges. Their project focused on repurposing abandoned gold mines for solar and wind installations. The team developed a comprehensive assessment framework incorporating technical, social, and environmental indicators. This methodology helps evaluate energy potential while considering community impacts. Their approach shows how digital insights can align clean energy development with environmental stewardship.

Industry Leaders Praise Student Innovation

Chris Bradshaw, Bentley’s Chief Sustainability Officer, expressed enthusiasm about the results. “We are inspired by how student teams applied digital twin technology to real-world challenges,” he stated. “These projects demonstrate the transformative potential of combining creativity with digital solutions.”

Enactus CEO George Tsiatis highlighted the broader implications. “These young leaders prove business innovation can be a powerful force for good,” he noted. “They’re showing how to create lasting impact by tackling global issues with cutting-edge technologies.”

Author’s Perspective: The Future of Digital Engineering

These student projects demonstrate the evolving role of digital twin technology beyond traditional engineering applications. The integration of IoT sensors, marketplace platforms, and environmental assessment tools shows remarkable maturity. Industry professionals should note how these students approached systemic challenges rather than isolated technical problems.

The construction waste solution particularly stands out for its practical business model. By creating a marketplace alongside the technical solution, SiTESalvage addressed both supply and demand aspects of material reuse. This holistic thinking represents the future of infrastructure technology development.

Practical Applications for Industrial Automation

Asset Lifecycle Management
Digital twin technology can track equipment throughout its lifecycle, from installation to decommissioning. This enables better maintenance planning and resource recovery.

Energy Optimization
The integration of renewable energy sources with industrial processes, as demonstrated by the Basola project, shows potential for reducing operational costs and environmental impact.

Site Repurposing Strategies
The EcoTwins approach to evaluating abandoned industrial sites provides a framework that industrial companies can adapt for their own facility planning and sustainability reporting.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the iTwin4Good Challenge?
It’s an international competition where university students use Bentley’s digital twin technology to develop solutions for infrastructure and sustainability challenges.

Which technologies did students use in their projects?
Teams utilized Bentley’s iTwin platform, iModels for data representation, IoT sensors, and various analytics tools to create their solutions.

What happens to the winning team?
SiTESalvage will present their project at the Enactus World Cup 2025 in Bangkok, gaining international exposure and networking opportunities.

How does this competition benefit the engineering industry?
It identifies emerging talent and innovative approaches while demonstrating practical applications of digital twin technology for sustainability challenges.

Can these student projects be implemented commercially?
Many projects show strong commercial potential, particularly the construction waste marketplace and plastic-to-fuel conversion system.

Looking Forward

The iTwin4Good Challenge continues to demonstrate how emerging engineers approach complex global problems. These students represent the next generation of infrastructure professionals who seamlessly blend technical expertise with environmental consciousness. Their work provides valuable insights for established companies seeking to innovate in sustainable infrastructure development.

The full recording of the iTwin4Good global finals is available online for those interested in viewing the complete project presentations and judging process.

About the Organizers

Enactus operates the world’s largest experiential learning platform for developing entrepreneurial leaders. The organization engages over 50,000 students annually across 35+ countries in projects that create economic, social, and environmental impact.

Bentley Systems provides comprehensive software solutions for infrastructure professionals worldwide. Founded in 1984, the company specializes in digital twin technology that spans engineering disciplines and infrastructure lifecycle phases.