GIS Moves to the Core of Water Infrastructure Framework

The Caledonia Water Alliance (CWA), formed between AECOM and Morrison Water Services, is supporting the delivery of Scottish Water's water infrastructure element of its capital investment program. The program's six-year framework requires building information modeling (BIM) compliance and digital technologies to improve deliverable materials. This close collaboration resulted in the utilization of mobile GIS as well as the integration of Web GIS and BIM. 

Previous delivery frameworks used by CWA did not leverage GIS technology effectively. GIS usage was reduced to converting spatial data to CAD formats. Deliverable materials provided to Scottish Water were often PDF based, lacking any option for interaction. This approach led to inefficiencies in the long run, a decrease in accuracy, and significant paper waste. To meet expected future investment planning needs and leverage available tools, a change was needed. Establishing BIM as the design process, improving workflows, and reducing manual data-handling activities were identified as key strategic measures in the digitalization of this framework. The challenge was addressed head-on by AECOM and its alliance partner, Morrison Water Services. 

AECOM is the world's most trusted infrastructure consulting firm, partnering with clients to meet the world's most complex challenges and build legacies for generations to come. AECOM works with Scottish Water and partners in all infrastructure sectors to deliver smarter and better solutions while advising, educating, and upskilling its partner organizations.

AECOM drove the implementation of CWA's BIM processes, ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Field Maps, and ArcGIS Pro and took the native integration steps to include Autodesk technology. 

The native data integration capabilities of ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Pro with the Autodesk Construction Cloud and Civil 3D/Revit became the main enablers of the workflow. Senior project review teams and Scottish Water were excited about the ability for Civil 3D to use the ArcGIS connectors and publish alignment and network data in ArcGIS Online and overlay site information to place a project into environmental and social context. Similarly, Revit-based BIM design models hosted on BIM 360 (part of Autodesk Construction Cloud) are consumed in ArcGIS Pro via the BIM Connection tool and published in ArcGIS Online, closing the loop of design field and spatial data access. Having GIS and BIM data in a single 3D web viewer—with the ability to share this content for discussions with the client and shareholders—greatly improves transparency of the design and delivery process.

"We are seeing big benefits in how we collaborate on projects with CWA, [and] our staff can view and comment on projects information via ArcGIS Online. This data is always current and reduces the need for offline hard copies flying about."

—Stuart Hill, Asset Inventory Lead, Scottish Water

At the core of achieved benefits is the ability to directly deliver qualitative Civil 3D and Revit model content overlaid with contextual GIS data into the hands of Scottish Water, the key stakeholder, providing a direct line of communication to the people who need this information. The CWA project, GIS, and BIM data can be accessed on-site or from the home office via laptops or tablets or the phone, reducing the need to travel or even be in the office. It also is helping the project achieve Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and safety goals.

The improved workflows resulted in numerous benefits: improved data accuracy, streamlined workflows, data integration between Esri and Autodesk solutions, and improved transparency with all stakeholders.

Without the transition to the new BIM design process, it would be very difficult to deliver top-tier infrastructure projects. In today's world of providing increased transparency and overcoming the pressures of publicly funded projects—while also laying the groundwork to deliver better products and outputs benefiting society—a system that enables data integration, access, and sharing is essential.

The ability to share content directly with the client and shareholders for discussion with them greatly improves transparency of the design and delivery process.