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UTILITY WEEK | 13TH - 19TH FEBRUARY 2015 | 23 Operations & Assets Market view L ast week's Future Cities special feature in Utility Week (6 February) explored some of the regulatory, technologi- cal and business model challenges utilities face as they seek to service the needs of our expanding urban environments. The world's population is increasing and rapidly urbanising, crowding into existing cities or building new ones. China has seen city living rise from 13 per cent in 1950 to more than 40 per cent today. It is expected to rise to 60 per cent over the next 15 years. At home, by 2020 the UK's city dwellers will account for more than 92 per cent of the population, up from 79 per cent in 1950. To meet the needs of these urban popula- tions effectively, cities need to plan for the future. One way they can do this is through using visualisation technology to create 3D digital city models. These can be used as central reference points for local government, urban plan- ners, engineers and citizens. 3D models help them define the future of cites based on what if scenarios that the technology simulates. These simulations can include energy provi- sion, sanitation, transport and security, for example. With political, financial and security consequences at stake there is a grow- ing information disjunction between city administrators and their partners or sup- pliers. Access to information, via a 3D city model, could solve this problem by keeping people in synch with one another through a single source of information about their city. It is therefore vital that all contributors to the efficient operation of cities come for- ward and take part in its digital creation if we are to avoid oversights and antagonistic decision-making. In the past a lot of technology has been used to help run city departments but this has oen led to making complex situations incompressible. The problem lies in the sep- arate information stores, or silos, of data that inevitably arise when more than one com- puter system is deployed by an organisation. It is possible, however, to make the mass of data that cities generate more useful and effective for utility planning purposes through 3D visualisation. Managing data and using it to service city needs is possible by building layers of information around a digi- tal 3D city model that can be used to make better informed decisions. A project undertaken with an airport authority in France makes use of a 3D digital model of the facility and its transport, utility and logistics services. This allows stakehold- ers to operate what-if scenarios and isolate gaps in services or provisions. Incorporating building services, aircra movements, foot traffic and much more, helps planners see the whole system and work towards improv- ing its security and overall efficiency. The same system, when it is applied to a city, can unify silos of information. Inte- grating a city's information means efficien- cies can be introduced because people are aware of each other's work and can organise departments, security and utilities based on current information and needs. The 3D model is built up using lay- ered workflow monitoring soware. Using a single platform for planning, as well as management and public and stakeholder access, puts everything in synch and means the model can become an invaluable "time machine" or archive of city development as well as a means of planning for the future. This type of system is already used by large companies to ensure compliance to rules. It leads to accurate record keeping throughout all operations and processes and it retains intellectual property, meaning that when people leave, the knowledge they built up is not lost but is retained within the layers of information that comprise the 3D model. Planners, rather than reacting to situa- tions as they develop, can examine many what-if scenarios to find the most benefi- cially optimised solution. This makes best use of resources. Using shared 3D experiences to simulate cities reveals potential problems that may not be seen by any other means. Overlaying data reveals new views and it is possible to predict events by testing multiple scenarios in combination. Trans- port systems and hubs, public services, util- ity provision and security, along with the location and operation of everything in the city can be modelled. Seamlessly linking the system to financial soware allows cost planning and budgetary predictability. By this means potential problems and their out- comes can be identified. Building up knowledge into a single 3D digital model that can grow over time to encompass any aspect of the city helps make complexity visible and therefore understand- able. Having historic data readily available means fewer research projects and reports need to be generated to examine the past. That saves time and allows projects to pro- ceed with all stakeholders aware of the con- sequence of their decisions. Being able to simultaneously see the big and small picture also helps identify and reduce corruption. Cities thrive on creativity. To become vibrant, exciting places to live and work, cit- ies need to accommodate the human urge for spontaneous creativity. Introducing order where it is needed and encouraging creativ- ity within an efficient framework where it can help avoid chaos. Stephen Chadwick, managing director EuroNorth, Dassault Systemes 3D vision Accurate, multi-layered 3D modelling of a city and its services can help utilities and planners head off problems and build effectively for the future. Stephen Chadwick explains how it works. Key points The global population is urbanising, creating unprecedented pressure on city infrastructure and services. In the past, technology has failed to unify and integrate information about disparate parts of a city system, resulting in lack of visibility and inefficiency. Using workflow planning soware cou- pled with 3D modelling, greater visibility is both possible and more accessible. Utilities need to ensure they are active contributors to the dynamic and high tech future of city planning.