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News Release from: Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors | Subject: Future of utilities industry
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 08 December 2004
Experts discuss future of utilities
industry
A central organisation to champion the sharing of information between utilities could be up and running next year.
The need for such a body was announced on 26 November 2004, following a Geospatial Engineering Board buried services forum organised by the Institution of Civil Engineers Surveyors (ICES), the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and held in association with Great Britain's national mapping agency, Ordnance Survey The event was the opening discussion between utility companies, highways organisations and contractors to consider the future of the industry
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 28 May 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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With regulations likely to stipulate that utilities and highways authorities have to be using digital data by 2008, there is a general acceptance that companies need to work towards a standardisation regarding the sharing of information.
Already many companies are re-examining how they collect, store or share data - although this is often done in isolation.
After much lively discussion, there was consensus on a number of issues:.
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Utilities need a common reference for buried services based on Great Britain's national grid coordinates.
A coordinated effort is required to bring information to a "shared" status based on the Digital National Framework for buried services.
Utilities have to achieve a common goal for new works within three years.
Central government funding is necessary to establish standardisation of recorded data.
A report on the forum is now being written up for publication in January.
This will highlight the business benefits for change, and set out proposals for a pilot scheme to create a standard amongst the different companies.
Ed Danson, Junior Vice President of ICES and currently the Chairman of the Geospatial Engineering Board, commented: "We are delighted that this initiative has been so well received by industry and government and we hope that it will herald in an era of safer and more efficient installation and maintenance and lead to reductions in traffic congestion and outages to the benefit of the utility companies, the national economy and the public at large".
Marc Hobell, Strategic Development Manager at Ordnance Survey, comments: "There are hundreds of organisations with a concern in the wires, cables, drains, gulleys and pipes running underground.
If they share more information there are benefits for the companies themselves as well as the public.
"Improving the accuracy of recording and locating assets, and disseminating this data, can reduce costs for companies.
This is achieved through more effective working and reducing the amount of time spent on location.
"With more cooperation between utilities it should also be easier for works to be managed, therefore minimising disruption to traffic and the local community." Martin Cullen, Chairman of ICE's Buried Services Working Group, says: "We are calling on utility companies to share knowledge of their buried assets to experience improvements in the day-to-day management of roadworks.
As the deadline for the mandatory use of digital mapping approaches, we are keen to work with all key organisations to improve coordination between our buried services.".
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