THE 55 Group – a market-leading built environment software and services business – will now be known as Pagabo Group, with a new group identity taking the lead from the group’s most widely-recognised service, Pagabo. The move comes as the company celebrates its biggest year to date, reporting growth across
Hexagon’s Asset Lifecycle Intelligence division announces CAESAR II® version 14, the latest iteration of the world’s most widely used pipe flexibility and stress analysis software. CAESAR II is a complete solution that enables quick and accurate analysis of piping systems subjected to a wide range of loads, considering weight, pressure, thermal,
Natural habitats created by new biodiversity laws could absorb up to 650,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, the equivalent of nearly 200,000 round trip flights from London to New York, according to new research from biodiversity tech start-up Joe’s Blooms. Based on the Government’s Net Gain Impact Assessment which shows
360° image-handling enhancement will achieve richer visual documentation on projects, increasing accuracy, enhancing transparency and reducing rework. Today, PlanRadar, one of the leading digital construction, real estate and facilities management platforms, announces the upcoming AI-powered ‘SiteView’ feature, enhancing the platform’s already robust documentation, communication and reporting capabilities. SiteView empowers users
Increased use of GIS helps one of UK’s largest environmental consultancies deliver sustainability projects RSK Group, a global leader in the delivery of sustainable solutions, has awarded a new enterprise GIS contract to Esri UK, to increase the use of geospatial technology across the business and support its ambitious growth
The CEO of TerraQuest, the company operating Planning Portal, has welcomed the backing from the Chancellor at his Spring Budget for the wider adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in the planning system, but has said that high-quality data is crucial to its success. Geoff Keal, CEO at TerraQuest, commended plans
One of the UK’s leading geospatial technology firms, MGISS, is enhancing its provision for major utilities companies, developing an integrated solution to support asset owners, operators and contractors to manage risks and minimise disruptions to gas and water supply. MGISS’s geospatial software platform enables its customers, which include Northumbrian Water
Leeds College of Building and leading technology firm Collsys have joined forces to pioneer a new software package for the further education sector. The Collsys ‘Academic Suite’ is designed to track knowledge, skills, and behaviours across all academic disciplines. It combines with their ‘Employability Suite’ to provide a comprehensive single
Digital Catapult, the UK authority on advanced digital technology, is supporting eleven organisations across the UK to investigate how quantum computing could benefit key industrial sectors, such as energy, infrastructure, and engineering. The Quantum Technology Access Programme (QTAP) assists companies in trialling novel use cases, to demonstrate the potential for
The digital mapping system is being implemented on projects delivered through the Repairs and Maintenance Framework with Northumbrian Water Group. Esh Construction has showcased the latest in UK digital mapping innovations on site after helping to shape the technology’s development with Northumbrian Water Group (NWG). The National Underground Asset Register
THE 55 Group – a market-leading built environment software and services business – will now be known as Pagabo Group, with a new group identity taking the lead from the group’s most widely-recognised service, Pagabo. The move comes as the company celebrates its biggest year to date, reporting growth across its four key brands – Pagabo, Sypro, Loop, and Tequ. Pagabo Group has enjoyed a fantastic 12 months with key metrics like project value and volume, and employee numbers increasing, the second of which actually doubled in size since March 2020. Recruitment is only set to continue for the group too, with a number of roles currently live and more due later this year. Procurement framework provider Pagabo also enjoyed increased framework output and throughput, thanks to several significant framework offerings hitting key milestones. This includes introducing a dedicated mechanical and electrical solutions framework, as well as announcing the renewal of its biggest framework covering professional services providers and a brand-new offering specifically for decarbonisation schemes – both of which are set to announce successful suppliers in the next month. Simon Toplass, group CEO for Pagabo Group, said: “While our name is changing, the way in which we work and the service we provide will continue to adapt to the needs of our clients and customers. We are immensely proud of our industry-leading reputation, whether that be procuring construction works, managing contracts and asset risks, evaluating social impact or improving learning processes, we are focused on creating simplicity and efficiency for our clients – and on giving back. “What we do with Pagabo’s frameworks is a prime example of this. As that business grows, so does the amount of money returned to the contracting authorities of our frameworks – allowing them to put the money from those rebates into key causes like funding dedicated mental health resources or free school meals in schools to creating life-changing opportunities to disadvantaged pupils. “The success of the past year is testimony to the hard work and dedication of our growing staff base, as well as the quality of the services we offer. It has allowed us to put more staff benefits in place, looking after those that really drive forward our success. This includes private pension and healthcare schemes as we continue to move with the times and ensure supporting those who drive our success is central to our culture.” Pivotal changes in the past year have resulted in the best revenue year to date for Sypro’s Contract Manager, with an increasing number of organisations utilising the product and multi-million-pound revenue growth, which is forecasted to skyrocket in the next year. Elsewhere Sypro’s Risk Manager has enjoyed significant growth in its customer base with the newer product offering seeing continued uptake from key new clients across multiple sectors, including numerous educational facilities and household names like Queen’s Park Rangers Football Club. Social value software and consultancy provider Loop also expanding its client base significantly across new sectors. Its economists played a key part in the development of the National Social Value Standard measurement framework, developing more than 800 metrics for the accurate reporting of social impact for businesses. Success was further driven through a bespoke version of its software tool specifically for the rail industry – developed in collaboration with the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), with funding from Network Rail. Simon added: “The growth seen particularly across Sypro and Loop’s products shows the appetite across multiple markets for a digital-first approach to streamline and simplify what are complex activities – all aiming to make clients lives easier. Our platforms are designed to coordinate with each other, creating a truly end-to-end journey and providing clients with an industry-leading service that we continue to constantly review and improve to bring added value to everyone we work with and beyond.” For more information about Pagabo Group and its brands, please visit pagabogroup.com. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Hexagon’s Asset Lifecycle Intelligence division announces CAESAR II® version 14, the latest iteration of the world’s most widely used pipe flexibility and stress analysis software. CAESAR II is a complete solution that enables quick and accurate analysis of piping systems subjected to a wide range of loads, considering weight, pressure, thermal, seismic and other static and dynamic conditions. It can perform analysis for all types of piping stress calculations in several environments such as buried, on ground and submerged in water. It is used in a variety of industries such as oil and gas, chemical, power, nuclear, aerospace and more, by clients that range from one-person engineering shops to some of the largest enterprise engineering environments. Nuclear- and hydrogen-ready A key addition of this new release is the support for hydrogen piping and pipelines with the inclusion of code ASME B31.12. Amid rapid growth in hydrogen production worldwide, this inclusion aims to ensure that engineers can take on hydrogen projects with confidence. Other enhancements include: This version supports more than 50 international piping codes and calculational variants. It is suitable for use in the nuclear industry and includes codes ASME NC, ASME ND, RCC-M C and D for nuclear installations and complies with ASME NQA-1 quality assurance (QA). Chris Bradshaw, senior product owner for CAESAR II, said: “As projects become bigger and more complex, the potential for error rises. CAESAR II has been trusted by engineers for more than 30 years to ensure that piping assets are not only designed and operating in compliance with the latest codes, but also that they are designed safely and with refinements. It results in greater safety, lower costs, time saved and fewer materials used.” Anup Kumar Dey, a Senior Piping and Pipeline Engineer and author of the popular blog What is Piping, wrote: “This latest version has truly extended CAESAR II capabilities by incorporating many changes based on user feedback from the CAESAR II user community. It also includes the much-awaited hydrogen piping and pipeline code and comes with many advancements to help users perform their analysis with more accuracy, following all the latest developments in codes and standards.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Natural habitats created by new biodiversity laws could absorb up to 650,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, the equivalent of nearly 200,000 round trip flights from London to New York, according to new research from biodiversity tech start-up Joe’s Blooms. Based on the Government’s Net Gain Impact Assessment which shows that new regulations could see England benefit from over 15,000 hectares of biodiversity each year, the research analysed the carbon storage potential of the natural habitats that this increase could create. Looking at the distribution of different habitats across the UK, the research found that the carbon storage potential of woodland, heath, grasslands, and wetlands equates to emissions released from 4.6 billion kilometres of driving an average car. The increase in habitats that absorb carbon dioxide is down to the new Biodiversity Net Gain law (BNG) – a first-of-its-kind planning policy that requires developers to invest in measures that increase the amount of plants and wildlife in the local area by 10%. As well as the carbon absorption potential, increasing woodlands, heath, grasslands, and wetlands through the new BNG policy will protect England’s native plant and animal species – with recent data from the Woodland Trust finding that one-third of all woodland species are diminishing. The analysis comes as recent data from the European Earth Observation Agency shows global annual temperatures have for the first time breached the critical benchmark of 1.5C above pre-industrial levels set by the United Nations, with January 2024 being the hottest start to a year on record. Scientists around the world have long argued nature restoration is central to tackling the climate crisis. Research shows that over the past 10 years, ecosystems and the biodiversity they contain have absorbed 54% of human-made carbon emissions. Natural habitats also provide important solutions to more extreme weather patterns such as increased rainfall, with analysis showing that biodiverse land decreases flood exposure by up to 70%. With the policy mandatory for small developments as of April 2, this research demonstrates that BNG will play a key role in boosting natural habitats across England and supporting the UK’s efforts to fight global warming. Robin McArthur, Chair of the Joe’s Blooms Advisory Board, said: “This analysis adds to mounting evidence that nature recovery fuelled by BNG, whether it’s restoring wildlife-rich habitats or creating green corridors to bridge together fragmented habitats, will play a central role in boosting the UK’s resilience to climate change. Developers and local authorities have an opportunity to build the homes we so desperately need whilst also making a nature-positive contribution to the climate crisis.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
360° image-handling enhancement will achieve richer visual documentation on projects, increasing accuracy, enhancing transparency and reducing rework. Today, PlanRadar, one of the leading digital construction, real estate and facilities management platforms, announces the upcoming AI-powered ‘SiteView’ feature, enhancing the platform’s already robust documentation, communication and reporting capabilities. SiteView empowers users to capture 360° imagery of a project while walking the site, with the images automatically mapped onto a 2D plan, creating a detailed visual record of activity across every stage of the build. Group Co-CEO Ibrahim Imam noted, “This feature’s a game changer for PlanRadar users, combining the easy-to-use experience with the highest levels of accuracy, making it possible to achieve complete visual as-builts, field progress and photo documentation in place of taking thousands of photos. In addition, with our core documentation, communication and ticketing platform, SiteView means anyone working on a project can now easily go back and look ‘behind the wall’ to see exactly what was built or installed, often reducing rework.” While powered by cutting-edge technology, the simple solution means construction teams can walk a site with a 360° camera attached to a helmet, and SiteView does the rest. Reality capture images are automatically transferred from camera to app and ready to review in PlanRadar shortly after a site walk is completed, aligning the path walked onto the 2D plan. This provides a level of efficiency that makes it easy to document visual ‘as-builts’ in minutes once images are transferred, as well as quickly maintain any visual site documentation required. Additionally, a compare feature makes it easy to view images captured on two dates side-by-side during the build to see progress and spot any deflections. Clemens Hammerl, Chief Product Officer, comments, “SiteView reduces on-site inspection time and speeds up team collaboration, allowing a complete view of the site, even when working remotely. 360° photographic images provide all the documentation needed to see what has happened, delivering complete project transparency. With minimal training required, users simply set a starting position on a 2D construction plan within the PlanRadar mobile app, walk the site, and press stop when finished; our sophisticated algorithms take care of the rest.” SiteView uses SLAM technology (Simultaneous Location and Mapping), the same tech used to power driverless automobiles, to survey unknown environments while simultaneously moving through them. It operates by estimating the path of the site walker on a digital construction plan, with algorithms constantly aligning sequential data to determine position and path. The path is then aligned to the plan, using AI-powered computer vision algorithms, which integrate depth estimation and accurate localisation. Crucially, it provides project teams with a detailed, 360° overview of activity and progress, all within the easy-to-use interface of PlanRadar’s platform. The addition of SiteView adds another layer of functionality to PlanRadar, which already includes document management, reporting and integration features, enabling customers to connect all project processes in one place. With a comprehensive view of works available throughout each phase of the build, all project stakeholders can experience full transparency of activities. This not only helps prevent miscommunication but also mitigates potential disputes. The upcoming launch is just the beginning for SiteView, with ongoing updates to follow, including BIM integration, and the ability to link to Tickets on the 360° images. To read more about PlanRadar’s SiteView feature, click here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Increased use of GIS helps one of UK’s largest environmental consultancies deliver sustainability projects RSK Group, a global leader in the delivery of sustainable solutions, has awarded a new enterprise GIS contract to Esri UK, to increase the use of geospatial technology across the business and support its ambitious growth plans. The 3-year agreement spanning 14 countries will allow RSK to deploy online geospatial technology more easily and meet a growing demand for its services. This includes environmental impact and biodiversity net gain surveys for the water, renewable energy, property and construction industries. The new agreement will improve access to online GIS for employees, accelerate the development of geospatial business tools and allow teams to collaborate more easily using a central hub. Additional benefits include access to new types of Esri software, providing seamless workflows between drone data capture and GIS, advanced image analysis using machine learning and 3D visualisation of spatial data. Around 80% of users will be based in the UK, with others mainly located in the Netherlands, China, India, UAE, Uganda and Kenya. RSK is a UK environmental and sustainability specialist with 15,000 employees in 40 countries and uses GIS to assess the impact of client projects by analysing spatial data. The group wanted to increase the use of GIS to support its 2030 global growth strategy, which will quadruple revenue from this year’s £1.2bn to more than £5bn in 2030 and double its number of environmental and engineering businesses to 400. In 2023 the company acquired 34 businesses. RSK Group Technical Director, Mike Mason, said: “RSK was looking for a smarter and more cost-effective way to create new geospatial capabilities as it continues to expand. The new agreement with Esri UK supports our global growth strategy by increasing access to a more robust and advanced GIS. It’s an important part of our geospatial strategy and is a catalyst for innovation in our sector, allowing us to continue to help clients around the world minimise their impact on the planet.” Previously, the company made use of separate licences from Esri UK which had grown organically over the last 20 years. This meant licences were not shareable between business teams which hampered collaborative working. The consolidation of software licences has also removed a significant administration burden. RSK Principal GIS Consultant Anthony Jones said: “The new agreement allows us to meet the increasing demand for our environmental and engineering services and more staff will be able to undertake surveys and spatial data analysis. It opens up GIS to a much larger audience within RSK Group so more teams can reap the benefits. Now when a new tool is created, it can be made available to everyone in the group.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The CEO of TerraQuest, the company operating Planning Portal, has welcomed the backing from the Chancellor at his Spring Budget for the wider adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in the planning system, but has said that high-quality data is crucial to its success. Geoff Keal, CEO at TerraQuest, commended plans outlined in the Budget Red Book, which accompanies the Chancellor’s speech, including commitments to use AI solutions to help planning authorities streamline local plan development, as well as implementing new software to streamline key processes for planning officers. “The further development of AI solutions and new software should be the biggest priorities for improving the planning system,” said Geoff. “Indeed, we have already delivered substantial efficiency improvements to the industry with the ongoing development of Planning Portal and the implementation of our modular KeyChain platform. “AI is extremely important to accelerating good decision making, as well as meeting wider housing and economic needs. However, the development and implementation of robust data standards across the sector is crucial to being able to maximise the impact of AI and new software solutions. AI tools need to be able to learn from robust and comprehensive datasets. If certain data is systematically excluded, biases will inevitably emerge. Data standards must ensure that information is collected and stored in ways that are up-to-date, consistent, detailed and interoperable across different platforms. “Planning Portal has already delivered huge improvements in the validation and standardisation of application data. Government policy should now build on this to ensure the availability of high-quality data that allows the industry to enjoy the full benefits of AI.” The KeyChain platform underpins Planning Portal, which TerraQuest operates as a joint venture with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), and enables a streamlined online application system that integrates with the back-office systems of local planning authorities. As well as announcements relating to the use of AI and software, the Budget also contained a commitment to match industry-led funding of £3 million for planning capacity and resourcing. “This is an important step forward”, added Geoff. “But it is vital that local planning authorities are enabled to takeimmediate steps to deal with backlogs. Further support for that in a future Budget would be welcome.” TerraQuest is already supporting local planning authorities through its Planning Application Validation Service (PAVS), which helps speed up processes by validating new applications within just 24 to 48 hours. Meanwhile, its Planning Application Case Evaluation Service (PACES) offers an expert team of case officers to assist with the evaluation and determination of planning applications cases. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
One of the UK’s leading geospatial technology firms, MGISS, is enhancing its provision for major utilities companies, developing an integrated solution to support asset owners, operators and contractors to manage risks and minimise disruptions to gas and water supply. MGISS’s geospatial software platform enables its customers, which include Northumbrian Water Group, Severn Trent Water and Galliford Try, to capture the location of buried assets, such as pipes and cables, through transforming GIS data into real-time augmented reality displays. The firm, which was founded by Mike Darracott in 2014 and operates from Liverpool, has also supported the likes of the National Trust and South West Peatland Partnership to map heritage sites and monitor large-scale environmental projects, ensuring the capture of accurate site data. Now, as part of a major project match-funded by the European Space Agency (ESA), the firm is scaling up its support for clients in the utilities sector through the development of an eye-in-the-sky solution, utilising satellite data to identify and locate development risks in proximity to critical utility assets. The development of this new, innovative risk alert platform, coupled with MGISS’s core range of geospatial solutions, is driving the development of a predictive, integrated offering to clients, enabling real-time decision making, reducing costs, and enhancing the visibility of buried assets. The firm’s progress on the ESA-funded project is especially timely, given the planned roll-out of the government’s National Underground Asset Register, a digital map of underground pipes and cables, which intends to revolutionise the way buried infrastructure is managed. MGISS are taking this innovation further, using satellite services to link directly into other national, web-based data sources. Along with securing a €500,000 award from the ESA in 2023 to carry out the two-year project, last month MGISS received a further £600,000 in funding from NPIF – Mercia Equity Finance, which is managed by Mercia and part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF). Mike Darracott, managing director at MGISS, said: “Supply interruptions cost utilities companies billions of pounds each year, not only in trying to repair and restore supplies but also in paying compensation to customers. Construction work is a key cause of these disruptions and the situation is likely to worsen in the future if planning laws are relaxed. “Our systems help our clients to make the most of the available data, enabling a proactive approach to identifying and tackling hazards. This new platform will be the most integrated to date and will help companies to dramatically reduce downtime, regulatory fines and, in partnership with conservation organisations, their environmental impact.” Clive Surman-Wells, innovation partnerships manager at Northumbrian Water Group, added: “Driving forward innovations such as this one, in partnership with the European Space Agency, is fundamental in delivering value to companies within the utilities and construction sectors, and the customers and communities they serve. MGISS is an example of a technology firm operating on the cutting edge – developing unique solutions to reduce costs, minimise impacts on the environment, and improve visibility and decision-making.” Robert Hornby, venture capital investor at Mercia Asset Management, added: “MGISS has successfully pivoted from being a consultancy firm to a software business and has achieved impressive growth in recent years. The company addresses a key concern for utility providers, and we’re pleased to be able to support the development of this new solution, which we believe will have a huge global market.” Employing a team of 14 staff based at its headquarters in Brunswick Business Park, MGISS is in the process of expanding its team across product development, sales and marketing, following three years of high growth and a 300% increase in annual recurring revenue. The current NPIF investment phase has now completed, with the British Business Bank launching the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II in March 2024. The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund project is supported financially by the European Union using funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 and the European Investment Bank. For more information on MGISS and its geospatial solutions, please visit www.mgiss.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leeds College of Building and leading technology firm Collsys have joined forces to pioneer a new software package for the further education sector. The Collsys ‘Academic Suite’ is designed to track knowledge, skills, and behaviours across all academic disciplines. It combines with their ‘Employability Suite’ to provide a comprehensive single platform solution including work placement, enrichment, apprenticeships, and careers. The project began when Leeds College of Building reviewed its existing systems post-pandemic and asked for staff feedback. Increasingly complex requirements and software that was no longer fit for purpose meant that investing in a new college-wide system became a priority. Steve Connell, Assistant Principal at Leeds College of Building, said: “As a busy further education college, we deliver a host of construction specialisms from plumbing, carpentry, and brickwork to civil engineering and transport planning. As such, we needed software that could not only track student work placements and enrichment, but also monitor progress, hold Individual Learning Plans (ILPs), link well with maths, English and support areas, hold student reviews and exam results and monitor attendance and punctuality. “However, little is available to the FE sector which can manage data for both employer placements and student progress, and which is also user-friendly. Market leaders tend to offer solutions for one or the other but not together and can also be difficult to retrieve the correct information. We needed software that would be a one-stop-shop and present data quickly and consistently. “Our old systems were labour intensive and lead to silos or pockets of good practice, so I began talking with one of our existing software suppliers, Collsys. Their CEO, Brian Varley, was keen to explore this further and use expertise in his team to expand existing Collsys software parameters.” The College Work Based Learning and Employer Engagement teams already used Collsys modules for tracking work placements, enrichment, and employer engagement data. The aim was to extend this to a bespoke management platform used by all Leeds College of Building staff. Brian Varley, CEO Collsys, said:“This project has been a great opportunity to enhance our existing Employability Suite offering. Together with Leeds College of Building, we designed the Academic Suite to be easy to use with additional options for tracking ‘Knowledge Skills and Behaviours’ of vocational courses. This means staff can monitor if students are on track at any point in the year and put in earlier interventions. “We also included a joint training plan and review system that is not readily available on the market, given products are often not specifically designed with colleges in mind. A benefit of our system is that because we offer our Employability Suite alongside the Academic Suite, all data is in one place. Tutors can easily look at all aspects of a student’s data without having to switch between systems for reports.” Over the last 12 months, a joint project team spent time researching, developing, designing, testing, and eventually rolling out the Academic Suite project. The new system is now live at Leeds College of Building and manages all aspects of students’ learning. Users can drill down to faculty, departmental, course, or individual student level data. Staff can quickly access vital data, generate reports, and view insights using a RAG (Red, Amber, Green) rating to quickly identify at-risk students, monitor progress, and tailor interventions. Adam Sharpe, system super-user and Leeds College of Building carpentry and Joinery lecturer, said:“The new system has great potential. The fact that Collsys has been made to suit our needs as a college is really pleasing, as this means that people like me and others within our organisation can make this new system the best it can be. Working with the Collsys team has been a pleasure; they have been so responsive when we have had technical issues and very patient when delivering training.” Work is now underway on the next phase of development. The project team has hosted drop-in staff training sessions, created champions and super users, and helped with data transfer to the new system. Plans also include a portal and mobile app to allow employers, parents and carers to monitor a student’s attendance, progress, results, and staff feedback.Steve concluded:“This was an ambitious project, but it paid off. We’ve never had this level of data before! It’s fantastic to have everything in one place and quickly access data in real-time. It’s very user-friendly and is a much more efficient use of precious staff time. This bespoke platform will be crucial for external assessors moving forward as it ties together all aspects of apprenticeships and study programmes. Thanks to Collsys for listening to our needs and building a bespoke system for us. ”Visit www.collsys.co.uk to find out more about Collsys Academic and Employability Suites or email customerservices@collsys.co.uk to learn how Collsys can support other Further Education providers… Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Digital Catapult, the UK authority on advanced digital technology, is supporting eleven organisations across the UK to investigate how quantum computing could benefit key industrial sectors, such as energy, infrastructure, and engineering. The Quantum Technology Access Programme (QTAP) assists companies in trialling novel use cases, to demonstrate the potential for quantum technology to transform critical parts of the UK economy. The programme results will soon be shared with broader industry to promote a deeper understanding of quantum’s commercial applications. Marking a paradigm shift for the participants, the programme’s focus extends beyond theoretical understandings of quantum technology, to successfully investigate illustrations of real-world business applications for leading corporations including Arup, Airbus and the Port of Dover. These industrial applications range from Frazer Nash demonstrating the potential of quantum computers to optimise the UK energy grid to meet demand for electricity, to Tees-Valley-based SeerBI building a quantum machine learning model to predict shipments that were at risk of late arrival. Rolls-Royce aims to build small, autonomous nuclear reactors that could operate safely in remote mining colonies, the moon and on Mars. During the programme, the company used data from the Fukushima nuclear event to investigate the feasibility of a quantum machine learning model to quickly identify potentially hazardous situations; enabling the reactor to operate safely and be shut down if necessary, with minimum human involvement. Delivered in partnership with Riverlane and ORCA Computing, QTAP provides participating companies with access to the ORCA PT-1 quantum photonic computer, a team of quantum experts and ongoing technical support, establishing a first-of-its-kind commercially neutral ecosystem for businesses interested in quantum technology. Paving the way for ongoing industrial collaboration and knowledge-sharing between the participating companies, Digital Catapult’s programme exemplifies the value of a community committed to exploring industrial applications of quantum, as the technology evolves. Digital Catapult and partners supported triaging and framing relevant use cases, delivering education and training on theoretical and practical aspects of quantum computing and providing ongoing technological assistance, as well as enabling opportunities for knowledge sharing between participants. This has increased the quantum readiness of leading UK companies and SMEs, such as Oxford Sigma, Neptune New Space and UKAEA, empowering them to embrace quantum technology, as new use cases emerge and capabilities increase. The programme has three streams: two on optimisation and quantum machine learning with ORCA Computing, involving simulating and running small-scale industrial challenges on the ORCA PT-1 quantum computer. The fault-tolerant stream, delivered with Riverlane, investigates the Quantum Singular Value Transformation, an algorithm that will run on the large, fault-tolerant quantum computers available in the future. During a demonstration day, participating companies including DNV Services UK Ltd, and Bahut tested their challenge on the ORCA PT-1 quantum computer, as part of the optimisation stream. The quantum computer successfully solved industrial problems, demonstrating the potential to solve more complex and sophisticated challenges in the future. Director of Innovation Practice at Digital Catapult, Katy Ho said: “The remarkable success achieved on QTAP underscores the increasing interest in quantum computing within industry. From its inception to the showcase, participating companies have consistently shown commitment to enhancing their understanding of quantum technology. At Digital Catapult, our mission is to demonstrate the value of embracing quantum-enabled solutions, and this programme will undoubtedly sharpen participating companies’ competitive edge, as quantum computers evolve and present substantial commercial opportunity.” Richard Murray, PhD, Co-founder, and CEO of ORCA Computing comments: “The results of the QTAP programme have been impressive. Participating companies have showcased exceptional dedication and commitment to exploring use cases that not only enable them to explore the potential of quantum computing technology for their businesses but also help drive progress in key sectors. For ORCA, partnering with Digital Catapult, industry experts and leading UK companies in the programme has enabled us to understand how near-term quantum devices can enhance a wide range of business use cases across different industries.” Jonathon Adams, Assistant Chief Engineer at Rolls-Royce said: “The Novel Nuclear team at Rolls-Royce is very future focussed, seeking to develop revolutionary new technologies and explore energy efficient applications for nuclear power on Earth and in Space. Quantum technologies, including quantum computing, will be an enabler for this over the next 15 years. It’s important that we develop an understanding of how and when we can adopt this technology. “The Digital Catapult Quantum Technology Access Programme has been a timely boost to this effort, and I’m delighted that Chris completed the programme, including using an actual quantum computer for a machine learning test case relevant to the nuclear industry.”Owain Brennan, CEO of SeerBI said: “The QTAP programme has proved invaluable for our team so far, we have been able to pick up new skills and interact with technology which at the start of the programme we didn’t even know existed. Applying this technology to our problem area of logistics and on time delivery classification using quantum binary classification opened our eyes to a different way of looking at problems, we would like to give out thanks to the digital catapult team for their support and Orca Computing for access to their systems and SDK throughout the programme.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The digital mapping system is being implemented on projects delivered through the Repairs and Maintenance Framework with Northumbrian Water Group. Esh Construction has showcased the latest in UK digital mapping innovations on site after helping to shape the technology’s development with Northumbrian Water Group (NWG). The National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) was created by the Geospatial Commission to digitally map data on underground power cables and utility services across the UK. Clive Surman-Wells, Innovation Partnerships Manager at Northumbrian Water Group, initiated the concept during the firm’s Innovation Festival in 2018. Esh Construction was the initial contractor to trial the system, and has worked collaboratively with the water company to develop the technology since 2018. Norman Barnett, Framework Director at Esh Construction, said: “NUAR will be a game changer for health and safety in the construction industry, which all those that have been involved with it so far within Esh are in agreement with. Being able to access this information around the clock, and to also capture unchartered service information, is a huge step forward. We are proud to be one of the first contractors nationally to have been involved with the development of NUAR, from conception, through the trials and now at the go live stage.” With upwards of 60,000 accidents recorded owing to accidental damage to the network annually, NUAR is identified as not only reducing the number of accidents, but innovating timesaving and health and safety enhancements to working conditions. HSEQ Advisor at Esh Construction, Ash Dunn said: “As a delivery and framework partner for Northumbrian Water Group, we were at the Innovation Festival in 2018 and we’ve been involved with it since – the health and safety benefits are huge. “The team on the ground can see more than they’ve ever been able to see before regarding restrictions and hazards, and the clarity of the system beats anything that has been available before it. When you can easily understand the hazards that are there, it eliminates one element of danger, which is immensely important within a construction environment and in line with our ‘Everyone Safely Home’ campaign.” Dunn has been heavily involved in rolling out the system among the Esh Construction team and said the change from cross-referencing and plotting out multiple maps in back-end administration prior to starting on site to the new NUAR system, which provides instant access when you insert the co-ordinates, offers a monumental shift. Dunn and his colleagues showcased how Esh operates the system, where Groundworker and foreman John Ridley said it has been really beneficial. He said: “NUAR allows us to respond to emergencies and mobilise on site almost immediately without the need to wait for multiple utility drawings to be issued. Seeing as many assets visible on a single view as possible makes it easier to understand what utilities are in the area and where they are. Having 24/7 access to a live system is a major benefit as we regularly work around the clock and carry out excavations overnight.” NUAR is a system that has the capability to provide detailed underground maps from over 700 utilities providers, with asset owners like Northumbrian Water being responsible for granting access to its contractors. While the UK Government’s intended rollout across the UK by 2025 continues to be developed, Esh will gradually implement the system through the Runway 1 Repairs and Maintenance Framework with Northumbrian Water, but it is envisaged that it will go across the business’ wider divisions when it becomes available to all contractors. Clive Surman-Wells, Innovation Partnerships Manager at Northumbrian Water Group said: “We’re convinced of the many benefits of NUAR: helping keep our people safe when they are excavating and minimising our impact on services to customers being just two. NWG have rolled-out NUAR more extensively than any other company and in the North East region there is increasing uptake across both utilities and local authorities. Throughout the development process we have worked collaboratively with Esh, the Geospatial Commission and other asset owners to design a really usable system.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
