There is an urgent need for more solar energy to help the UK achieve its net zero target. However, it can take many years to find the right sites for solar energy installations, conduct feasibility studies, secure planning permissions and plan what are highly complex construction projects. RWE aimed to use geographic information system (GIS) technology to improve the efficiency of all these integrated planning processes, to help it deliver new solar energy projects more quickly.

The company selected Esri’s ArcGIS and set about using solutions from this GIS system to completely transform key processes for solar energy development in the UK, from identifying sites to constructing and operating them.

In the initial phase, RWE now employs a bespoke site searching model, built with ArcGIS, that automatically qualifies and highlights viable land parcels for solar energy, located within a designated distance of available grid capacity. This model takes into account a wide range of potential planning constraints and landscape features, including agricultural land classification, archaeology, other nearby energy sites, ecology, flood risk, land cover, terrain and visibility.

Next RWE uses ArcGIS for running automated feasibility assessments and looking at sites in a lot more detail. By conducting geospatial analysis with ArcGIS, the company can identify high, medium and low risks to the planning process at each potential location. All available information is brought together on interactive maps, enabling sites to be thoroughly analysed and evaluated before site visits take place. “ArcGIS provides a secure and stable system for loading, manipulating and analysing planning constraints to help determine threats to developments,” comments Ben Foster, Senior Analyst at RWE.

When solar projects become active, RWE uses ArcGIS Web AppBuilder to quickly create project-specific web apps that are used by over forty employees across the business. These apps make it very easy for everyone to view up to 200 layers of project data, all in one place, and better visualise sites in 2D and 3D. RWE also uses ArcGIS Field Maps to create mobile tools for project teams that enable them to view, capture and edit data whilst in the field, and integrate additional content (such as pictures and videos) directly into the web app for everyone to see.

Additionally, the company has trialled the use of ArcGIS Hub and ArcGIS StoryMaps, on selected projects, to improve the quality of public websites and consultations. These interactive tools helped RWE to share information with the public in a more engaging and accessible way, and the company received positive feedback.

Faster identification of potential sites
RWE has significantly reduced the amount of time required to identify suitable land for large-scale solar projects from 5-10 hours to 5-10 minutes. Staff do not have to spend a huge amount of time visiting multiple websites, comparing different data sets or making unnecessary site visits or speculative calls to landowners as all this background work is done for them. “Site selection used to be a long-winded process that was very costly on companies’ resources,” explains Foster. “Our integrated ArcGIS tools enable insightful, planning-led decision-making.”

More successful planning applications
Using ArcGIS, RWE can now conduct faster feasibility studies and focus more readily on sites with the fewest potential planning constraints that are more likely to achieve planning permission. As a result, the company is achieving exceptionally high levels of success and reducing the time wasted on unproceedable projects. “Our approach has helped RWE to secure planning permission for over 98% of the projects it has worked on,” says Foster. “ArcGIS has been an essential tool in streamlining land identification, optimising feasibility studies and enhancing collaboration, helping the team to achieve such a high success rate.”

Highly efficient project delivery
The ArcGIS web apps and mobile tools created for project teams have transformed collaboration and data sharing within the business, enabling RWE to plan new solar energy installations more efficiently. Data collected in the field is instantly available to the whole project team, and time is not lost looking for information. Foster observes, “With our project-specific ArcGIS web and mobile apps, our teams can collaborate and share data far more easily. ArcGIS makes the whole process much more efficient.”

Well-received public consultations
In initial pilots, RWE found that the use of ArcGIS StoryMaps really enhanced the public consultation process, by making information available to people in a format that they could easily query and understand. Initial surveys conducted after public consultations clearly showed that the StoryMap had been well received. Now RWE is considering using ArcGIS StoryMaps on future projects, as well as embedding ArcGIS mapping into public websites, to help people understand the impacts of proposed projects and appreciate additional benefits, such as biodiversity net gain.

When the National Trust first started using geographic information system (GIS) technology, it had a piecemeal approach, with different teams using a variety of desktop GIS packages.  Then, in 2014, the Trust took the decision to adopt Esri’s ArcGIS technology enterprise-wide to reduce the number of desktop licenses, improve data management and develop web-based GIS solutions.  It was, at this time, poised to launch an ambitious ten year strategy for 2015-2025, and aimed to optimise the use of GIS to help it achieve key priorities, including ‘making everyone welcome’ and ‘taking action on climate change’.

The centralised deployment of Esri’s ArcGIS system opened up lots of new opportunities for the National Trust. “Having a full suite of tools for the first time enabled the National Trust to expand GIS into a wider number of projects,” explains Mark Roth, Senior GIS Data Manager at the National Trust. “The fact it is easier for us to store and share data and develop enterprise solutions has also been hugely beneficial.”

Over more than ten years, the Trust has continually advanced its use of ArcGIS, developing a suite of mobile ArcGIS apps for rangers, ArcGIS Dashboards for monitoring organisational KPIs, crowd-sourcing data capture solutions for volunteers, ArcGIS StoryMaps to engage with the general public and more besides. The organisation has made particular use of ArcGIS Pro for data analysis, using it especially to research inequitable access to green spaces and plan new initiatives to improve sustainability. According to the Trust’s Head of Data, Huw Davies, “The analytical capabilities we gained were a real game changer.”

Today, the Trust is using ArcGIS in conjunction with artificial intelligence tools and remote sensing devices to capture more data, more consistently and gain insight into critical issues such as hedgerow loss, climate change and wildfire risks. “We can now make aerial imagery and remote sensing data available across the organisation in a consistent way,” highlights Keith Challis, Remote Sensing Coordinator at the National Trust. “This means we can optimise the use of remote sensing to monitor change on a huge scale.”

Throughout its journey with ArcGIS, the National Trust has benefited from expert support through Esri UK’s Customer Advantage Programme and an Enhanced Support Agreement. “There are lots of ways of doing similar things with GIS technology, and it has been beneficial to have experts on hand who can guide us,” reflects Ian Dawes, GIS Product Manager at the National Trust.

ArcGIS has played a pivotal role in helping the National Trust to deliver on the key ambitions set out in its 2015-2025 strategy. Notable benefits include:

Greater preparedness for climate change
The National Trust has used ArcGIS to create a ground-breaking Hazard Map that shows local teams what climate change actually means for their properties and land and helps them to start planning realistic, purposeful mitigations. In addition, the Trust is currently piloting a wildfire detection system that uses ArcGIS Dashboards and remote sensors to alert operational teams when risk levels increase so they can respond more quickly to protect properties and land.

Focused initiatives to improve nature
By conducting advanced geospatial analysis with ArcGIS Pro, the Trust has been able to ascertain where, on its land, it can affect the biggest improvements to the state of nature. In its Riverlands project, for example, it is now focusing its resources in locations where it can make a real improvement to wildlife habitats. It is working to reconnect streams on Exmoor, improving conditions for eels, otters, bats and a pair of recently reintroduced beavers.

Clear insight to enhance visitor experiences
The Trust is increasingly using mobile ArcGIS apps and GPS data to gather information about what people enjoy doing, and it uses this insight to improve the visitor experience. For example, at Flatford in Suffolk, visitors were given GPS devices, and the data collected was analysed in ArcGIS Pro to better understand where people walk, what the most common routes are and where visitors spend most time. Outputs were used as part of the Experience Design process to help develop robust cases for future investments.

More equitable access to beautiful places
In line with its key priority ‘for everyone, for ever’, the Trust has undertaken ArcGIS-based studies to better understand the proximity of properties and green spaces to people living in urban areas and, in particular, areas of deprivation. This research has underpinned initiatives such as the distribution of free single-use passes to encourage people from urban and deprived areas to visit their nearest National Trust property.

Improved collaboration with partners
By facilitating better data sharing and improved data analysis, ArcGIS is supporting key partnership projects including a ‘green corridors’ initiative with Sustrans that aims to improve sustainable access to special places like historic homes in and near towns. “Data is often the language of partnerships, so having a platform for sharing data and analysis of data with partners is exceptionally helpful,” Davies explains.

The University of Warwick is already one of the UK’s top universities, but in a bold strategy entitled ‘Warwick 2030’ the organisation sets out its ambition to become one of the most exceptional universities in the world.  Its aspirations extend beyond excellence in academic teaching and research to include excellence in estate management as well.

One of the university’s key priorities is to develop an energy-efficient, ‘green’ campus and enhance the biodiversity of its entire 200-hectare site.  However, plans to improve estate management were being hampered by siloed data.  Critical information on natural and man-made assets, including trees, wildlife species, underground pipes, streetlights and buildings, were held in multiple systems and spreadsheets, making it difficult to visualise opportunities for improving efficiency and sustainability.

With access to Esri’s ArcGIS System through a Chest Agreement for the education sector, the University of Warwick began exploring the potential of geographic information system (GIS) technology. It invited Esri UK to lead four workshops at the university, to help it plan its approach, and a clear vision quickly emerged for what is now known internally as the university’s Digital Campus.

Using ArcGIS Pro and the Scene Viewer tool, the Estates Team collated, cleansed and geo-referenced data from multiple systems, creating an interactive, digital twin of the entire campus in 2D and 3D. As part of this process, the team consolidated and uplifted 650 layers of data from AutoCAD files. It then integrated BIM models into the Digital Campus to create realistic representations of buildings, and incorporated supplementary data such as each building’s energy usage.

One of the university’s first applications using the Digital Campus was a mobile GIS solution for surveying over 11,000 trees. Arborists now use ArcGIS Survey123 in conjunction with ArcGIS Field Maps to verify the locations of trees, add more trees and collect data on each tree’s size and condition. Consequently, the Estates Team now has a detailed, visual map of trees on the campus, rather than just lines on a spreadsheet.

In a subsequent initiative the university created a Biodiversity Dashboard using ArcGIS Online, combining data previously held in three separate systems as well as newly collected data. This dashboard shows all species sighted across the campus, such as hedgehogs, grass snakes, geese and rare plants, and is used to inform biodiversity improvement projects.

The Business Analytics Team has also used ArcGIS StoryMaps to enrich the university’s reports, including its Annual Energy and Carbon Report. The story maps incorporate time sliders, videos and 3D maps alongside traditional text and data to bring what were previously very static business reports to life.

The ongoing development of the university’s Digital Campus is being supported by consultants from Esri UK’s Professional Services team. “We’ve done such a lot in a short amount of time,” says Brett Plant, Systems and Digital Information Manager at the University of Warwick. “With Esri UK’s support, we’ve made massive progress, not only in what we have delivered but also in our understanding.”

Effective visualisation of campus information
ArcGIS has given the University of Warwick the ability to centralise and use multiple data sets to visualise and better understand its campus. For example, an interactive 3D campus map clearly shows where solar panels have been installed over time, and how this contributes to the university’s carbon saving targets, building by building.

Well-informed strategic decision-making
With clear ArcGIS Dashboards and interactive reports presented in ArcGIS StoryMaps, managers can make well-informed operational and strategic decisions, based on accurate data and a comprehensive understanding of the entire estate. “ArcGIS provides the ability to view lots of information, understand and question campus performance and make quick analyses of situations, which leads to better strategic decisions,” says Jo Bishop, Head of Estates Information and Systems at the University of Warwick.

More efficient maintenance operations
While the Digital Campus is still being rolled out to operational staff, the Estates Team anticipates that it will facilitate significant improvements in operational efficiency over time. Already, ArcGIS has been used to model likely tree root spread and pinpoint where roots may be causing damage to underground utility services. This has resulted in faster identification of potential causes of performance issues around the campus.

Improved management of biodiversity
The ArcGIS Dashboard for biodiversity is informing the development and implementation of key biodiversity improvement initiatives around the campus. More than this, it is also raising awareness of biodiversity, as the dashboard format is engaging. “Warwick is a huge campus,” observes Plant. “Already, the ArcGIS Dashboard is generating more interest in biodiversity, and we believe it will lead to more reports of wildlife sightings.”

Progress towards vision of ‘Warwick 2030’
Having captured the imaginations of senior managers, the university’s Digital Campus will eventually be used extensively for all aspects of campus management, and there are plans to integrate it with other operational systems. Increasingly, it is being used to evidence of progress towards achieving the university’s vision of ‘Warwick 2030’ and creating a more efficient and sustainable university. As Bishop explains, “With ArcGIS, we can clearly see the gap between where we are now and where we want to be – and understand how to close it.”

A small, lean organisation, the Commission conducts electoral reviews by considering the electoral boundaries of local authorities and recommending any changes to Parliament. The scale of the task is daunting. At any one time the Commission’s review teams are handling approximately 25 to 30 reviews, each one lasting approximately 15 months.

Each review has to ensure that, within all local authorities, every councillor represents a similar number of electors. Boundaries need to be appropriate and reflect community ties and identities and all reviews delivered need to be informed by local needs, so community engagement is vital. Legislation requires projected electors to be factored in five years after each review has been enshrined in law; consequently, the accuracy and precision of the Commission’s work and boundary editing is critical to support electoral fairness.

There are multiple factors impacting the number of electors in a local authority area, from population growth and migration, to new housing developments. Review officers check evidence-based data from each local authority, detailing the number of electors in a local authority and the projected five-year forecast. These electors are then placed into different wards, to be represented by either one, two, or three councillors.

Previously, the boundary editing process could only be done in the office, which could be frustrating for review officers out in the field, who could be often looking at six or seven different boundary options. The process was time-consuming and, with separate software and Excel programmes, there was a high risk of error. The Commission urgently sought to improve its IT infrastructure to improve the efficiency and accuracy of processes, as well as looking at how it could exploit digital technologies to impact the way reviews are conducted and presented.

The Commission initially worked on a highly successful proof of concept using Sweet for ArcGIS Online Builder, to build simple but smart apps for boundary editing; this enables the team to edit their own GIS data on the web.

With its extensive library of customisable rules and Sweet for ArcGIS’ unique locking system, multiple users can access the same app simultaneously, in the office or out in the field, while data integrity is maintained.

Beforehand, the Commission’s Data Officer would have to undertake a series of quality checks throughout each and every single review process.  With Sweet for ArcGIS, the Data Officer only has to do one data check at the beginning of a review thanks to the built-in configurable data quality checks.  No lengthy QA (Quality Assurance) analysis is needed before the data is used for further analysis or reporting, thereby saving significant amounts of time while being assured of accuracy of data.

Multiple drawing modes, including freehand, allow review officers to modify boundaries with mobile devices while out in the field, a key feature that was previously not available to Commission staff. Officers can also work on multiple boundary options of a single review at any one time. This is essential, given there are often up to six or seven options for each review. Sweet for ArcGIS calculates field values, clips data and automates other repetitive tasks to improve the user’s efficiency and save time.  Bespoke functionality is a further benefit - for example, the Commission is looking to integrate Google Maps into the app.

ArcGIS StoryMaps are used for internal and external presentations, including the two public consultations, which form part of each review. “StoryMaps are a phenomenal presentation tool.   We get much better feedback from local communities and the final submissions are of a much higher quality, and easier for the Commission to assess” adds Jonathan Ashby.

Time savings
Real-time calculations of forecast electoral variances can be undertaken in the office and out in the field, saving significant amounts of time. For example, one task that would previously have taken fifteen minutes, now takes 30 seconds. Review officers now work on multiple boundary options at any one time, which they could not do previously.

Greater accuracy
Built-in configurable data checks eradicate the opportunity for error, helping review officers to edit accurately the first time, every time. Data integrity is maintained and users can create, edit and explore spatial data in the browser or across multiple devices (Android, iOS and Windows) whether out in the field or in the office, even when disconnected.

Improved productivity
All the Commission’s Sweet for ArcGIS apps are interoperable with the rest of their GIS products, helping to further improve productivity. Intuitive, configurable and easy-to-use, everyone benefits from using the same secure data for better-informed decision making.

More effective stakeholder engagement
ArcGIS StoryMaps are used both internally and externally to share information, gauge feedback and support decision-making. Some consultees have found interactive ArcGIS StoryMaps easier to access and engage with. Internally ArcGIS StoryMaps are used in presentations, making data and recommendations far more accessible than the previous analogue reports.

During the scorching summer of 1858 an episode known as ‘The Great Stink’ took place in Victorian London. The smell of human waste and industrial effluent pouring into the River Thames reached an unbearable level, even the Houses of Parliament was affected.  The politicians acted, and the result was the extensive Victorian sewer network, an engineering marvel of its time. However, it was designed to serve the needs of four million people, not the nine million residents and workers who currently rely on the system.

Unsurprisingly, every year, the equivalent of eight billion toilet flushes enter the Thames in central London.  But the long wait for London’s Super Sewer is almost over; at 25km long and 7.2m in diameter, running mostly under the tidal section of the Thames and due for completion in 2025, it will capture, store and convey almost all the raw sewage and rainwater that currently overflows into the estuary. It has been designed to protect the river for at least the next 120 years.

Bazalgette Tunnel Ltd (BTL) is the licensed infrastructure provider set up to finance, build, and maintain the Thames Tideway Tunnel.   Back in 2011 the project team, commonly known as Tideway, identified that a geospatial strategy was vital to the success of this massive infrastructure project.

Esri’s ArcGIS System has supported Tideway’s needs during every phase of the project from concept planning with Desktop GIS, implementing web mapping supporting the public planning hearings in 2013 in the early days of digital construction to a modern, integrated information management portal-based tool.

Tideway’s geospatial strategy means that the company can deliver one consistent means of engagement with its stakeholders including its three construction joint venture partners, the systems integrator, Thames Water - the future operator - as well as government, public and community groups.  At any one time, hundreds of Tideway and partner colleagues use the centralised information portal, GeoViewer, where data pertaining to many aspects of the project can be accessed. This includes, but not exclusively, planning records, tender selection and the acquisition of construction sites, riverbed surveys and construction progress tracking.

GeoViewer has been used at every single stage of Tideway, one of Europe’s biggest environmental infrastructure projects, and gives users a quick, simple and easy way to share and view data and interrogate the status of activities. Maps and dashboards provide intuitive means of sharing information, and tools to run business functions as well as supporting workflow management are used by more than one in three people involved in the project, from accountants to engineers on the ground.

During the public planning enquiry in 2013, the web platform was used as a tool for participants to view hundreds of digital maps, rather than producing analogue printed versions, saving time and money during the hearings and speeding up the Development Consent Order process. Additional tools were added when the project tendered for construction and supporting services, enabling the Tideway team to plan for and visualise the next five-year cycle and beyond sharing the same, consistent information with its partners.

As ArcGIS Enterprise itself developed, GeoViewer’s functionality became further enhanced. Web applications were built to record and support different enabling activities including land acquisition, site preparation and environmental consents. Dashboards have been quickly spun up to clearly show progress of works and activities. The GeoViewer platform also ensures that all plans and activities are retained and can be archived, fulfilling regulatory requirements and enabling Tideway to fulfil its statutory obligations.

ArcGIS Online continues to be used principally for public engagement with the publication of StoryMaps, such as the live-screen dataset map published during the tunnelling period, letting the public see the location of the tunnel boring machines during different stages excavations. This one StoryMap gained over 2.4 million hits in the four years it ran live.

Improved outcomes
Having one, single repository for data means that all stakeholders have access to the same information across the entire project, from beginning to the end. Consistent, accurate data reduces the risk of data duplication and potential for error, helping all four joint ventures and stakeholders to make better decisions, contributing towards the best possible outcomes for a successful project.

Enhanced community engagement
Details and activities can be shared externally through tools including StoryMaps resulting in high levels of public engagement such as the 2.4 million hits for the Tunnel Boring Machine Map.

Fulfilling regulatory requirements
The GeoViewer portal consolidates all records of activity throughout the duration of entire infrastructure construction process, creating a contemporaneous history of what happened, when and why. These evidential records of activity can be quickly and easily accessed and referred to as required, acting as a record of proof and demonstrating that all regulatory requirements have been met.

Speed of deployment
The GeoViewer platform has supported Tideway during every single phase of the project. The ability to quickly spin up tools and dashboards means that all business needs are supported as and when required and having a centralised view in an easily digestible format means Tideway can monitor overall efficiency, with users needing no specialist GIS skills to access information.

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) strategies have been introduced to mitigate against the impact of construction projects, and the Environment Act 2021 makes BNG mandatory for all but small sites with Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA). However, the legislated requirements can be complex and time consuming. The process is constantly changing, and it can be difficult for developers and their partners to keep pace.

AtkinsRéalis’ Geospatial team observed that, at any one point, there could be up to 500 people working on large development projects such as a road design or rail construction, and every individual team member requires the most accurate, up-to-date data. This could be within a single large multidisciplinary organisation or spread across multiple contractors. And the specialties required use vastly different techniques, terminology and task plans; an ecologist surveying badger setts for instance, versus a civil engineer considering the curve of a junction. Offering the same centrally managed data to all is a challenge, but also an opportunity for enhanced collaboration, and development of innovative methods such as BNG analytics.

When designing its SpatialCDE in 2015, AtkinsRéalis identified the opportunity for major process improvements; what was required was a standardised, geospatial approach to improve workflows, bring context to reporting and increase collaboration across all the contractors on any one project. The development of a common SpatialCDE techstack has enabled design and roll-out of multiple tools, frequently utilitising the ArcGIS python powered widgets within interactive WebApps.

AtkinsRéalis knew that the ArcGIS System offered the versatility it required to create an integrated digital geospatial platform and data system. The resultant AtkinsRéalis SpatialCDE (Spatial Common Data Environment) combines spatial analysis techniques with qualitative assessments, enabling a broad range of specialists working on any one construction project to share data, insights and knowledge.

Field workflows are now streamlined with ArcGIS Field Maps, which is downloadable to any mobile device. Ecologists use map-driven mobile forms to capture different assets and observations to complete their work efficiently and accurately. Data is automatically uploaded to the AtkinsRéalis SpatialCDE and, where there is no reliable data connection, they can continue to work offline.

Portal for ArcGIS allows users across a complex project to access the AtkinsRéalis SpatialCDE with a simple log-in and, with its gallery of spatial apps including Map Viewer and ArcGIS Dashboards, view and analyse data collected in 2D and 3D. A custom integration of FME and Microsoft Azure enables the data management toolbox used to manage both primary data collection, and data collated from other sources such as the Environment Agency. The whole platform is aligned with ISO 19650 and is BIM Level 2 compliant.

Flexibility is another important requirement for the AtkinsRéalis team. The FME server back end allows the team to update any legislative changes or project requirements. Using ArcGIS Python libraries, the team can build custom tools quickly and easily, vital for new Environmental Risk Assessments, and for Bio Net Gain. These can now be spun up in a matter of hours, rather than the weeks previously taken.

AtkinsRéalis initially integrated Esri’s ArcGIS System into the SpatialCDE in Europe in 2021. Since then, access has been widened to Canada and the USA, as well as to colleagues in the Middle East, and plans include extending the Spatial CDE to teams in the Asia Pacific region.

Tangible cost and time savings
More efficient workflows and vastly improved data management is saving projects in the region of £300,000 per annum. Ecologists spend less time collecting data and have their time freed up to explore new processes and deliverables. Custom tools are deployed more quickly, each one saving £40,000 per project per quarter. Future plans include daisy-chaining to support further automation.

Gains for biodiversity
Using a proactive analysis approach, making BNG assessment within projects faster and more effective, and at reduced financial and environmental cost, AtkinsRéalis has achieved a potential 1000 per cent increase in BNG on one project alone. Taking a geospatial analytical approach mitigates against unnecessary damage and delays during the construction process, while identifying areas to conserve.

Enhanced data quality and decision-making
Improved data collection, both in speed and quality, makes it easier for ecologists on the ground to work more efficiently and effectively. Accurate and timely data is quickly and easily shared across multiple teams and organisations, further enhancing the decision-making process.

Ease of use
No specialist training is required to access the SpatialCDE, and its intuitive user interface makes it easy for new users to become familiar with interrogating data. As a one-stop-shop the SpatialCDE supports all spatial and statistical data needs, with easy-to-share maps and dashboards that improve everyone’s understanding of the project in hand.

The largest water and water recycling company in England and Wales by geographic area, Anglian Water is committed to improving the sustainability of its operations. Driven by its ethos ‘Love Every Drop,’ it aims to reduce water leakage and deliver a high quality service to its seven million customers.

Like other water companies across the UK, it is challenged by climate change. In particular, extreme weather events are leading to increased flooding and pollution. Anglian Water wanted to be able to better manage these risks and plan maintenance works more proactively to help it protect the environment.

Anglian Water uses solutions from Esri’s ArcGIS system to help it visualise and manage the entire water cycle, from supplying and distributing it to customers’ taps to treating it and putting it back into rivers. Providing a digital twin of the water and waste water network, ArcGIS is used both on desktops and in the field, where engineers refer to ArcGIS mobile apps on tablets to find assets and understand how the water is moving.

One of the organisation’s most recent innovations with ArcGIS is a Water Recycling Risk Tool that enables employees to better understand where future flooding and pollution events are more likely to occur. The tool analyses the performance of sewers according to fifteen risk factors, ranging from material, size, proximity to the water course, historic pollutions, floodings, blockages and proximity to bathing areas. The results of this analysis are then visualised on interactive maps in ArcGIS Online.

Employees use operational dashboards, created with ArcGIS Online, to gain full visibility of risks and interrogate the data. Using these dashboards, employees can easily see hotspots of potential risk highlighted on digital maps. They can then plan proactive risk mitigation activities and proactive maintenance strategies, rather than relying predominantly on reactive approaches, such as fixing sewers when pollution events occur.

Anglian Water plans to further develop its Water Recycling Risk Tool in the future by incorporating telemetry data from remote sensors, machine learning and AI tools. In this way, it aims to give employees a real-time view of what is going on across the network, so that they can further improve their ability to predict where pipe bursts and blockages might occur.

Effective implementation of proactive risk mitigation
Through the development of its Water Recycling Risk Tool, Anglian Water has been able to successfully change its business model from reactive interventions to proactive risk mitigation. As Laura Hinchcliffe, Geospatial Reporting Manager, explains, this is helping it to address the challenges of pollutions and floodings. “We want to make sure that we are protecting the environment and our customers,” she says. “With ArcGIS, we are able to display our data clearly and visually. We can, therefore, identify where our hotspots are and target them proactively.”

£1 million in cost savings
The new proactive approach has led to a reduction in customer service issues relating to blockages and has contributed to significant cost savings. Engineers have one single source of the truth, so less time is wasted on unnecessary callouts and aborted works, and carbon emissions are reduced. “The project has been a massive success,” says Michael Wingell, Geospatial Strategy Manager at Anglian Water. “In the first year of operations, we have targeted a million pounds’ worth of saving.”

51% reduction in blockages
Just six months after the Water Recycling Risk Tool was deployed, Anglian Water reduced blockages by half, with just 436 blockages recorded, as compared to the 899 that were predicted. “We’ve had a 51% reduction in blockages and moved 8 tonnes of debris, which is more than the size of five blue whales,” says Wingell. “Yet, I feel like this is only the start of the journey in terms of how we use the risk tool. As we develop more and more data sets, it will allow us to much better target sewers accordingly.”

Well-informed decision-making
The use of ArcGIS Online Dashboards improves data sharing throughout the organisation, ensuring all stakeholders are making decisions based on the same up-to-date information. As information is available on demand, on digital maps, decisions can also be made more quickly and teams dispatched immediately to the exact locations of events like flooding incidents. Victoria Wilkinson, Strategy Manager at Anglian Water, comments: “By embedding digital technology into the decision-making processes within our business, we can drive change and improve performance.”

Responsible for moving seven billion litres of water and wastewater as part of its daily water cycle, through 31,000km of managed water mains and 109,400km of managed sewerage mains, Thames Water serves 15 million wastewater customers across London and the Thames Valley.

Its ability to extract and gain optimum value from different data sources is integral to supporting its ability to extend, improve and maintain robust and resilient drainage and wastewater systems while fulfilling its regulatory requirements, including the Drainage and Wastewater Management Plan (DWMP).  Regulatory body Ofwat also requires water companies to demonstrate open and trustworthy data ecosystems.

At the outset of developing its data sharing portal, Thames Water was faced with colossal amounts of data from a multitude of internal and external sources.   “We had so much data only available to a small group of users, it was difficult to visualise or understand it,” said Graeme Kasselman, London System Planning Lead. To solve this complex challenge the company identified the need for a technology platform that could incorporate this data all in one place and give internal and external stakeholders the ability to analyse and inform predictive planning, while providing the public with an engagement portal to provide their input.

In the co-creation of its DWMP, Thames Water worked with around 2,000 partner organisations and stakeholders on national, regional and local levels as well as the general public. To fulfil its DWMP obligations, Thames Water identified three critical deployments that could be built using ArcGIS Enterprise for internal and ArcGIS Online for external data management, access and collaboration.

These deployments needed to be quick and streamlined, offer different levels of access and be easy to update. “We have a principle within our teams to use COTS products, though we also need the ability to deliver on specialised requirements,” said Louise Bates, GIS Architect for Thames Water.

The System Planning Portal, the heart of the data sharing portal, resides in ArcGIS Enterprise and provides the single, central data repository. The GIS team used ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Data Interoperability Extension Tool to perform the detailed analysis required and then prepare the data, which was passed to the platform team to publish content including layers, services and maps in the apps, making it securely available to a wider internal audience. This System Planning Portal also ensures that the DWMP is reflective of the combined views of technical specialists incorporating external datasets like the CAMELLIA (Community Water Management for a Liveable London) project.

The Practitioners DWMP Portal is an external enterprise platform, using data from the System Planning Portal. Views are replicated from the System Planning Portal, such as hotspots, but with anonymised data attributes thereby preventing the release of data which may have an adverse impact on an individual or property.

This partnership working tool ensures that the DWMP is reflective of the combined views of technical specialists especially Lead Local Flooding authorities and River Catchment Partnerships, while optimising overall efficacy of the plan.

The Customer Portal, built in ArcGIS StoryMaps is an external public resource giving non-specialists the ability to view the DWMP, gain access to data and input ideas and share data.  A series of interactive maps provide complete transparency of reporting from initial catchment screening and risk assessments to the main outputs of the final plan.

Optimising value from data
Diverse datasets from multiple sources are now centralised in one single, end-to-end solution, giving users the ability to analyse, plan and undertake predictive modelling fundamental to the evolution of the DWMP. Different layers can be analysed that show previously hidden insights, helping the business to better understand what it needs to do to support better operational performance and improve customer satisfaction.

Enhancing stakeholder involvement
The System Planning Portal, Practitioners DWMP and Customer Portals all deliver on data sharing requirements which include access to comprehensive, evidence-based and transparent data. Internal and external stakeholders are empowered with unprecedented, secure access to the same data, analysis and views while the general public can interrogate, interact with and share data for submission.

Improved business efficiency
ArcGIS Enterprise and ArcGIS Online mitigate the need for different software solutions and the GIS team now has the tools and views making it easier to implement updates. Ready-to-go capabilities and tools limit the need for coding, so that internal requests can be responded to in a matter of weeks rather than six months, helping to add value to the business.

Driving collaboration with stakeholders
Both portals and the ArcGIS StoryMap are driving collaboration both internally and externally. Stakeholders have access to the same data, though at different levels of detail for optimal security, enabling the company to present a fully transparent, evidence-based picture of its operations and future planning frameworks to all its stakeholders, while addressing regulatory requirements.

Fauna & Flora works to protect all kinds of nature from pygmy hippos and turtles to ancient magnolia trees and seagrass meadows.  Through partnerships with local communities, the charity addresses some of the most challenging global issues, including habitat destruction, illegal poaching and plastic pollution.

In conservation projects in Africa and the Asia-Pacific, around 30 conservationists had begun to use open-source geographic information system (GIS) software to map habitat changes.  Outside of these small pockets of GIS usage, however, the technology was not widely known within the organisation and there was no common approach.  “There were other teams who were not using GIS and didn’t know that they needed it,” explains Harriet Branson, Technical Specialist, Remote Sensing and GIS, at Fauna & Flora.  “We wanted to make a wider range of GIS capabilities available to everyone and have a single GIS strategy for the whole organisation.”

After evaluating different options, Fauna & Flora opted for Esri’s ArcGIS system, recognising that it offered a complete package of desktop, online and mobile solutions for analysing geospatial data, collecting data, story-telling, monitoring change on dashboards, sharing data via web maps and storing data centrally.  “We felt that having a full range of GIS tools and capabilities, all in one place, would boost the accessibility and use of GIS throughout our organisation,” recalls Branson.

The Conservation Technology Team at Fauna & Flora implemented ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Pro, utilising the Esri UK training catalogue.  It then organised live training sessions, with follow-along activities, to make regional teams aware of the ArcGIS capabilities available to them and show them how to best use their new GIS resources.

Almost immediately, the number of people using GIS internationally doubled from 30 to 60 and, within four years, there were more than 175 people using ArcGIS across 20 countries.  These employees now use GIS for far more than just map generation, taking advantage of the full the range of ArcGIS solutions to gain insights, streamline data collection in the field, aid collaboration and improve data sharing.

In north west Liberia and southern Guinea, for example, Fauna & Flora used ArcGIS Pro classification tools on the desktop to create landcover mapping at three time intervals between 2000 and 2019.  The regional team then used ArcGIS Survey123 on mobile devices to verify existing land cover conditions and conducted further analysis with ArcGIS Online to identify priority restoration areas, including wildlife corridors.

Fauna & Flora has developed a host of ArcGIS web apps and ArcGIS StoryMaps to aid communication and raise awareness of conservation projects.  Visually stunning and highly compelling, two of its StoryMaps have been named as finalists in Esri’s global StoryMap competition: The Guardians of Cao Vit Gibbons; and Community-Based Wildlife Crime Prevention.

Deeper insight into conservation challenges
The creation of a single organisation-wide GIS platform triggered a massive uplift in the use of GIS. Geospatial data analysis is now routinely used to inform a wide range of conservation projects and has revealed far deeper insight into the challenges of climate change, pollution, deforestation and habitat loss. “Being able to analyse data in a robust, accurate way is what makes conservation work,” explains Branson. “We can now properly understand deforestation risks and how are species moving across the landscape and all this knowledge allows us to implement effective conservation strategies in the right locations.”
 
More efficient data collection and data sharing
By using ArcGIS Survey123 on mobile devices, instead of paper-based survey methods, Fauna & Flora has significantly improved the efficiency of its data collection workflows and achieved a tenfold increase in data sharing between in-country teams and the charity’s UK headquarters. In Uganda, for instance, monthly primate species surveys are now available for analysis in the UK and Uganda almost straight away, saving at least five days per survey round. Consequently, faster decisions can be made about where buffer crop planting might be required in response to chimpanzee presence.

Improved visualisation of conservation priorities
Fauna & Flora can clearly visualise its data with ArcGIS to better understand the pressures on the natural environment and see where interventions are most needed. “ArcGIS allows us to visualise the landscape, monitor patterns across time and location, and see more clearly where conservation activities are urgently needed,” Branson says. “Using ArcGIS we can, for example, begin to understand the relationship between cardamon growth and the thinning of the forest canopy and then make better decisions about what to do.”

Effective empowerment of partners and communities
Through the use of ArcGIS web apps, dashboards and story maps, Fauna & Flora can more easily share information with corporate partners, regional stakeholders and local communities and empower them to make the best decisions. In a recent marine sensitivity project in the Adriatic, the charity created an ArcGIS web app for a corporate partner that enabled it to interrogate grid cells and look deeper into the data. As Branson says: “Sharing our data in visual formats makes it easier for other people to use it to improve their efforts on the ground, prioritise conservation projects and understand impacts on a wider scale.”

The sustainable infrastructure company Amey was approached by a client with a data analysis and data visualisation conundrum.  Go Ahead Group, the operator of Plymouth CityBus, wanted to instigate a data-driven approach to public transport planning in the city of Plymouth to help it plan future bus services and encourage more sustainable travel choices.

Amey used its Citi Logik^TM capability and mobile network data to show people movements, consisting of many millions of individual trips in Plymouth, but this pivotal dataset extended to tens of millions of rows.  Recognising the challenges of working with big data, Go Ahead Group then asked Amey to help it gain insight from this vast dataset and present the findings visually in a format that could be easily understood.

Amey first narrowed down the feature classes within the dataset, focusing on the types of information that would be most useful for Go Ahead Group, including the time of travel and age bands.  It then used a Feature Manipulation Engine (FME) to convert the raw data provided by Citi  Logik^TM into a coherent geospatial dataset and began to process and analyse it with Esri’s ArcGIS Pro software.

Amey took advantage of powerful tools within ArcGIS Pro to build links between journey origins and journey destinations, enabling it to visually represent journeys as “desire lines” on digital maps.  It also leveraged spatio-temporal data, to highlight when people travelled, by time, day of the week and school term or school holiday period.  In this way, Amey was able to analyse and learn from the movements of thousands of mobile devices and five million observed trips undertaken in Plymouth in a single month.

Next Amey created three ArcGIS Dashboards, to enable its clients at Go Ahead Group to easily interact with the ArcGIS maps and filter the data to view, for example, journeys to a specific location or journeys near an existing bus route.  Using this insight, Go Ahead Group can now plan bus routes in the right locations and vary its services by time and season to capitalise on demand.  The dashboards are hosted on Amey’s ArcGIS Enterprise platform, making it easy for Amey to share them with its client in a secure and controlled way.

In recognition of the project’s innovative approach, Amey received the Public Transport Award at the Intelligent Transport Systems UK 2023 Award Presentation Ceremony.  Judges commented: “The project showed the impact of using data to support increasing ridership.  A very worthwhile project with a clear outcome and impact!”

Abstract big data turned into valuable business tool
Amey has successfully taken a vast amount of abstract data and turned it into a highly valuable transport planning tool for Go Ahead Group.  “The project was technically challenging due to the enormous volume of data to process, but ArcGIS enabled us to remove the complexity and make millions of rows of data understandable to everyone,” says Kieran Fitzsimmons, GIS National Lead at Amey.  “ArcGIS adds value to big data by giving it a geographic context.”

Clear visualisation of 850,000 daily journeys
Mobile network data for 850,000 daily journeys is now displayed on interactive maps, so it is easy for Go Ahead Group to identify patterns in journey types and understand the need for bus services, by location, time of day and time of year.  According to Fitzimmons, “The most important part of this project was visualising the data.  ArcGIS enables our clients to see journeys on a map of Plymouth and surrounding areas and compare them to existing bus routes.”

Improved decision-making using dashboards
The clarity provided by the ArcGIS Dashboards enables transport planners at Go Ahead Group to make evidence-based, data-driven decisions about the future of bus services in Plymouth.  They can easily use the interactive charts and maps on the dashboards to focus on specific locations and bus routes and plan new services in the right places to meet the needs of customers and encourage greater use of buses.  Mark Anderson, Customer and Commercial Director at Go Ahead, says: “This is an excellent project which helps us to shape services to meet our customers’ needs.  It is a good example of the way big data can be used in an imaginative, visually striking, accessible way.”

Rapid, cost-effective project delivery
By taking advantage of pre-built tools, included as standard in ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Enterprise, Amey was able to complete this entire project in around six weeks for Go Ahead Group.  What is more, Amey now has a repeatable process that it can use to help more transport providers evaluate their bus services and better meet passenger requirements.  “There is a definite appetite for data-driven solutions like this that help transport companies to understand demand for bus services,” Fitzsimmons says.  “What we have is a proven methodology for using mobile network data to gain insight into transport needs that we can now offer to other organisations in more cities and regions around the country.”