The 55-strong group has been established as a dedicated business group within WSP and is now firmly positioned to support clients, partners and WSP staff when they reach for advanced technologies such as machine learning, computer vision and digital twins.
Wellington-based head of digital Daniel Jurgens says digital technologies have brought about big changes in our ability to understand the relationship between the natural and built environments. Data science especially has huge potential and is set to play an increasingly important role in helping New Zealand’s built environment become carbon neutral.
“In just a few short decades, our industry has gone from hand drawing to having 3D models connected to digital systems that all talk to one another,” he says.
“We can now collect and model data on a much finer scale, giving our planners and engineers deeper insights into system structures and dynamics. New analytics, visualisation and virtual reality technologies provide opportunities to abstract new information from that data and present it much more simply to clients.
“By combining advanced data science techniques with modelling, location and remote sensing tools, we’re working with clients to give them critical insight into their environmental, social, climate and geospatial issues. Our data-driven insights also help in digitally rehearsing construction processes, well before contractors get onsite and put spades in the ground.”
Digital representations of the built and natural environment are a major focus for WSP’s digital solutions group. These are being used on Auckland’s $4 billion City Rail Link project and played a key role in the 2021 refurbishment of the Toi Toi Arts & Events Centre and a virtual replica of the state of New South Wales. The group has also applied artificial intelligence to analyse vehicle movement on Auckland’s motorways and machine learning techniques for the New South Wales M6 motorway project.
Internationally, the group is part of a large network of peers across WSP - using ground-breaking digital technologies to help colleagues consult on big ticket projects such as the Interstate 5 bridge replacement in the US.
“The next generation of digital technologies are already delivering for our clients and demand is ramping up. We’re excited to be helping them take full advantage of the ongoing opportunities that this new wave offers, ” says Daniel.
To find out more about WSP New Zealand’s suite of digital solutions, visit our digital section.
