By Ashley Karen
Costain, the UK-based infrastructure solutions provider is twining with Microsoft to digitally improve the way United Kingdom infrastructure is designed, operated and delivered.
Microsoft’s data-analytics, secure cloud and machine learning will combine with Costain’s engineering skills to make digital twins that will assist infrastructure operators and owners to create and extract value from their assets.
“Clients are able to do things such as virtually and remotely test designs, weather scenarios, incident response, carbon-reduction schemes, maintenance and upgrade programs with enhanced speed and accuracy. This helps ensure right first-time delivery, improved return on investment and minimizes disruption to customers,” explained Costain chief digital officer Nathan Marsh.
Already, Costain and Microsoft have been twinning – together with Mott MacDonald, Jacobs, Bentley and Farrans – to develop a digital twin for the new Anglian Water SPA (Strategic Pipeline Alliance). It is hoped that this is going to enhance management and delivery of the water system via the pipeline’s lifecycle, supplying Anglian Water with advantages in capital and operational expenditure.
The 500km line of associated infrastructure and interconnecting pipelines is going to provide water from areas of surplus in Lincolnshire to the drier south and east of the region.
