Bentley Solutions: The Corporate Standard at Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council

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1 Bentley Solutions: The Corporate Standard at Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council Having grown from three MicroStation licenses purchased in 1993, Bentley technology is now the Council s corporate standard. MicroStation, MicroStation GeoGraphics, and MicroStation GeoOutlook are being used in every department requiring a CAD or mapping-based solution to cut costs and save time. In one case, a project s timeline was cut from four years down to just four months. Located in the northwest of England, between the city of Manchester and the Yorkshire Moors, Oldham was one of the world s leading cotton spinning towns in the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, Oldham is a thriving cultural and business centre that s home to more than 210,000 people, and Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council (Oldham MBC) provides a wide range of services to its citizens. In an effort to streamline the delivery of these services and increase efficiency among its departments, Oldham MBC sought an integrated solution to create a seamless data flow of property-related information. All departments can now access each other s information through a single, common graphical interface, whether it be a map and associated attribution data created by Land and Property, a road design scheme created by Highways, a building plan created by Architects or a school design scheme created by Education. Bentley s products from creation tools to back office data management, integration to publishing solutions also aid the Borough in meeting their e-government strategy of an integrated property data model. SUMMARY Organization Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council Vertical Market Geospatial Location Oldham, Manchester, UK Project Objectives Implement an integrated IT system for the management of property and engineering data for: Direct access to data by authorised departments Quicker, more responsive system Improved efficiency from elimination of redundant data Lower cost of administration Shorter project-completion times Compliance with e-government requirements Fast Facts All departments can now access each other s information through a single, common graphical interface MicroStation GeoGraphics and MicroStation GeoOutlook are used to electronically record and analyse all propertyrelated information within Property Services Bentley technology is now at the core of the Council s use of IT Bentley Products Used MicroStation V8 GeoGraphics GeoOutlook Bentley PowerMap

2 Building a case for Bentley software In November 1993, Property Services, along with the Council s IT Development staff, conducted a review of its systems and procedures. Property Services prime responsibility was to administer the Council s land and property assets, recording ownership, occupation, acquisition, and disposal of all the Council s land and property. The review identified that the Terrier section within Property Services was still using paper-based maps, a card index, and a microfiche system to register deed information. It had no CAD or GIS capabilities, yet was nevertheless required to provide timely and accurate information in order to maximise the value of Council-held property. Its method of recording information on the Ordnance Survey (OS) paper maps was proving highly inefficient. Changes to boundary details, for example, involved erasing and redrawing new boundary outlines and updates to the paper-based OS maps. Throughout the year, many changes were required, the maps began to suffer, and clarity was lost. The introduction of a computerised mapping system, along with the consolidation of property information into a new property management package, was essential if the department was to continue to provide an efficient, responsive, and cost-effective service. Property Services sought an integrated mapping and property information system-one that was both easy to use and administer, but also allowed the Terrier section to quickly respond to change. It needed to provide instant search and access to data, be flexible in design and, most importantly, be able to grow and adapt as the requirements placed on the section changed. It was this flexibility, the ability to customise in-house, and the robustness of MicroStation that proved decisive when various software and hardware options were investigated. After careful consideration, MicroStation GeoGraphics was chosen for the Terrier section. The Council considered numerous property management packages before deciding to develop a system for the property database in house. The two systems would then be linked together, allowing users to make enquiries of the database directly from digital maps. A new and improved solution The new system would allow staff direct access to information, resulting in a greater control of work, reduction in paperwork, and a quicker, more responsive system. Property Services was determined to not simply computerise the paper-based system and recognised that, if the systems adopted were flexible, full corporate use by other departments wishing to store and access data was possible. Direct access to data by authorised departments would improve the Borough s effectiveness, in turn providing an improved service to the public of Oldham. The original system was installed in May, 1994, and, through the use of MicroStation and Bentley I/RAS B, its library of OS Landline paper maps was scanned, warped, and converted to raster before digitising and validating every land parcel within the Borough. The benefits to Property Services quickly began to be seen. The introduction of MicroStation GeoGraphics and MicroStation GeoOutlook for data creation, review, and plotting of data meant it could easily load, edit and plot seamless OS digital maps, significantly reducing the amount of time and cost in preparing plans. By 1995, a period of just 18 months, Property Services had created one of the first computer-based land Terriers in the country, enabling the department to simply click a shape on a map and immediately access details on the authorities assets. Today, MicroStation GeoGraphics and MicroStation GeoOutlook are used to electronically record and analyse all property-related information within Property Services. The overall solution s efficiency has improved still further by configuring MicroStation to suit the specific needs of individual users, as it is simple to use and does not require in-depth technical expertise to operate. Expansion to other departments Following a reorganisation exercise within Oldham MBC, Technical Services, an amalgamation of Property Services, Architects, Engineers (M&E + HVAC), and Highways was formed, and a departmental Systems Administrator post was created to ensure each section worked together. Architects was the first department to join Property Services in adopting MicroStation as its desired solution. At the time, the architects were using MicroStation to model and visualise new buildings and, by standardising file format DGN they were able to use the plans provided by Property Services as the basis for their work. The next department to take the Bentley route was Housing. Staff within this department is responsible for the management, refurbishment, and general ongoing maintenance of all council-owned housing accommodation. Seeing how their colleagues in the Architects section had benefited from this new set of tools, Housing was quick to follow, spotting potential areas where it, too, with the help of Bentley software, could enhance existing workflows. In Highways, each section began to use Bentley software to suit its purposes. First was Transportation, which is responsible for recording and updating records of the Adopted Highways within the Borough. Previously, using a single copy of Fastmap to view and print OS maps, Transportation began to see the progress and benefits experienced by other sections and switched to the Bentley solution. MicroStation GeoOutlook replaced Fastmap, and MicroStation was used for data capture, making the information available to all Bentley users.

3 Highway designers had been using Infrasoft s MX to design and maintain the Borough s roads. MX was already used in conjunction with MicroStation using translators, but their job was made easier in 2002 with the introduction of MX in MicroStation. MX in MicroStation meant the design tools could now run fully within MicroStation, generating DGNs directly from the model data itself. Bentley s acquisition of Infrasoft early in 2003 should significantly enhance the level of data integration. Bentley becomes Oldham MBC s corporate solution By this time, DGN as the preferred file format was spreading throughout the Council, and, in May, 2001, it was decided Oldham MBC needed a corporate strategy to include every department. The post of Support Systems Administrator If, for example, a new school or college is being planned: Land and Property uses MicroStation and MicroStation GeoGraphics to create a map and purchase the required land Architects use that same plan and design the new building using MicroStation Highway Engineers designs the surrounding infrastructure, roads, etc., before passing the plans to Contractors, which builds it The systems and processes in place were working well together, and, from this point on, if anyone required software, Bentley was the preferred choice. Even within sections where previously AutoCAD had been purchased to address a specific requirement, the amount of DGN-based data was growing at a rapid rate, and it made sense for all departments to adopt the corporate solution. The Bentley V8 generation of products strengthened this case. MicroStation V8 and its direct support for AutoCAD s DWG data format means users can open a DWG and directly edit it using MicroStation tools, and data supplied by clients can be integrated into the corporate data model effortlessly. MicroStation GeoOutlook is currently the most widely used Bentley application within Oldham MBC. Its successor, Bentley PowerMap, provides users with tools for seamless map display, thematic mapping and analysis equal to their counterparts found in MicroStation GeoGraphics. Information created with Bentley PowerMap can be used directly in a MicroStation or MicroStation GeoGraphics environment this functionality made available to the everyday user takes ease-of-use to an entirely new level. (CAD & GIS) was created within Corporate IT and specifically tasked with the job of developing this strategy. After careful consideration, the decision was made to make Bentley the corporate solution. The successful use of Bentley software throughout Oldham MBC, made the difference, as, within a relatively short amount of time, four previously disparate sections were now working together. Initially, there were some reservations to the adoption of new technology. However, once the benefits of Bentley s integrated solution became evident, they soon bought into the concept. Today, Oldham MBC only creates information once. Each piece of data is stored in a central location where anyone who needs to access it can do so from their own desk. Individuals are responsible for maintaining their data and updating the centrally stored version for all to see. Technology today and into the future The location and format of content within the Council s database is carefully controlled and monitored by members of the Asset Management Group. Representatives from each department ensure their users get a solution tailored to their needs and, more importantly, that any information that can be attributed to an address within the Borough is only stored once. Currently, Oldham MBC is evaluating Bentley Publisher. This dynamic Web-publishing tool will enable both internal and external users, such as clients, contractors, and potentially members of the public, to query, view, and print information held by the Council via a simple Web browser. Bentley s engineering content management system ProjectWise could play an important part in Oldham MBC s day-to-day work, providing greater control and management of the information held by the Council.

4 MicroStation GeoGraphics and GeoOutlook are now used in every department requiring a CAD or mapping-based solution. They include: Corporate Security. MicroStation GeoGraphics is used to record security details of all buildings for which Oldham MBC has responsibility, including capturing and maintaining information, such as the position of all closed-circuit TVs. Bridges and Structures. Oldham MBC has an obligation to record and monitor all structures and retaining walls within the Borough. A combination of MicroStation, MicroStation GeoGraphics, and MicroStation GeoOutlook linked to various datasets provides the solution. Bentley products are used to create graphical links between digital maps and the records stored about each retaining wall and structure in the Borough. Users can query information, such as age and condition, before generating reports and schedules. Oldham MBC was able to demonstrate their progressive and innovative methods and, as a result of the report, was awarded 14 million of capital funding by central Government to care for issues identified. The Council believes that Bentley solutions have been a major factor for the funding being made available. Support Services. MicroStation GeoGraphics is used to record and maintain information on the Council s urban development plan, bicycle routes, sites of scientific interest, listed buildings, and conservation areas. Environmental Services. Environmental Services role is to ensure that sites containing contaminated land within the Borough do not present an environmental hazard and that appropriate remedial work is carried out prior to any redevelopment. Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act requires the department to identify, inspect, and secure the remediation of land found to be contaminated, so Bentley tools, database records, and historic maps are used to model existing ground conditions before evaluating the inherent risk. E-Government Strategy During the late nineties, central government in the UK wished to transform the way local government worked for and with its citizens, and e-government was born. They developed a national strategy to modernise government, enhancing the quality of local services and the effectiveness of local democracy with the target of making all services available electronically by December, Where Property Services might, at the time, have been thought of as going out on a limb, the implementation of Bentley software, introduction of e-government, and the decisions made by Oldham MBC have proven critical. A key part of achieving the e-government strategy was the adoption of a centralised Local Land and Property Gazetteer (LLPG). The LLPG needed to conform to BS7666 and would define the structure for all property address data within the authority. Oldham MBC evaluated several Government accredited applications and adopted SADAS Land and Property Gazetteer provided by Elancor, one of Bentley s strategic partners. An Oracle-based system, SADAS is capable of integrating with the graphical data held within MicroStation. Although SADAS provides a full suite of modules aimed at many disciplines the authority managed, Bentley and Elancor had an open approach to integration between their LLPG and other incumbent applications. By creating links between graphics, data and applications, all were able to share a common address database adding considerable value to the LLPG. The Council s Head of Property Services believes that the development of the Local Land and Property Gazetteer utilising Bentley technology will ultimately enable all address-based property-related data to be linked together and, therefore, become a major force of e-government delivery within Oldham MBC.

5 Benefits of AEC/GIS Interoperability Bentley and ESRI s recent AEC/GIS Interoperability Initiative creates a strategic partnership whereby each will support the other s data formats. This echnology initiative will result in direct and intelligent integration between the desktop and server-based products of the two companies. Oldham MBC sees immediate benefits through the improved ability to manage and exchange the growing amount of electronic data for example, ESRI s SHP files it receives from external organisations whilst maintaining the integrity and richness of the data created. Oldham MBC s LLPG now contains in excess of 120,000 unique address references. It is the definitive source of address information within the Borough and acts as the hub for all address-based databases. A winning strategy Bentley technology is now at the core of the Council s use of IT, forming part of their long-term strategy for the future. The broad range of applications provided by Bentley and Bentley s open approach to data and application integration allowed for much of this strategy to be achieved in a relatively short period of time in the case of Oldham s LLPG: cutting a project estimated at four years down to four months. The Head of Property Services concludes, A shared vision and working in partnership with Bentley has enabled Oldham MBC to develop its information systems and share data at a rate that I never believed possible when we started the process ten years ago. The system now in place meets all the Council s requirements, eliminates duplicate information and the cost of multiple gazetteers. It allows each section to share information and, in turn, provides members of the public with an improved service. For more information on Bentley, please visit or call BENTLEY. Bentley, the B Bentley logo, GeoOutlook, MicroStation, MicroStation GeoGraphics and ProjectWise are registered trademarks; and PowerMap and Publisher are trademarks of Bentley Systems, Incorporated or Bentley Software, Inc. MX is a trademark of Infrasoft Limited. Infrasoft Limited is a wollyowned subsidiary of Bentley Systems, Incorporated. AutoCAD is a registered trademark of Autodesk, Inc. All other brands and product names are trademarks of their respective owners Bentley Systems, Incorporated. Bentley Systems, Incorporated believes the information in this publication is accurate as of its publication date. The information is subject to change without notice. BAA / /03