How Popul8 360 Digital Twin helps UBC Utilities manage its infrastructures and projects effectively.

Background Information:

Founded in 1908, the University of British Columbia is a public university serving the needs of its more than 66,000 students and their communities in the Vancouver area. With $2.82 billion in assets, UBC is one of Canada’s top universities. UBC Electrical, Energy and Network Utilities manage 300+ underground chambers and serve 250+ facilities on the Vancouver campus. UBC Utilities uses its assets to help improve the well-being of its members by being economically and environmentally sustainable.

UBC has been there from day one to help us develop a platform that solves real workflow problems by enabling connected workers to quickly create, share and use digital twins of remote and hazardous worksites.

We are using Popul8 360 digital reality to quickly plan maintenance and construction projects on campus, saving us time, money and increasing the safety of our workers by not having to enter hazardous space to complete a planning site audit 

Richard Hugley, UBC Utilities Operations & Maintenance Supervisor.

The Situation:

UBC Utilities adapted to 360 digital twin disruption back in 2016 to improve efficiency through collaboration on operations and maintenance. It was crucial for UBC to visit confined spaces and hazardous manholes safely and efficiently. In order to meet their goals, UBC partnered with Popul8 to conduct remote site visits anytime, anywhere. Popul8’s immersive 360 digital twin technology enables UBC to map utility infrastructure space by helping connected workers communicate visual information and facilitate real-time collaboration.

Manholes and underground infrastructures are dangerous and costly to visit. Popul8’s simple tools enabled UBC to visualize remote infrastructure with DYI capabilities at a low cost while eliminating risk ensuring accuracy. 360 digital twin technology provided UBC a digital solution to improve its workflow processes from supply chain to operations and maintenance. Another major benefit for UBC was the reduction of site visit costs. Enabling experts to virtually visit worksites reduces travel-related costs.

Since 2016, Popul8 has been helping UBC map its infrastructure and collaborate remotely. As being one of the first partners of Popul8, UBC has seen a significant reduction in site-related costs and an increase in efficiency. This partnership is continuing to help UBC achieve one of its top values which are sustainability and innovation.

We are working towards full Enterprise Maintenance Management Software integration. Popul8’s connectivity options give us the ability to link information and visualization quickly and efficiently 

Richard Hugley, UBC Utilities Operations & Maintenance Supervisor.