UK consulting engineer Mott MacDonald has teamed up with US software giant Microsoft to create a “cloud-based smart infrastructure platform” for building owners and governments.
Using asset performance modelling, analytics and artificial intelligence, the platform will help clients decide what infrastructure investments to make, and where, Mott MacDonald said.
Mott MacDonald will move its cloud-based analytics and digital twin platform – named Moata – to Microsoft’s cloud computing service Azure.
Moata is currently being used by Auckland City Council to improve the accuracy of water quality predictions and public health risks.
Oliver Hawes, Mott MacDonald’s head of smart infrastructure, said: “Smart infrastructure combines deep domain knowledge, digital technology and outcomes-based thinking to turn data into meaningful information that reveals new insights and empowers decision-making to generate much better results.
“It is vital that smart infrastructure delivers social, economic and environmental benefits for society, as well as investment return for businesses.”
“Both our organisations believe that smart solutions have a positive impact on cities and asset owners, and improve design, delivery and through-life performance of infrastructure. Cities, government, asset owners, investors and society can all benefit hugely,” Hawes added.
Trudy Norris-Grey, Microsoft’s global managing director of local and regional government, said: “This is the first time Microsoft has partnered with a company like Mott MacDonald which is not only leading the way in developing smart infrastructure but is actually implementing that technology to improve people’s lives through better decision making today.”
Image: A Microsoft office (Coolcaesar/CC BY-SA 4.0)
