GIS and BIM: Integrating Powerful Technologies

ENR Features HDR Experience with Effectively Streamlining GIS and BIM

Geographic information systems and building information modeling each help project teams complete work with new levels of accuracy and coordination, and combining these tools can help designers and contractors to better communicate and share single source of truth information. With new integrations between these technologies, project teams can realize enhanced efficiencies, removing the need to duplicate information from one ecosystem to another.

ENR detailed the increasing integration between the two technologies in September 2021. The publication highlighted Cameron Schaefer, HDR’s transportation data acquisition and reality mesh director, and the firm’s work in this space.

He pointed to our work on the Ontario Line Subway, a CA$10.9 billion project for which HDR is serving as a technical advisor.

ENR detailed how HDR merges BIM and GIS for that project.

“HDR’s BIM 360 common data environment shows project progress on a weekly basis, including design progression that integrates a 2D design layout and 3D information to help designers and contractors better contextualize how information fits together,” the article states.

Through enhanced Integrations with the ability to overlay reality capture data, the power of GIS tools enables a new level of understanding.

“It’s one thing to bring the 3D models into a GIS environment where you’re looking at a generally flat at grade GIS Map, but you’re not getting the context and the accuracy of the buildings, grading or drainage in relation to real world elevations," Schaefer told the publication. “With our reality capture data, we have assets like the streetlights and the guy wires. You’re seeing all of that collectively when you bring in the high resolution point cloud data.”

Read the whole interview in “GIS and BIM Take First Major Steps to Integration.”