Black & Veatch has announced a strategic partnership with Rezatec to collaboratively develop decision support tools that enable owners and operators of infrastructure assets to make intelligent, business critical decisions using geospatial analytics.

Black & Veatch has joined forces with Rezatec to bring a new perspective to the management of utility infrastructure – the two companies have signed a memorandum of understanding for a strategic partnership.

The partnership unlocks the value of geospatial satellite data by combining Rezatec’s advanced analytics and Black & Veatch’s expertise in creating sustainable utility infrastructure.

Announcing the new partnership, Black & Veatch said that deterioration in asset performance is predictable for organisations equipped to understand the warning signs. A new condition assurance tool - created by Black & Veatch and Rezatec for the large, diffuse assets which characterise power and water infrastructure – helps identify the precursors to sub-optimal performance.

“Rezatec’s ability to analyse earth observation data brings a new perspective to the management of large infrastructure assets. We are excited to collaborate and use our expertise in the engineering, delivery and management of critical human infrastructure to develop decision support tools that provide highly valuable and actionable insights for our clients,” said Mark Malcolm, Director of Delivery, Black & Veatch Europe.

Rezatec applies data science, through sophisticated AI-driven analytics, to satellite-derived geospatial data to enable clients owning and operating distributed land-based assets make more accurate decisions. Rezatec’s data services enable improved margins, enhanced competitive advantage and optimised asset management.

Philip Briscoe, Chief Operating Officer, Rezatec commented:

“Through Black &Veatch’s experience and insights in the engineering and delivery of utility infrastructure and our algorithms and advanced machine learning techniques we are able to unlock the value in satellite-derived geospatial data to deliver strategic, commercial and actionable insight for our customers.”

At a time when utilities are looking to the supply chain for innovation the Rezatec partnership is the latest in a number of strategic collaborations between Black & Veatch Europe and digital technology and artificial intelligence companies.

The intention is to reduce client risk by identifying the technologies which offer real-world benefits and speed-to-value, then ensuring implementation is delivered by teams with proven knowledge of water and power engineering.

Black & Veatch Europe’s ECO-X cloud-based digital ecosystem enables integration with partners like Rezatec to provide digitally enabled asset management tools that are readily interoperable with utility clients’ IT systems.

• Other recent examples of Black & Veatch Europe’s strategy to partner with the best leading-edge technology companies include:
• Partnering with Inflowmatix to offer digitally-enabled water network management
• Partnership with Narrative Wave to demystify the creation of smart analytics, affording a significantly greater degree of co-creation with clients than off-the-shelf systems