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EGIS for better work management
Eng. Amina Ali Hashem
B. Pradeep Kumar,
Dubai Electricity & Water Authority - Drawing and
Permits Department, Dubai, UAE
Pradeep.Kumar@dewa.gov.ae
Dubai Electricity and
Water Authority
(DEWA) is responsible
for the management and implementation
of several service
infrastructure projects in Dubai.
In order to enable efficient planning,
operations and maintenance of its
service network, the generated data
needs to be timely captured in a GIS
system. To achieve this and to meet
the growing demand for accurate &
reliable facility information on its Service
infrastructure components i.e.,
Electric & Water Network service, His
Excellency Saeed Mohammad Al Tayer
Managing Director & CEO of DEWA
established a GIS committee in May
2006. The GIS committee initiated a
pilot project on "Automation of field
facilities digital data collection". The
objective of this project was to establish
procedures for the GIS data collection
by mapping infrastructure construction
progress in near or
real time which would facilitate
project supervision of the
Construction
Field
Works. This GIS data collection, compilation
and capture processes will integrate
within the scope of Projects &
Engineering activity in establishing
DEWA Service Network Facilities.
Updation of the data, in near real
time, is achieved using data collection
devices like DGPS and the collected
data is transmitted by mobile phone
though GPRS. The site personnel have
the area map displayed on their hand
held devices, loaded with GPS Analyst
and Arc Pad (mobile GPS/GIS software
for field mapping applications) on
tablet PC. The display of projects shop
drawings for resident site engineers on
tablet PC enables them to simultaneously
check the quality of the collected
data at the site. This replaces the paper
drawings used for mark up of site
measurement and recording facility
deviations in project scope at site.
The deployment of mobile data collection
devices & procedure at DEWA
project construction sites for collection
and management of field data to an
accuracy of +/- 50cm is a step in GIS
data automation. This process is
known as Field Facilities Digital
Data Collection (FFDDC). Further,
a separate study is being carried
out in the development
of methods and
procedure for adapting
RFID based asset tagging
for buried cable/
pipes during installation
in construction
project. Further, a geovideo
referencing camera
will also be deployed
to record cable configuration
before the back filling of the cable
trench. This image will be associated
with the route facility feature of the
DEWA-GIS. The GIS data automation
through FFDDC benefits DEWA by,
- Making availability of near real-time
DEWA Service Network facilities "As
Laid" information in GIS
- Reducing paper work at project sites
which is an initiative towards paper less
work environment
- Timely quality GIS data collection at
source point, which is critical to build
accurate and reliable information on
DEWA assets
- Expedites construction activity by
scheduling, monitoring, tracking and
follow-up operations and
- Lowers dependency on the "As Built"
waiting period and quickens GIS
updates supporting planning activity for
new DEWA projects.
Building this improved/ enhanced
model of its infrastructure facility in
GIS will facilitate accurate and reliable
facility information through GIS which
in turn will enable the engineers to
better understand, analyze and manage
resources and facilities in a fastpaced
development environment. In
addition, DEWA-GIS has embarked on
identifying the gaps in all the components
and updating the GIS system
(facility information systems) in order
to become reliable and accurate by hiring
a GIS Consultancy Service. This is a
clear indication that GIS is a critical
component for strategic planning for
DEWA projects and also for the construction,
maintenance and operations
of DEWA facility infrastructure.