What we do

Urban water issues are complex and multifaceted. Climate change is causing both flooding and the drying up of cities. Besides having a negative impact on urban green spaces, and consequently on a city’s liveability, these phenomena have major detrimental effects on the lifespan of the foundations of housing and offices. To understand and respond to these challenges, we apply advanced analytical and design tools in which we have embedded our knowledge and expertise. If requested, we do all this using a future-oriented Digital Twin approach.

Water safety poses a major challenge in delta areas. We are keen to contribute to the design of future-proof and (data-) intelligent water infrastructure on the basis of sound research. A Digital Twin approach can be helpful in this respect. In this approach, the physical and digital identities are inextricably linked to each other. The goal is to have traceable, future-proof and dependable water infrastructure.  Our approach results in improved efficiency and cost reductions, as well as a lower chance of failure in every stage of the life cycle. With specially designed instruments, we can look at what lies ahead together with our client, and provide assistance in designing feasible future-proof water infrastructure.

In the water management of the future, water security and water safety go hand in hand. Large parts of Europe are having to deal with flooding problems. However, dry summers are also causing natural, agricultural and urban areas to dry up. Our tools provide insight into local changes in an intuitive way and help identify  the measures that need to be taken. Moreover, thanks to our many years of experience, we can also provide underground water storage designs (ASR) with a regional scope. All this, if requested, from a Digital Twin perspective.

The steerability of our water system is essential in this regard. In this context, sensors have for years been a recognised tool in the maintenance and management of water infrastructures. They help monitor their actual condition and facilitate faster and more targeted risk management action. The goal is to maximise data-use effectiveness and thus generate deep and – for water practice – meaningful knowledge about the water system. Included within our water program.

In order to safeguard public health and a sustainable environment in the face of a growing population and increased climate volatility, the wastewater chain must be properly managed in tandem with the ground- and surface-water system. This should result in a resilient system that has the capacity to cope with extreme events; a system that is robust, reliable and therefore predictable. An outcome in which the sanitation system becomes a source of water, raw materials and energy, and not simply of waste. We make use of SAWA, our Digital Twin for Water-Smart Wastewater Management tool, to further the optimisation of wastewater chains. By providing near real-time insight into what-if scenario studies, we are able to reduce construction and maintenance costs, and share knowledge in an interactive way.