Archived GIS Snippets
Published in 2007
A-C
Advanced Metering Infrastructure and GIS Generate Big Savings for Unitil
Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) technology, combined with geographic information system (GIS) software, has significantly cut operating costs for meter reading at Unitil’s distribution operating subsidiaries in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. ESRI’s ArcGIS has given the utility greater insight about the behavior of its customers, the integrity of its system, and the direction it should take for improved performance.
Unitil’s AMI incorporates ArcGIS to process data captured from a bidirectional advanced metering system as well as data accessed from the customer information system (CIS). Based on the first year’s success, Unitil anticipates a payback within five years in labor savings and process efficiencies.
In 2004, Unitil migrated from a CAD-based mapping system to ArcGIS with Telvent Miner & Miner’s ArcFM software for asset management. Recently, the integration of GIS with AMI has extended the value of GIS for the company. “Suddenly, GIS became more to our people than making pretty maps,” explains Beth Picardi, Unitil’s GIS analyst. “The primary objective of the AMI project was to automate meter reading. In addition to those savings, we have gained a wealth of data on system performance that can be leveraged by integrating AMI with ArcGIS and other company enterprise systems.”
In 2007, Unitil deployed a system wide gas and electric AMI for 115,000 customers. Meters were retrofitted with endpoints from Hunt Technologies, LLC, which utilize power line carrier, fixed network technology to monitor and receive daily usage data. AMI data layers are created by combining data from Unitil’s CIS database with GPS meter coordinates. This information is the basis for a variety of analyses useful to engineering and operations within the company.
first published week of: 11/12/2007
Airports Authority of India Selects ESRI Enterprise GIS
Airports Authority of India (AAI), the national agency responsible for the management and maintenance of the country's civil aviation, both on the ground and in the air, has awarded the No Objection Certificate Application System (NOCAS) project to NIIT Limited, parent company of NIIT-GIS Ltd. (ESRI India), parent company of NIIT-GIS Ltd.
The enterprise-wide geographic information system (GIS) application will be Internet based with a link available at the AAI Web site. Two categories of users will have access to the site: NOC applicants and employees involved in the certification process. ArcGIS Server products will be installed on the AAI Web server and will be linked to a database server hosting ArcSDE and Microsoft's SQL Server. The application will be written using ArcGIS Server Application Development Framework (ADF) for .NET and will make use of ArcObjects, a suite of mapping and GIS components. Users will access the application through Internet browsers.
first published week of: 01/15/2007
Alabama Secures ESRI Enterprise License Agreement
The State of Alabama Information Services Division (ISD) has signed a three-year enterprise license agreement (ELA) with ESRI that will allow all state agencies to have unlimited deployments of ESRI geographic information system (GIS) software. Previously, only 29 agencies had access to ESRI GIS software, but through this agreement, more than 90 agencies will have immediate access to this critical technology. The recently formed Alabama Geospatial Office (ALGO), a department in ISD, will administer the ELA for the state.
“I am happy we could work out an agreement between the State of Alabama and ESRI,” said Jim Burns, CIO, Alabama ISD. “The enterprise-wide agreement will greatly enhance state agencies' ability to grow their suite of GIS applications.
“GIS software” he continued,“previously out of reach for most agencies, is now readily available due to the greatly reduced costs offered through the new agreement. I believe this is a win-win agreement for the state, as well as for ESRI, and we look forward to many years of working with ESRI in the development of a world-class GIS environment for the State of Alabama.”
For the State of Alabama, the benefits include the following:
- Equalizing GIS expenditures over the course of three years
- Reducing administrative and procurement costs
- Making it easier for multiple organizations to share Web services with each other and the public
“It is important for state governments to have access to the GIS technology they need to best serve the public,” said Jack Dangermond, ESRI president. “Geospatial data is tied to most state-level activities. Through this agreement, Alabama can provide all its state agencies with the GIS software they need to enhance productivity and improve efficiency across the enterprise. Additionally, the widespread implementation of GIS applications will allow for better decision support.”
first published week of: 02/11/2008
Alamogordo, NM SelectsGTG
Geographic Technologies Group, Inc. (GTG) announced that the City of Alamogordo, New Mexico purchased software and services from GTG. Alamogordo bought GTG's LGviewer and LGaddress.
LGviewer provides a set of GIS tools in a simple easy to use desktop application. LGviewer allows for visualization of land management information. Local government professionals have long desired the ability to map and analyze the spatial distribution of all data that is tracked within their enterprise IT systems. LGviewer is designed to GIS enable corporate databases in tandem with existing GIS data to provide a powerful set of tools for visualization and analysis.
LGaddress allows users to maintain address points, centerlines, and/or meter information. This tool then maintains a one-to-one relationship between that customer geography and the current in-house records such as billing, work orders, and consumption.
first published week of: 03/16/2007
Alexandria, Virginia Selects Geographic Technologies Group
Geographic Technologies Group, Inc. (GTG) announced that the City of
Alexandria, Virginia has procured software and services from GTG. The City procured additional licenses of GTG's LGmobile to expand the City's existing LG platform and purchased an upgrade of LGmobile and LGdispatch to LGcommunity connect.
Curtis Hinton, CEO and Co-owner of GTG, stated, “We are excited to continue to work with the City of Alexandria. We have worked side-by-side with Alexandria staff to provide the latest and most productive GIS Public Safety tools on the market. This latest push for mobile computing and AVL will enable the City's Public Safety staff with information that will allow them to do their job better, quicker, and safer.”
first published week of: 01/05/2007
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