Digital Delivery: Partnering to Plan and Design a 21st Century Wastewater Treatment Plant in Vancouver

Metro Vancouver manages and treats wastewater and provides clean, safe drinking water through its member jurisdictions for 2.8 million residents in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia (B.C.). One way they continue to protect public health and the environment and meet the needs of a growing population is through improvements at the Northwest Langley Wastewater Treatment Plant. Within this 15-year expansion plan, Jacobs is delivering the designs for upgrades to increase capacity for future growth, improve the quality of treated water, incorporate resource recovery and reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. These critical renovations will see the Northwest Langley facility serve more than 280,000 residents within the community.

Technology for the future

While Jacobs and Metro Vancouver have used traditional approaches to design and deliver infrastructure for previous projects, for the Northwest Langley expansion, we’ve partnered to explore new ways to overcome some of the challenges that utility providers face today, like staffing shortages. By working with Metro Vancouver to incorporate innovative digital delivery methods and new ways of managing information, we’re helping to drive efficiencies in major infrastructure projects and attract an upcoming generation of the workforce interested in tech-focused roles. As a major utility provider in Canada, Metro Vancouver plays a critical role in demonstrating the benefits of these innovations for utilities nationwide. 

After completing a project definition report and indicative design, we’re now performing detailed design for the project using Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology. This shared data environment enables our teams to work together in real-time. As the design progresses, we perform model walkthrough sessions for Metro Vancouver staff, stakeholders and teammates to collaborate on the design. Using this tool, we can manage information from planning and design to construction and future operations and maintenance. 

BIM for design reviews and coordination allows Jacobs and Metro Vancouver to streamline the design review process, track design progress and access information efficiently. This use of digital delivery methods continues to be critical in delivering long-lasting and forward-thinking infrastructure projects.

“The Northwest Langley Wastewater Treatment Plant Program requires a high level of coordination as it involves multiple stakeholders spanning a variety of disciplines," says Metro Vancouver General Manager of Project Delivery Cheryl Nelms. "The use of BIM and digital delivery methods was vital in helping us fast track our design review process and coordination. As we now move toward construction, we plan to use these tools to facilitate and standardize our project management processes, enhancing productivity and efficiency for the workers and our community.”

Building tomorrow, together

Jacobs is also helping Metro Vancouver develop the overall BIM strategy across their business. Looking toward an end goal of integrating BIM to increase the efficient delivery, access and use of information associated with utility assets, Jacobs has defined a phased BIM implementation roadmap. This roadmap includes short-term goals to assist in designs and facility data collection, along with longer-term goals to foster the digital transition of this information to Metro Vancouver’s existing enterprise solutions. 

Metro Vancouver’s next priority is piloting BIM-enabled Common Data Environments (CDE) for construction and asset management. They also intend to pilot Digital Twin solutions as an asset-centric information hub. As a trusted partner for Metro Vancouver’s digital transformation, we’ll tap into our broader Digital OneWater capabilities to help unlock the full power of data solutions for the future.

“It’s inspiring to work with a client like Metro Vancouver, who has a clear vision around digital transformation and is actively working with BIM and digital technologies to support that vision,” says Jacobs Regional Technology Lead - Canada Andrew Davis. “Ownership of the process drives successful implementations, and after partnering with Metro Vancouver it’s clear to me, stakeholders are focused on integrating BIM methodologies into their business, seeking efficiencies in all aspects of their infrastructure lifecycle management.”