DATA-BASED APPROACH The partnership combines data analytics with built environment expertise to make specific recommendations on a single project, to ensure the best possible outcomes for the project developer
Photo by: Zutari
Since the announcement of their partnership in 2022, consulting engineering and advisory firm Zutari and AltX-listed 4Sight have refined their unique service offering by working on some of the largest and most complex mega projects in the Middle East, as well as major projects in South Africa.
Zutari design director Martin Smith comments that the partnership offers a differentiated service that is not found in any “typical” consulting engineering practice. He notes that bringing the two companies together sees their capabilities complement each other.
“Obviously, when we started, we needed to understand each other. We knew what we wanted to do, and we have come a long way since then,” Smith adds.
4Sight business environment innovation lead Jeandrè du Randt states that Zutari brings “... expertise ... in the design and optimisation of the built environment”, while 4Sight is strong in technical systems and data analytics.
He says that their individual strengths, combined with their ability to provide traditional services, have enabled the companies to craft a new “blue ocean” approach. 4Sight believes that there are no other companies in the world that can provide such a partnership as a viable business model.
4Sight chief business environment officer Rudi Dreyer highlights that 4Sight’s philosophy is that without the requisite expertise, having the best technology in the world is pointless, as it cannot be properly implemented.
“We have proven this with our specialist engineers and technical people in the mining environment. We do not have that in the built environment. Zutari puts us in a position where we can really differentiate ourselves in this market,” explains Dreyer.
4Sight brings an enterprise data management layer that is “sustainable, scalable and robust”, affording clients the opportunity to upgrade their information and communication technology, as more cost-effective technology becomes available.
“By applying that [approach] to the built environment, with Zutari’s domain expertise, we can go many steps further” says Du Randt.
He explains that Zutari has extensive experience in developing sustainability strategies and that “4Sight closes the loop” by providing the analytics that show the customer precise details on their sustainability strategy performance.
He notes that 4Sight introduces smart technology and applies AI to understand individual clients and their requirements and performances.
“Combine that with all the data over the entire building, city or asset, and we can make specific recommendations to a single project, while understanding the entire data landscape,” explains Du Randt.
He lauds this as “ground-breaking”, adding that 4Sight is collaborating with some of the best companies in the world on these mega projects, which is proof that Zutari and 4Sight have created a “blue ocean” value proposition.
Zutari’s land infrastructure, built environment expertise lead Dominic Collett notes that the approach is applicable to smart buildings, cities and infrastructure.
Collett elaborates that within the infrastructure space, Zutari’s focus extends beyond construction, centring on the enhancement of traffic flow and mobility.
He emphasises the importance of the partnership and its project, stating that these endeavours epitomise technological advancements and innovative implementation. He underscores that participating in such ventures is essential for elevating how technology is implemented in the African context.
“Without involvement in these international initiatives, the drive to adopt and adapt such technology locally would be compromised,” Collett warns.
Partnerships such as Zutari’s and 4Sight’s play a key role in transport systems, facilitating the modelling of people’s movements to enhance efficiency and connectivity.
As Collett highlights, without such collaboration, leveraging technology to address challenges becomes significantly constrained.
“We may be targeting some of the most iconic projects around the world, which, from a technology point of view, are going to be more advanced, but that does not mean there is no local application,” states Smith.
He adds that, locally, there are many clients that are not necessarily designing new infrastructure but wanting to optimise existing assets. Therefore, the partnership focuses not only on design and implementation but the overall lifecycle of assets.
Developing a digital strategy for physical assets “ticks all the boxes” for improving sustainability performance, asset life and aiding the introduction of automation.
Smith states that the partnership starts upfront with advisory and strategy development before embarking on detailed designs, whether for new or existing infrastructure, before considering different approaches during the initial project stages.
“The heart of all of this is how we manage data and how can we use data to deliver the best service to the customer and make visible to the customer what’s happening, so they understand how everything fits together,” explains Du Randt.
He concludes that the companies want to progress from real-time insights to actual full site implementation in terms of modelling what will happen in the future and what needs to be done afterward to ensure that the future is what companies envision.