Smart City Solutions

A 360-degree smart city looks across every aspect of a city’s operations and uses technology to improve outcomes. The digital infrastructure of a smart city sets the stage for a network of partnerships all focused on one goal: Creating a smarter city. The result? An urban center that not only leverages technology to improve its own operations but connects with citizens, businesses, and nonprofits in new ways.

Technology brings greater benefits to cities when it is used in an open and collaborative way. We believe that digital infrastructure should be designed in a way that enables flexibility to different needs.
We are advising and designing on the multi-billion dollar Tsumeb project in Namibia on the use of smart technologies. The project includes a smart city concept including an airport, university, commercial and retail, hospital and several hotels. Our objective is to use latest technology to help the facility meet the needs of its different users so that it remains an attractive part of Africa today and in the near future.

Dihlase draws upon different engineering disciplines, including ICT, mechanical, electrical, BIM, Asset Management, Facility Management, Operations Management to design smart technology plans and systems.

BIM TECHNOLOGY
Dihlase are leaders in implementing Building Information Modelling (BIM) and REVIT MEP in the design process and strive to optimize the considerable potential of these developing technologies as enablers of collaborative, efficient and effective building and infrastructure design

We live in a technology-driven world. In recent years, the building design industry has benefitted greatly from advances in the area of computer-assisted design. We use Building Information Modelling (BIM) to design 3D models where the design elements within the model communicate with each other. All team members from one location can view every detail of the building construction live.

We use a platform called Revit MEP to create a 3D modelling environment. In this environment, our team can visualize complex systems and avoid conflicts with other building systems. Using Revit, we can simplify design decision-making and produce coordinated and accurate design documentation. This helps us increase design performance, produce higher quality work and increase cost efficiency. Compatibility issues also become a thing of the past as we import from and export to a variety of CAD formats with ease to share with you during the design review process.

Our engineers also have capacity and experience to create designs of building systems using AutoCAD and Autodesk Navisworks. As your design partner, we will use whatever tools you use to ensure the efficient project coordination

By utilising BIM, we share information among our team members as well as with other architects and engineers. This provides coordinated systems and flows of information and helps us produce more consistent drawings, reducing errors and increasing cost efficiency during the construction process.

Dihlase has a proficient team of MEP modellers, who are competent in international standards and advanced techniques that help them deliver comprehensive MEP BIM models at an affordable price and within a fast turnaround time.

We follow international codes and standards while developing Building Information Models of MEP designs to provide detailed MEP services to clients across the world.
We work with all stakeholders to guide their implementation, defining how they could be financed and governed as well as outlining their technical composition. Our sustainability strategy brings together key urban systems, including energy, water, waste and transport.

Our smart cities team draws upon the Nextec Group’s wider expertise in creating intelligent, resilient cities together with our Clients.

Smart Asset Management (IMQS)
We further have the expertise within our group to build specialised, GIS-centric software for the Infrastructure Asset Management (IAM) market.

It is our business to think of innovative ways to enhance the value of your organisation’s physical assets, while you focus on the work that matters – delivering key services to your valued customers.

We utilise custom software developed within NEXTEC that includes the Wadiso®, Sewsan®, Swift, PRP and Edisan range of engineering software packages. In addition, the state of the art municipal management viewer software IMQS from the IMQS Software company is fully utilized to produce digital reports in spatial, graphical and tabular format for the municipal infrastructure manager.

Wadiso (Water Distribution and System Optimization)
Wadiso is a comprehensive computer program used for the analysis and optimal design of water distribution networks. The program integrates steady state analysis, extended time simulation, water quality analysis and network cost optimization within a graphical CAD/GIS-based environment into a single valuable tool for water engineers.

Sewsan (Sewer System Analysis)
Sewsan is a comprehensive computer program used for the analysis and optimal design of sewer networks. The program integrates analysis and design within a powerful graphical CAD/GIS-based environment into a single valuable tool for water services engineers. The methodology used in the program is based on the contributor hydrograph technique to simulate and analyse sewer systems. The methodology allows a 24 hour sewer flow hydrograph to be input for each pipe in the system. The different hydrographs are then routed downstream to the discharge point or treatment plant.

Swift (Sewsan and Wadiso Interface to Treasury)
Swift is a computer program that performs statistical analyses of data in consumer linked meter reading databases, such as typically found in treasury or billing systems of water service providers. Apart from valuable information pertaining to consumption patterns and trends it provides a link between actual consumption and locations in the sewer and water system simulation models, thus ensuring accurate population of demands and flows in the models.

PRP (Pipe Replacement Prioritization)
PRP is a comprehensive computer program used for prioritizing the assessment, refurbishment or replacement of linear infrastructure such as water, sewer or storm water pipes. The PRP model provides an approach to identify areas where pipeline inspections should commence to confirm pipe refurbishment or replacement, especially in the absence of assessed condition data.

Edisan (Electricity Distribution System Analysis)
Edisan is a comprehensive electricity distribution analysis package used for optimal design and simulation of electricity networks. By utilising a graphical CAD/GIS-based environment, the program integrates analysis, steady-state and time simulation, network optimisation and statistical diversity modelling into a single tool for electrical engineers.

IMQS (Infrastructure Management Query System)
IMQS Software is a proudly South African product, which was established in the late 90s by two of South Africa's leading Civil Engineering firms, which includes GLS Consulting. By supplying market leading integrated infrastructure asset management reporting software to municipal customers, infrastructure managers have a better knowledge of the integrated nature of their asset master planning, asset maintenance planning, asset condition and useful life, as well as better control over their budgets and priorities. As a result, investment capital is being better utilised and the infrastructure is improving as a whole. IMQS is constantly evolving utilising the latest available technologies in collaboration with our vast client base.