OHM Advisors transforms municipal projects with property intelligence
Sep 2024
How Nearmap partners with OHM Advisors to elevate municipal services across the Great Lakes region.
Sep 2024
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Reduced need for physical inspections, saving time and costs
Better informed decisions, more successful projects
More proactive infrastructure management
The challenge
Enhancing data accuracy, reducing costs and boosting efficiency in city planning
As a trusted partner to city governments, OHM provides expert guidance on long-term technical projects that require precise and up-to-date geographic and asset information.
City governments and municipalities rely on geographic information system (GIS) information to make critical decisions around city plans, critical response, enterprise asset management and resourcing, and more. However, they frequently face numerous challenges, all requiring different solutions including:
- Inaccurate data: Municipalities may have limited aerial coverage, unreliable or inaccurate AI, or have yet to adopt AI to collect and verify GIS data.
- High costs: Missed asset inspections and updates can lead to catastrophic failures — like water main breaks — resulting in costly emergency repairs, legal fees and contractor expenses. Insufficient staffing and outdated methods may also increase errors and compromise property valuations, escalating operational costs.
- Inefficiencies: Many city departments struggle with project delays, time lost due to lack of ground knowledge from a retiring workforce, limited resources to track and manage assets, and lack of trained workforce.
OHM leverages its GIS expertise to address these challenges yet, many city departments require clear and easily understandable visual demonstrations. To meet this need, the firm employs Nearmap imagery and AI to ensure accurate GIS data and present visual clarity of projects to clients.
The solution
Leveraging Nearmap imagery and AI
OHM Advisors utilises Nearmap AI high-resolution and regularly updated aerial imagery — captured up to 3 times a year and integrated with Esri ArcGIS — to meet and exceed the needs of municipal clients.
- High-resolution imagery: Provides detailed and accurate visualisation of GIS data, which is essential for city planning and execution.
- Frequent imagery updates: Ensures access to the most current location data, enabling timely decisions and avoiding the need for costly custom flights or in-person site visits.
- Nearmap AI: AI data packs are available to fit a given use case, helping cities to identify potential issues and optimise project plans accordingly.
“When starting an inventory project for a Municipal client, OHM Advisors often evaluates whether to use a Nearmap AI pack as a starting point.”
Michael Cousins
Partner, OHM Advisors
Project highlights
Ann Arbor — Streetlight inventory
- Challenge: Efficiently evaluating the condition of over 2,100 streetlights.
- Solution: Nearmap imagery complemented field data, allowing OHM to create a precise rating system for streetlight conditions.
- Impact: Enabled accurate assessments and planning for repairs and replacement, improving city infrastructure management.
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City of Novi — GIS asset data collection & mapping
Challenge: Updating and modernising GIS for the Department of Public Works utilities with high-accuracy location data.
Solution: Nearmap imagery integrated into ArcGIS Online enabled OHM to collect accurate location information and feature attributes, including rim elevation for all assets, pipe diameter, invert, and pipe direction for the sanitary and stormwater sewer assets — enhancing asset management.
Impact: Delivered a highly accurate GIS utility network, improving capital planning, utility maintenance, and emergency response.
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Orion Township — Clarkston road regional pathway
- Challenge: Constructing a regional pathway through wetlands as part of the Iron Belle Trail.
- Solution: OHM utilised Nearmap imagery to design a pathway that balanced environmental considerations with public access needs.
- Impact: Created a 6-mile continuous pathway with paved surfaces and boardwalks, enhancing public access to open spaces and connecting key trails in the region — benefiting the community and visitors alike.
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“OHM Advisors uses the imagery and AI data in Esri, AutoDesk, Microstation, Adobe, and other software solutions. Having access to imagery from just a few weeks ago, compared to county imagery that is four-five years old, is invaluable.”
Michael Cousins
Partner, OHM Advisors
Partner, OHM Advisors
Business impact
Surfacing the right insights
Nearmap solutions have significantly enhanced OHM Advisors’ ability to serve their municipal clients:
- Increased efficiency: Projects are managed more efficiently, from planning through execution, with accurate and timely geographic data.
- Cost savings: High-resolution imagery reduces the need for physical inspections, cutting costs and saving time.
- Enhanced decision-making: Access to precise data enables better-informed decisions, leading to successful project outcomes.
- Community benefits: Frequent imagery updates and AI insights help smaller and growing communities proactively manage their infrastructure.
Together, the Nearmap and OHM partnership services city governments with the expertise, data, and imagery necessary to streamline project efficiency, cut costs, and win more projects. Nearmap technology empowers OHM Advisors to leverage the full potential of GIS, solidifying their role as trusted advisors and leaders in creating vibrant, sustainable communities.
Learn more about OHM Advisors by visiting their website.
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About OHM Advisors
Founded in 1962, OHM Advisors is the community advancement firm. With a team of over 700 multidisciplinary experts, the firm delivers award-winning work across the architecture, engineering, planning, urban design, landscape architecture, surveying, and construction engineering spheres. With offices across the United States, OHM Advisors partners with government leaders, school districts, developers, universities, and private companies to create great places for people.