3D computer modelling reveals energy from waste facility in Wales

Tuesday, 12 May 2009

3D building models and aerial photography supplied by Bluesky are being used by Viridor Waste Management to support the planning of an Energy from Waste facility on the outskirts of Cardiff, Wales. The facility will process up to 350,000 tonnes of non-hazardous residual waste per year generating energy that will be used to produce electricity for export to the UK's National Grid and also heat for use in local businesses. The Bluesky imagery and height data, purchased by SLR Consulting, is being used to enhance a virtual reality model of the proposed site and surrounding area in support of Viridor's planning application and Environmental Impact Assessment.
 
"Virtual reality models are a powerful way of communicating the complexities of a proposed development and potential impact on the surrounding environment," said Peter McGuckin, Principal at SLR Consulting. "The addition of the Bluesky 3D building models and aerial photography transforms the interactive model from a standalone illustration of the site to a real world visual representation of the entire locality."
 
SLR Consulting, a multi-disciplinary consultancy providing worldwide environmental science and engineering expertise from a network of offices in the UK and North America, purchased the Bluesky height data and imagery to enhance their virtual reality model of the area around the proposed site. SLR referenced the map accurate digital image files to existing project information using their geographical information system (GIS), ArcView. The processed files were then passed through AutoCAD and Photoshop to preserve the original image quality before being draped over an Ordnance Survey terrain model in 3D Studio Max. Additional building detail from the Bluesky height model was also added to illustrate the location and prominence of major landmarks. Finally the processed aerial photography was visualised interactively within SLR's Virtual Reality software.
 
The proposed facility, as illustrated by the virtual reality model, would be located at Trident Park, 2km south-east of Cardiff City centre. Owned and operated by Viridor, one of the UK's leading waste management companies, the Energy from Waste Facility would process residual waste (waste remaining after the removal of materials for reuse or recycling) generating electricity for export to the National Grid and heat for use by local businesses.
 
"A key driver for this facility is the urgent need to move away from landfill as the main way of managing waste," continued McGuckin. "Using this model we can clearly demonstrate the suitability of the proposed site and help to address concerns regarding the facility and its potential environmental impact."

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