Warrington-based construction consultancy, Proicere, has won a prestigious international award for its planning software that has cut costs and improved safety during the building of a new retreatment plant at the Sellafied nuclear site in Cumbria.
Proicere’s innovative software tool lets workers visualise and interact with 3D models of the construction site at the Sellafield Products and Residue Store Retreatment Plant (SRP) Project in Cumbria, UK. The tool is a ‘digital twin’ that provides a virtual replica of the site. It allows workers to “walk through” virtual models of buildings and structures, view the plans from different angles and perspectives, and view animated sequences of construction phases, from start to finish.
By April 2024, Proicere’s BIM tool had saved £80 million in costs, avoided over 500 days of rework, and enabled site teams to identify over 160 risks.
Thanks to the benefits it has brought to the SRP site, and its innovative features, Proicere’s tool secured an award in the annual Going Digital Awards in Infrastructure competition, organised by the US software developer Bentley Systems. Held in October each year in Vancouver, Canada, the awards recognise global achievements in engineering, design, construction, operations, and project delivery with the support of Bentley software. Proicere’s tool, which won in the Construction category, is based on Bentley’s SYNCHRO software.
Using Proicere’s digital twin solutions, construction site teams can spot potential problems before construction begins, run through up-to-date safety procedures, or adapt schedules – for example, because of weather conditions. It means better planning, avoiding mistakes that cause costly rework, and easier compliance with strict safety regulations.
Daniel Ashton, technical director, Proicere, comments: “We are thrilled to receive this prestigious Bentley Systems award, and to be recognised for the efficiencies our SYNCHRO-based planning tool is bringing to the Sellafield site. It highlights the importance of advanced software in construction planning, where safety and environmental compliance is as important as keeping projects within budget. Thanks are due to our hard-working staff who have made this possible.”
Established in 2004, the Bentley Systems Year In Infrastructure Awards honour extraordinary examples of Bentley software users advancing infrastructure design, construction, and operations around the world.
The Sellafield Retreatment Plant (SRP) is part of the UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s initiative to gradually transfer, repackage and safely store 140 tons of separated plutonium for 100 years. Managing the world’s largest civil stockpile of plutonium, the plant will be crucial for protecting the environment, safeguarding public health, and advancing scientific knowledge.
