Black & Veatch Selects Avatour to Optimize Remote Project Collaboration

Engineering leader leverages Avatour’s real-time 360° technology to keep projects moving, reduce costs and deliver projects safely, on time and on budget

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With traditional project management approaches stressed by COVID-19, changing workforce dynamics and the increasing use of remote meetings, Avatour and Black & Veatch announce a strategic partnership that leverages digital collaboration to break down traditional meeting barriers, reduce risk and improve project execution.

With the COVID-19 pandemic now entering its third year, Avatour, a leading provider of immersive remote collaboration services, and Black & Veatch, a global leader in engineering, construction and procurement, saw an opportunity to leverage technology to address challenges in physically locating professionals on-site for inspections, tours, trainings and other critical services.

With its extensive global workforce and thousands of large-scale projects in development, Black & Veatch needed a digital solution, so the company turned to Avatour’s remote collaboration platform, which leverages a 360° live video feed, multi-user collaboration and record capabilities allowing on-site professionals and remote collaborators to come together – remotely – in a physical space. In addition, the services can be paired with virtual reality to provide an even more immersive experience for remote participants.

“Avatour increases the engagement between on-site and remote professionals, providing simple, seamless and immersive communication capabilities,” said Brian Melton, Innovation Lead, Operations with Black & Veatch. “The Avatour service enhances flexibility for remote participants by allowing each remote viewer to control their own perspective, whereas traditional collaboration technology has a fixed point-of-view controlled only by the on-site professional. Avatour provides our teams with new opportunities to connect; transporting them to a real place, in real time.”

Black & Veatch uses Avatour to perform remote inspections and conduct pre-bid site meetings, risk assessments and virtual site tours; provide remote assistance; and host client workshops and training.

“Plus, by allowing our professionals to collaborate remotely, Avatour helps increase workplace safety by reducing the number of professionals that might need to be in high-risk areas,” Melton said. “And when travel restrictions are in place, Avatour helps reduce travel costs, downtime and lost productivity while also lowering our carbon footprint. This alternative allows us to offer our clients more productive, cost-effective solutions.”

“Black & Veatch is a known innovator in the critical infrastructure space,” said Devon Copley, chief executive officer of Avatour. “Our partnership highlights the company’s commitment to providing excellent client service, backed by its dedication to embracing the digital tools that will allow them to optimize project delivery.”

Editor’s Notes

• Black & Veatch selected Avatour to be a partner through its IgniteX COVID-19 Response Accelerator program, which was launched in 2020 to find innovative solutions to the coronavirus pandemic. Avatour was one of 18 partners chosen for their innovative solutions in categories ranging from disinfection and filtration to health screening, tracking and tracing, wearables, data intelligence and communications.
• Download a high-res photo of Avatour in action.

About Black & Veatch

Black & Veatch is a 100-percent employee-owned global engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people around the world by addressing the resilience and reliability of our most important infrastructure assets. Our revenues in 2020 exceeded US$3.0 billion. Follow us on www.bv.com and on social media.

About Avatour

Avatour is building a future beyond distance. Its unique real-time 360° collaboration platform connects remote users with the full context of a real-world site, enabling effective virtual inspections, tours, training and more. For more information, visit www.avatour.co.