MapMechanics’ rounded GIS streamlines analysis ...

13 July 2010, 10:23am

MapMechanics’ rounded GIS streamlines analysis for BNP Paribas Real Estate

Powerful package of software, maps and data delivers extra consistency and precision

BNP Paribas Real Estate, a leader in the UK’s commercial property market, has gained new ability to provide clients with detailed geographical-based analysis and planning support by introducing a wide-ranging package of software, maps and data from MapMechanics.

BNP Paribas Real Estate is the independent real estate advisory business owned by leading French bank BNP Paribas. Kevin Mofid, an associate director in the BNP Paribas Real Estate research team, reports: “Our teams need to do exercises such as catchment analysis, store-based analysis and other work with a geographical element, using a variety of software tools.”

The company decided to introduce a rounded package that would address all these functions effectively and efficiently from a GIS perspective, adding more consistency and functionality to the system, and chose MapMechanics to provide it.

MapMechanics has supplied GeoConcept Enterprise, the high-end version of the powerful geographic information system, plus a range of map data from NAVTEQ, Ordnance Survey and the AA, along with Census data and access to Microsoft Bing aerial mapping.

The company’s initial requirement was to provide retailers with more precise analysis of customer catchments and proximity to competitors. For this analysis it is using GeoConcept with NAVTEQ Premium street-level map data. This is the most highly-specified version of NAVTEQ data, including one-way streets, driving restrictions and speeds.

On this project BNP Paribas Real Estate worked closely with MapMechanics to develop a customised speed file, taking full advantage of the mapping attributes to deliver results that would meet the precise requirements of the Competition Commission.

Another key objective was to advise corporate clients on their office relocation strategies, highlighting the availability of property in potential new locations and the implications for the time staff would spend travelling to work at their new premises. The work involves analysing the drivetimes from specific home addresses to possible new locations.

For this exercise BNP Paribas Real Estate is using postcodes derived from OS Code-Point UK data, along with Census data for profiling potential locations.

The company is also a specialist in the logistics market, and is frequently asked by clients to advise on the “big shed” warehousing market. As Kevin Mofid explains: “We maintain in-house databases of property availability and rental levels, and with the MapMechanics package we can analyse the information on a geographical basis.”

He adds: “With this kind of analysis we can identify mismatches between supply and demand, and indicate to clients where they could find alternative warehouse premises, or advise developers where to build.”

For this kind of analysis BNP Paribas Real Estate is using a combination of NAVTEQ map data and speed files and postcode data. “We also use the GeoConcept Postcode Formatter module,” Kevin Mofid says. “Client data can be very variable in quality, and can contain out-of-date postcodes. MapMechanics’ system cleans up historical postcodes.”

Bing aerial mapping adds a more intuitive look to the map display, Kevin Mofid says. “Surveyors are particularly used to viewing locations against the background of detailed real-world aerial images, so Bing mapping gives the presentation more familiarity.”

In the longer term, Kevin Mofid says, his company is considering ways to set up intranet-based mapping, so that the various industry teams in the organisation can all use the same mapping and data products. MapMechanics has a product that is well suited to this requirement – GeoConcept Internet Server. This can give users most of the functionality of a full desktop GIS via a standard web browser, whilst allowing them to access shared mapping and data files held on a central server.

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