Session Abstract

Google Earth: Fad or potentially valuable business tool?

EPCOR Utilities Inc. is one of Canada's top providers of energy and energy-related services and products, providing power and water solutions to customers in Alberta, Ontario, British Columbia and the U.S. Pacific Northwest. EPCOR builds, owns and operates power plants, electrical transmission and distribution networks, water and wastewater treatment facilities, and infrastructure.

EPCOR has been testing the potential enterprise use of Google Earth as a means for web-publishing of our GIS & GPS information. This presentation will explain the functionality and extendibility of Google Earth and discuss our findings regarding how companies could benefit from this tool with minimal investment. An online demonstration will show the following:

• Import of GPS data
• Import of 2D and 3D CAD drawings
• Interesting Google Earth sites
• File format of the XML based Google Earth files
• EPCOR GIS data imported from an ORACLE Spatial database

Speaker Biography

Peter van Muyden

Peter van Muyden CAD/GIS IT Team Lead EPCOR

Specific Experience

Peter works in the EPCOR Information Technology branch and his team is responsible for the design, development and support of EPCOR’s CAD and GIS systems. His team provides support and direction for the EPCOR Infrastructure Division, which consists of Water Services and Power Generation, Distribution and Transmission. The team consists of six full time members and three contractors.

Past Experience

Peter joined EPCOR (formerly Edmonton Power) in 1980 and developed the Power AM/FM recording system. When Edmonton’s Water Services joined EPCOR, Peter’s team also took over the support of their GIS and CAD systems. "