The Imagineers: visualizing and facilitating area development

'Making complex processes insightful and understandable'

Showing the future with visualizations. That is one half of what The Imagineers does. The other half is: facilitating the process towards that future by providing insight into the consequences of interventions in the living environment from beginning to end. They do this with realistic 2D and 3D images, smart software and access to GIS and GEO data from various partners. And not just at the end, but especially during the process.

'Hassle always comes with area development,' says co-owner Ernest Dik. 'And that is also completely understandable. You are talking about complex processes that take place within the scarce space we have in the Netherlands. It's better to involve all stakeholders right from the planning stage. And make the consequences transparent in all phases of your process. Consider, for example, the construction of wind farms, solar parks, high-voltage routes, roads, dyke reinforcement, but also the construction of entire residential areas. Parties such as local authorities, Rijkswaterstaat, water boards, grid managers, project developers will have to include everyone in the decision-making process. With the residents as the most important stakeholder. And everyone has questions: what happens to the environment when we choose A? And what happens if we choose variant B? Our software shows all variants. Not only through 3D images, but also by providing insight into all the advantages and disadvantages of the various variants.

Transparent

With that unique selling point, the Sneek-based company has an instrument in its hands that will enable all its customers to comply with the new Environmental Act, which in all likelihood will come into force in 2024. Dik: 'That law will certainly be a driver of demand for our products and services. The big advantage for our clients is that they can create support faster and deliver projects faster, by making complex processes considerably more transparent and actively involving citizens. This is pleasant work, especially in a country where so many people live close together. With the software we now have, everyone can see exactly and realistically how high, low, wide and narrow something will be and also what the impact will be on the living environment. This allows you to discuss scenarios with all stakeholders, knowing exactly what you are actually talking about. That generates acceptance and support.'

Expansion

Back in 2015, NOM invested in The Imagineers with funding for international expansion. And that has already been quite successful. The Sneeker company has already scored well abroad with its Windplanner product. By now, the product is already being used in 23 countries. 'That support from NOM was first a loan and later a participation,' says Dik. 'And that really gave us a push towards internationalization. In principle, the whole world is our market. Wherever wind or solar farms are built, the initiator will want to know what the consequences are; for the landscape, but also for the built environment, for example. Providing insight into the various variants has now accelerated many such development processes.'

According to Dik, this expansion is not only the result of a good product and solid funding, but also of The Imagineers' chosen growth strategy. 'We mainly want to facilitate,' he explains. 'And in doing so, we have three main target groups: government, project developers and, finally, professional parties such as engineers and landscape architects. We want these groups to be able to use our software and their own data to go through the processes themselves in a pleasant way. We therefore offer an online platform where all stakeholders can collaborate online.

With the software we now have, everyone can see exactly and realistically how high, low, wide and narrow something will be and also what the impact will be on the living environment.
Ernest Dik, The Imagineers

Examples in the North

Notable examples in the region where The Imagineers has been able to mean a lot include the A37 solar route commissioned by the Department of Public Works, the redesign of the Groningen ring road, the design of the new Middelsee residential area near Leeuwarden, the dyke reinforcement for the Noorderzijlvest water board, and above all very many sustainable energy projects, such as various solar parks by Groen Leven. Dik: 'We see energy transition as an important playing field for our services, but we always approach it integrally. Developing an area with climate-neutral energy consumption has consequences on all fronts. That can be in the area of maintenance roads for solar and wind farms, greening, energy storage, charging stations, but also the recent developments around hydrogen. It's a lot and it's complex and with our software the consequences of the solutions you're considering come into clear focus, throughout all phases of the project.'

Although much attention is focused on the energy transition in which the Netherlands is currently fully engaged, Dik also sees plenty of opportunities abroad. 'We work a lot with knowledge partners, landscape architects, project developers and process supervisors. Abroad, these parties see the Dutch way of working, in which the participation of all stakeholders and end users is seen as crucial, as a textbook example. With that, they also come to us for support.'

Biggest barrier to all these ambitions? 'There are technical and commercial challenges,' says Dik. Tackling technical challenges related to visualizations is completely in our DNA, but the developments are rapid. But when it comes to commerce, the trick is choosing the right momentum and finding the right commercial people. Of course we can do a lot technically, but the world also has to be ready for it. That is essential for us. So: we do anticipate, but in connection with the challenges that societies are facing now.