Location data business PSMA rebranded as Geoscape

location data

PSMA Australia has announced it has rebranded as Geoscape, offering customers the ability to buy location data directly. The PSMA brand will play a reduced role, representing the holding company for Geoscape, and housing openly available datasets like the Geocoded National Address File (G-NAF).

Previously, PSMA sold its data almost entirely through partners, with Geoscape representing a specific built environment dataset. Now, all datasets previously managed by PSMA – including addresses, planning zones, transport networks, buildings, trees, solar panels and surface cover – will become available directly under the new Geoscape brand.

Geoscape allows customers to access location data on-demand, whenever they need it. It also enables customers to isolate only the data they need – from national data to a small area of interest. 

PSMA Australia CEO Dan Paull said new technologies enable people to do things with location data they couldn’t do before, including create new revenue streams and operational efficiencies.

Related article: Big box retailers hope to negotiate for cheaper power prices

“That requires a response from suppliers of location data and those who build solutions around it,” he said.

“The new Geoscape lets us work more closely with our customers to meet their needs, while delivering more value to our partners and shareholders.

“We aim to bring the power of location to every organisation, enabling them to make better sense of the world and raise their game. We’re already seeing diverse industries incorporate Geoscape location data to improve their operations. For example, engineering firms use our data for noise and wind modelling, saving time and money on previously manual processes.”

GHD, a leader in engineering, architecture, environmental and construction services, was one of the first firms to take advantage of the new Geoscape model. GHD accessed sophisticated Geoscape location data to support the noise modelling work required to gain development approval for construction of the proposed Port Kembla Gas Terminal in New South Wales by Australian Industrial Energy.

Related article: Leveraging the DER opportunity

Using Geoscape building footprints, heights and other details, GHD reduced the cost of noise modelling by 50 per cent.

GHD senior engineer in acoustics and vibration modelling Pri Pandey said the data is “ready to go”.

“We don’t need to do any manual adjustments. Historically, we had to manually assign heights and conduct spatial filtering to ensure data was up to the standard needed for the modelling. Now we have it all in one package – with heights, addresses, zones and categories all part of the one shapefile. And this allows us to insert the data directly into the model.”

Previous articleSolar powers Sand Bypass System, improves energy efficiency
Next articleAustralia is the runaway global leader in building new renewable energy