Scottish Water has appointed NTI Group as its official implementation partner to deliver a sophisticated new Common Data Environment (CDE), marking a major step forward in modernising the utility’s digital infrastructure ahead of its next multibillion‑pound investment period.
For NTI, the partnership represents a significant opportunity to help shape one of the UK’s most ambitious digital transformation programmes in the water sector.
Deep expertise
At the heart of the initiative is the deployment of a CDE built on Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC), a platform NTI has deep expertise in implementing at scale.
Acting as a centralised, cloud‑based hub, the new CDE will bring together project data, workflows, and stakeholders across Scottish Water’s entire capital delivery ecosystem. From early design stages through to construction, commissioning, and final handover supported by advanced tools for document management, coordination, field execution and analytics.
For Scottish Water, the shift to a unified digital environment is designed to unlock a series of strategic benefits. By connecting teams and data in real time, the CDE will support faster and more cost‑effective project delivery, and consistency of information shared across the supply chain. The platform will also strengthen collaboration, giving internal teams and delivery partners real-time access to updates, approvals, and documentation.
Beyond efficiency, the new CDE lays the foundation for greater innovation. With support for model‑based delivery, 3D and 4D modelling, and future digital technologies, the platform is designed to evolve alongside Scottish Water’s long‑term digital ambitions. This future‑proofing is essential as the organisation prepares for a significant capital investment programme in the years ahead.
'Embrace industry best-practice tech'
Chris Toop, director of digital and innovation at Scottish Water, emphasised the importance of the initiative: “Scottish Water requires a robust CDE platform to support the delivery of the large capital investment plan for our next business plan delivery period, enabling us to work efficiently across our design, construction and operational workflows. This will allow us to embrace industry best-practice technology to drive design and construction efficiencies, while ensuring Scottish Water centrally retains ownership of project and asset data and information.”
For NTI, the partnership reflects its growing reputation as a trusted leader in digital construction consultancy and ACC implementation. Rory Harpur, Autodesk sales director UK & Ireland at NTI, highlighted the significance of the collaboration: “NTI are proud to partner with Scottish Water on the rollout of Autodesk Construction Cloud, supporting their ambition to create a more connected, data-driven approach to project delivery.
"By bringing together people, processes, and trusted information on a single platform, this will help improve visibility, consistency, and collaboration across programmes, enabling better decision-making and long-term value for Scottish Water and their supply chain.”
As Scottish Water prepares for its next major delivery cycle, NTI’s role will be central in ensuring the organisation has the digital foundation it needs to deliver efficiently, collaborate effectively, and innovate with confidence.
