Author: Austin Dick

  • Utility Saves $6.4M, Increases Productivity by 78% with Automated Utility Design (AUD) Implementation

    Utility Saves $6.4M, Increases Productivity by 78% with Automated Utility Design (AUD) Implementation

    Like most of our customers, a large-scale west coast customer has invested time and resources toward becoming a fully digital utility. Robust systems monitor their electric and gas distribution systems, sophisticated GIS platforms aid operators in locating and managing utility assets, and back office financial systems automate many customer service tasks. But even with all this investment in technology, this utility’s designers and estimators were still manually performing engineering analysis calculations in multiple spreadsheets, creating duplicate drawings of the same assets to satisfy both civil construction and electrical design tasks, and manually generating bills of material leading to longer design times and potential errors.

    This utility decided to automate and standardize their design process using Automated Utility Design (AUD) from Spatial Business Systems.

    Updating materials and equipment: Before AUD, materials were tabulated through EES, spreadsheets, standards, and manual calculations. With AUD, materials are automatically updated when facilities change. This results in time saved, fewer manual calculations, and accurate selection of materials.

    Creating all-in-one drawings: Previously, separate drawings required updates with each change, which increased the risk of errors. Using AUD, a single drawing is used for both civil and electric focus, with stylized outputs as needed. This saves time and eliminates duplicate drawings and translation errors.

    Automating voltage drop, flicker, and cable pulling calculation: Manual calculations in Excel required extensive data entry before AUD. Now, AUD performs automatic calculations for flicker, voltage drop, and cable pulling, taking elevation changes into account. This leads to more accurate analysis and reduced data entry errors.

    Managing revisions: Minor changes previously took significant time to update and recalculate. With AUD, changes automatically update drawings and calculations. As a result, design processes are standardized, error chances are reduced, and design times are faster.

    In their full deployment of AUD, they have calculated a significant return on their technology investment:

    • The project saved a documented $6.4M in Year 2, with the breakeven point occurring in the first year
    • A 78% labor productivity improvement, representing an equivalent of 93 FTE design and engineering capacity created annually
    • In a 5-year project, they will realize over 700% ROI

    The adoption of AUD by this large-scale utility represents a significant leap forward in the efficiency and accuracy of their design processes. By automating and standardizing various aspects of utility design, the utility not only saves valuable time and resources but also minimizes errors and enhances overall productivity. The integration of AUD into their operations underscores the utility’s commitment to deploying advanced technology to improve service delivery and maintain a robust and reliable infrastructure.

    Learn more about AUD

  • Substation Design Suite 9.0: What’s New and Improved 

    Substation Design Suite 9.0: What’s New and Improved 

    The latest release of Substation Design Suite (SDS) version 9.0 brings significant enhancements to our Physical design product integrated with Autodesk Inventor. With improved design data, users can work more efficiently, reduce rework, and deliver high-quality construction packages to the field. Below are the key highlights of this release. 

    Expanded Compatibility and Easier Installation 

    • Inventor Compatibility – P4I now works with Inventor 2025 while maintaining support for versions 2022-2024. 
    • New Licensing Support – Now compatible with the SBS Identity Manager. 
    • Streamlined Installation – A single installer now covers Inventor versions 2022-2025,
      installing binaries for .NET 4.8 and .NET 8 with separate add-in files for different versions.
    • Signed DLLs – All necessary files are now signed, eliminating issues related to unsigned DLLs. 
    • Simplified Licensing Setup – Users can bypass the legacy serial number/license code process during installation and log in to the SBS Portal when starting Inventor. 
    • Improved Database Handling – Default databases will no longer be renamed with ‘.saved’ after a canceled installation. 

    Modernized Databases 

    • Upgraded to SQLite – Both the application and user databases have been upgraded to SQLite, with the option to set the application database to ‘Read Only.’ 
    • Refined Built-In Models – Models in the application database have been updated to Inventor 2022, with several improvements for better performance. 

    Enhanced Round Bus Model Creation 

    • More Accurate Wall Thickness – When placing a Round Bus (Pipe), the wall thickness will now be read from Size 2 in the SDS Content Editor table. 
    • Improved Weight Accuracy – Bus weight calculations in the model are now more precise. 
    • Easy Updates – The ‘Update Run’ tool now updates the wall thickness for older Bus models, ensuring they align with the Size 2 parameter. 

    Improved Tools 

    • Enhanced Delete Cable Tool – Now recursive, allowing the command to stay active until escape is pressed. 
    • iPart Fitting Placement Fix – Resolved an issue when placing iPart fittings from the SDS Above Grade Tools ribbon. 
    • Better Bus Placement in Nested Assemblies – Addressed issues when placing Bus in nested assemblies with recently edited Model States. 
    • More Reliable Rotate Fitting Tool – The tool no longer breaks constraints in some nested arrangements and now always prompts to select the ‘base part.’ 
    • Smoother iPart Fittings Operations – SDS Ribbon iPart fittings now function reliably across all operations. 

    Appearance & Organization 

    • Improved Access to Tools – The Content Editor and Data Upgrade Utility now have Start menu shortcuts and Desktop icons for quick access. 

    Full release notes are available in the support portal for existing customers.  

  • Better Utility Projects, Delivered Faster – See SBS at DISTRIBUTECH 2025

    Better Utility Projects, Delivered Faster – See SBS at DISTRIBUTECH 2025

    No matter who we talk to, the challenges are similar:

    • There’s too much to do and not enough time. How can we create more capacity?
    • Energy demand is rising, but traditional capacity expansion methods aren’t keeping up. Where can we tighten our workflow without sacrificing quality?
    • As we move faster, critical design details are missed, leading to costly rework in the field. Do we need to make tradeoffs between speed and accuracy?
    • Updating GIS and ERP/EAM systems presents a chance to modernize workflows—but how do you make the most of it?

    For over 20 years, we’ve worked with utilities and contractors facing these same issues. We’ve seen design backlogs pile up and teams manually re-entering data despite massive investments in digital transformation.

    That’s why we’re heading to Distributech—to show how design automation, connected data, and model-based design can drive transformative productivity gains.

    What You’ll See at Our Booth – #4538

    Join us for quick, insightful talks where we’ll share lessons learned from decades in the industry, including:

    • How model-based design accelerates and improves network design
    • A case study on how a major West Coast utility sped up wildfire mitigation and system hardening with automation
    • The power of combining CAD, GIS, and automation for utilities
    • How substation design automation cuts project timelines, costs, and field rework
    • Protection & Controls design workflows that reduce design time by 50%+
    • Automated enforcement of engineering and design standards to speed up approvals

    We’re also offering one-on-one demos—drop by anytime or schedule in advance. Want to see how automation can transform your workflow? Connect with your account manager or book a demo at www.spatialbiz.com/contact-us.

  • SBS products updated with new features, workflows

    SBS products updated with new features, workflows

    Today SBS released the 9.0 versions of our products, including:

    • Automated Utility Design
    • Substation Design Suite – Physical for AutoCAD

    This release introduces several new workflows, adds ease of use features, and general improvements from the 8.x releases. Active subscribers to these products can access these new versions immediately. If you have any questions about upgrading, just get in touch with your account manager or reach us at https://www.spatialbiz.com/contact-us/

    New 2D Sheet Tools to Create & Manage Views More Easily

    • Quickly create named 2D views to better organize your construction prints using the new UI.
    • Convert these views into layout viewports with just a few clicks—automatically sized and scaled.
    • Instantly jump from your design space to a corresponding layout and viewport for easier navigation.
    • Resize and rescale viewports effortlessly without affecting proportions or annotation scaling.
    • These tools simplify working with large and complex designs, reducing the need for manual adjustments.

    Automated Ground Grid Generation for Faster Layouts

    • Automatically create a grid of connected ground grid features within a defined boundary using a simple command.
    • Control grid spacing, angle, and depth with easy-to-use settings.
    • Pre-configure grid options for different project types, saving time on repetitive setups.
    • Eliminates manual placement of grid features, ensuring consistency and accuracy.

    Utility Substation Workspace Completely Rebuilt for Faster Design

    • The ribbon menu has been redesigned to prioritize the most frequently used tools, reducing search time.
    • New tools are now easier to access, helping designers quickly place components, adjust layouts, and verify details.
    • A more intuitive layout streamlines workflows, allowing users to complete tasks with fewer clicks.
    • New 2D sheet tab makes creating construction prints easier

    Smarter Validation Filtering for Easier Error Checking

    • The Validation Palette now automatically filters to show only issues related to selected features.
    • If nothing is selected, it displays all validation issues, making it easier to review errors.
    • New expand/collapse buttons help organize validation results more efficiently.
    • Settings are now saved with the drawing, so preferences persist between sessions.

    Enhanced AUDEXTRACT Boundary Editing

    • New safeguards prevent users from accidentally removing critical file links when modifying boundaries for extraction.
    • Clear and Un-associate options now provide warnings before breaking important data connections.
    • Ensures smooth data extractions by preserving essential file associations.

    Automatic File Reference Audit & Repair

    • The system now detects and fixes broken file links, ensuring all references stay valid.
    • Users are notified of issues and given the option to repair links before continuing.
    • Saves time by eliminating manual troubleshooting of missing file paths.

    New Communications Ribbon Profile Selector for Easier Access to Settings

    • A dedicated dropdown menu in the ribbon lets users switch between different communication installation profiles instantly.
    • Reduces setup time by keeping all relevant options in one place.

    Expanded Software Compatibility

    • Now supports Map 2025 and .NET 8.0, while maintaining compatibility with previous versions.
    • Ensures users can work with the latest software while still supporting older configurations.

  • Brad Irwin Appointed Vice President of Distribution Design 

    Brad Irwin Appointed Vice President of Distribution Design 

    Spatial Business Systems (SBS), the global leader in intelligent design solutions for utility and telecom networks and electrical substations is pleased to announce the appointment of Brad Irwin as Vice President, Distribution Design. Brad brings a distinguished career spanning the energy and technology sectors, with extensive experience in serving utilities and delivering innovative solutions. 

    Brad joins SBS from OSI (Emerson and AspenTech), where he spent over 13 years in various leadership roles, including Product Management, R&D, Software Development, and Services. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in expanding the ADMS business from a handful of customers to more than 100, covering DSCADA, base distribution applications, outage management, switching, and advanced distribution solutions. Most recently, he led OSI’s North American ADMS delivery business, supporting global offices, spearheading a partner enablement program, and leading a Sales to Services initiative—all while overseeing a team of approximately 100 professionals. 

    Prior to his tenure at OSI, Irwin served at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport, RI, supporting various Command & Control initiatives for the Department of Defense over an eight-year period. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer & Systems Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. 

  • SBS Welcomes Michael Kerfeld as Vice President of Sales 

    SBS Welcomes Michael Kerfeld as Vice President of Sales 

    Spatial Business Systems (SBS), the global leader in intelligent design solutions for utility and telecom networks and electrical substations is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Kerfeld as Vice President of Sales. With a decade of experience in OT/IT software solutions for electric, gas, and water utilities, Kerfeld brings a wealth of industry knowledge and a strong background in business development. 

    Prior to joining SBS, Kerfeld served as Vice President, Investor-Owned Utilities at Itineris, where he led business development efforts for electric and gas utilities across North America. His expertise spans strategic execution, project management, and customer service, making him a valuable addition to the SBS leadership team. 

    “We are excited to welcome Michael to SBS,” said Al Eliasen, CEO of SBS. “His deep industry experience and proven ability to drive growth will be instrumental as we continue to expand our reach and deliver innovative solutions to our clients.” 

    Kerfeld holds a Bachelor of Arts in Global Business Leadership and Hispanic Studies from Saint John’s University (MN). 

  • Spatial Business Systems Appoints Bonnie Castle as Chief Financial Officer

    Spatial Business Systems Appoints Bonnie Castle as Chief Financial Officer

    Spatial Business Systems (SBS), a leader in intelligent design solutions for utility networks, is pleased to announce the appointment of Bonnie Castle as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective immediately.Bonnie brings over 14 years of extensive financial experience, specializing in the software, SaaS, and tech-enabled business services industries.

    In her new role, Bonnie will lead SBS’s finance and administrative operations, overseeing critical functions including accounting, financial planning and analysis (FP&A), tax, corporate administration, and treasury. Her expertise and strategic insight will play a vital role in driving the company’s continued growth and financial success.

    Bonnie spent a decade with PwC’s Deals Practice, where she advised clients on complex financial transactions and strategic initiatives. Most recently, she served as CFO of ButlerWood, where she was instrumental in optimizing financial processes and supporting key business transformations.

    “We are thrilled to welcome Bonnie to the SBS team,” said Al Eliasen, CEO of SBS.  “Her deep financial expertise and proven leadership in high-growth environments make her the perfect fit as we continue to scale and expand our operations globally. I am confident that Bonnie’s strategic approach will help us achieve our ambitious goals.”

    Bonnie holds a Master’s in Professional Accounting from The University of Texas at Austin and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

  • Accelerating the Digital Transformation of Utilities with Intelligent Design

    Accelerating the Digital Transformation of Utilities with Intelligent Design

    Design Drives Value for Digital Utilities

    The demand for electricity continues to surge as the modern world increasingly relies on it as a primary energy source. In the first half of 2024 alone, the United States added 20.2 GW of generating capacity—a 21% increase over the previous year—with an additional 42 GW expected by year-end, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Utilities are navigating this expansion while integrating renewable energy, maintaining aging infrastructure, and addressing the capital planning challenges posed by the growing presence of data centers, electric vehicles, and rising household energy consumption. These demands, coupled with evolving regulations and a workforce nearing retirement, make this one of the most complex periods in the history of energy infrastructure management. 

    Field crew installing new distribution lines to keep up with increasing work orders.

    Accelerating the Digital Transformation of Utilities with Intelligent Design

    In the rapidly evolving utilities sector, the role of design has become more critical than ever. As companies face growing workloads, regulatory changes, and an aging workforce, using integrated and automated design solutions can drive significant improvements in efficiency, cost savings, and operational reliability. Spatial Business Systems (SBS) is at the forefront of this transformation, offering cutting-edge design software and integration solutions that bridge the gap between engineering, asset management, and GIS.


    Verify designs against engineering standards at the point of design, not afterward, and automate design tasks and bills of material generation.

    The Role of Design in the Digital Utility Era 

    Effective design orchestrates data across the enterprise, allowing utilities to build faster, better, and with greater efficiency. However, traditional design approaches often fall short due to disconnected workflows, redundant data entry, and inefficiencies in updating operational systems. By adopting an integrated, model-based design approach, utilities can streamline their operations, improve compliance, and reduce project costs. 

    Automated Utility Design (AUD): A Game-Changer for Networked Infrastructure 

    View of a utility design inside of Automated Utility Design.

    AUD, a software platform developed by SBS, revolutionizes utility infrastructure design by seamlessly integrating CAD-based drafting with GIS and Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) systems. As a plug-in for AutoCAD Map3D, AUD eliminates redundant work, improves design accuracy, and significantly reduces rework and project cycle times. Key benefits include:

    • Improved Productivity: Through automation and model-based design, AUD enhances efficiency and reduces manual data entry by up to 95%. This allows more design work to be completed faster with fixed design resources.
    • Reduced Field Rework: AUD virtually eliminates cost overruns with integrated workflows built for modern construction project delivery processes. More accurate construction packages and integrated procurement processes lead to a 90% reduction in field corrections.
    • Faster Project Updates: Model-based design tracks changes at the model level, and cascades changes and updates downstream without duplicate data entry and multiple drawing revisions. Projects can then be implemented 50% faster, ensuring projects stay on track. 
    • Cost Savings: Utilities using AUD report a 5–10% reduction in overall project costs due to streamlined design and reduced errors.
    • Accelerated Training: AUD is operated in the familiar AutoCAD interface and automates complex design workflows. New designers reach productivity 80% faster, resulting in significant workforce efficiency gains.

    By bridging CAD and GIS environments, AUD enables utilities to optimize their design workflows and seamlessly transition from planning to construction, improving compliance and reducing operational disruptions. 

    Substation Design Suite (SDS): Enhancing Substation Engineering  

    3D substation design inside of Substation Design Suite.

    Substation design presents unique challenges due to the complexity of physical and protection & control (P&C) systems. SBS’s Substation Design Suite (SDS) addresses these challenges by integrating intelligent design tools with CAD environments, enhancing accuracy and reducing project cycle times. Key advantages of SDS include: 

    • Automation and Standardization: SDS improves design quality through configurable engineering standards and compliance checks, automating the compliance review process and saving significant design time.
    • Enhanced Project Timelines: Moving to model-based design with SDS accelerates project timelines, with SDS customers reporting project timelines improving by 20–50%. 
    • Cost and Error Reduction: With manual data entry and duplicate drawing production nearly eliminated, field errors and change orders are cut by up to 75%, leading to major cost savings. 
    • Faster Design Iterations: Like AUD, model-based design in SDS tracks changes at the model level, and cascades changes and updates downstream without duplicate data entry and multiple drawing revisions, improving responsiveness to project modifications y up to 50%.  
    • Scan-to-BIM workflows: Brownfield projects get through the design phase faster, improving project timelines and reducing overall project cost.  

    With a model-based approach, SDS simplifies substation engineering, ensuring better collaboration and faster design-to-construction transitions. 

    The Future of Digital Utility Design

    As utilities continue their transition toward a more digital future, integrating intelligent design platforms like AUD and SDS will be critical in maintaining efficiency and sustainability. By using automation, data integration, and streamlined workflows, utilities can build more resilient and cost-effective infrastructure, ready to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving energy landscape. 

  • Substation Design Webinar Series  

    Substation Design Webinar Series  

    Gain insights from industry experts and elevate your substation designs with SBS’s Substation Design Suite (SDS) webinars. 

    SBS will be hosting a series of webinars focused on enhancing Substation Physical and Protection and Control design skills with its Substation Design Suite (SDS) products. These live sessions are tailored for both current and prospective users, offering an in-depth look at the tools that power efficient substation design. Hosted by SBS product experts, each webinar provides participants a chance to ask questions and gain insights that can elevate their design capabilities. 

    Attendees will benefit from free access to expert guidance and live Q&A, providing a unique opportunity to learn from the best in the industry. For those unable to attend the live events, each webinar will be recorded and made available on the SBS YouTube channel in the weeks following the event. 

    SDS Webinar Schedule for 2024: 

    SDS Physical for Inventor (P4I): Part Automation & SDS Part Tools 

    This session covers the basics of P4I cable and bus placement, along with advanced placement using specialized tools. Additional topics will include SDS automation for component placement, as well as SDS part tools such as the SDS Pipe Bus Tool, SDS Tool Cable Loop, SDS Tool Lightning WorkPoints, and the SDS Tool Cable WorkPoints Slider.

    • Date: Wednesday, November 20, 2024
    • Time: Noon ET / 11:00 am CT / 10:00 am MT
    Recording Now Available

    Introduction to SDS Physical for AutoCAD (P4A)

    This session covers a general overview of P4A and some of its capabilities. Those will include the new AUDEXTRACT command, feature placement and port snapping, the AUD copy and paste commands, adding and modifying feature data, validation and resolution tools, generating bill of materials, lighting protection and clearance checks, creating 2D print sheets and AUD table creation, and externally referencing (XREF) drawings into the P4A model space. We will also be touching on Geolocating a P4A drawing and creating civil 3D surfaces.

    • Date: Tuesday, November 26, 2024
    • Time: Noon ET / 11:00 am CT / 10:00 am MT 
    Recording Now Available

    Introduction to the SDS P&C Toolkit for Substation Protection & Control Designs

    This session will be an overview of the SDS P&C Toolkit. Specifically designed for utility substation protection and control design, we will cover the enhancements our software provides for the ease of use and automation. Attendees can expect to learn more about our tools that create an efficient workflow such as: Job/WO, Subproject, Tie-links, Cable Schedule, Master/Refonly, Rollover, WD Annotations, and Cable Fan/Ins. Learn more by saving your spot below!

    • Date: Thursday, December 19, 2024
    • Time: 11:00am ET / 10:00 am CT / 9:00 am MT 
    Recording Now Available

    Why Attend the SDS Webinar Series?  

    Substation Design Suite™ (SDS) is the Intelligent Design Software that transforms your Autodesk product investment into a specialized electrical substation design workstation. SDS simplifies 3D content creation, automates standard tasks, and reduces costly mistakes, allowing you to focus on what you do best – substation design. Participants will gain hands-on insights, allowing them to maximize the potential of SDS tools in their design projects. 

    Don’t Miss Out 

    These will be the last SDS webinars of the year. To secure your place, simply register using the links provided. With expert presenters and real-time Q&A, these webinars are an invaluable opportunity to deepen your understanding of substation design. 

    Questions?  

    For more information regarding the SDS Webinar series, please contact our event team at [email protected]

  • West Coast Utility Selects SBS’s Design Software for Distribution and Substation Design  

    West Coast Utility Selects SBS’s Design Software for Distribution and Substation Design  

    Spatial Business Systems (SBS) is pleased to announce that a top 10 US utility has selected our substation design platform for its internal and external design teams. 

    SBS was selected by this west coast utility as the design platform for substation physical design as well as protection and control – with both scheduled to be deployed by the end of 2024.   

    This is especially exciting as this follows the award of SBS’s AUD distribution design platform in 2023 by this same utility and is an acknowledgement of the quality and productivity gains SBS intelligent design solutions provide.  The utility cited several factors in their decision to move from their incumbent design tools to SBS’s intelligent design platform including productivity gains through automation, simplified and accelerated training for new employees and third-party design teams, and a dramatic reduction of design errors and associated rework.   

    Al Eliasen, SBS’s President and CEO stated, “We are honored to be selected for substation design as a follow-on deployment of our distribution design platform.  The level of infrastructure investment in unprecedented for our utility customers, and we are excited to be a key partner as they continue their investment in their network to drive resiliency and support the energy transition” 

    ABOUT SPATIAL BUSINESS SYSTEMS LLC 

    SBS is a leading provider of intelligent design software and spatial data integration solutions to many of the world’s largest utilities and infrastructure firms across North America, Europe and Australia. The Company’s suite of vertical-focused software supports the engineering and design of critical network infrastructure assets, creating real-world models that are used to manage workflows, facilitate collaboration, and standardize design rules. SBS provides its software solutions to over 200 enterprise customers and is headquartered in Littleton, Colorado.