Future Roads Rising Star Award nominee Mohit Vyas has flourished as part of the digital engineering team within Downer's transport and infrastructure business.
Starting his career in 2D computer-assisted design and 3D design, he swiftly advanced to senior roles in digital engineering.
In 2022, Mohit transitioned from design to construction, joining Downer as the digital engineering lead in Auckland. In a short time, he became the national technical lead for digital engineering.
Downer says his rapid progress is a testament to his advanced technical skills and his innate ability to lead and inspire his peers.
His expertise and vision were immediately evident as he spearheaded several key initiatives.
Models
The company has adopted a 'model first' approach for construction of assets using the machine control, reducing the need for extensive 2D drawings, and minimising rework.
To do that, Mohit developed specifications for effective 3D models, including defining essential strings and surfaces, naming conventions, codes, and file formats for different design elements.
A drawings vs model matrix was also developed to streamline communication between design and construction teams and reduce dependence on 2D PDF drawings.
Those efforts culminated in the development and successful delivery of a digital 'Asset Twin' - a new method of delivering asset data to clients including NZTA-Waka Kotahi and KiwiRail.
Mohit and his team identified that asset information was often delivered at the end of a project, frequently leading to budget overruns and delays in sign-off.
The Asset Twin avoids that by combining GIS, asset data, and handover documentation to deliver asset information efficiently and effectively.
The new approach enables the firm to collect and build asset data progressively, making the process more efficient and eliminating the need for follow-up work by costly specialists at the end of the process.
This advance is providing substantial cost savings and significantly improved project outcomes for clients and has set a new standard for asset management within the industry.
Mohit also spearheaded the application of the Asset Management Data Standard by NZTA for a capital project. It was the first AMDS compliant dataset completed for NZTA and was delivered before the new state highway standard was migrated into the agency's system.
Focus
Mohit says he is passionate about pushing boundaries, continuously improving workflows, and enabling digital technology.
He has a strong commitment to excellence and says he enjoys the problem-solving that collaboration within the firm and with clients can deliver.
He says he always tries to respect and encourage the diversity in the team and to create a safe environment for everyone to feel comfortable to share ideas and thoughts.
The team focuses on three key principles: simplicity, cost reduction, and automation. In the fast-paced digital transformation era, technology presents significant opportunities for efficiency and savings, he says.
Through the implementation of advanced technologies and streamlined processes, Mohit has set new industry standards and demonstrated effective leadership both within and outside the organisation.
The roading industry Rising Star Award is for the standout person aged under 40 in the New Zealand roading sector, defined by their achievements during their career to-date. It is awarded annually at the Future Roads conference dinner. There are four finalists for 2024. See more here.
The New Zealand roading industry Rising Star Award is sponsored by Jacobs.