Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella was recently in New Zealand and presented to an audience of business leaders at the NZICC in Auckland. MBIE and Beca were highlighted as a case study demonstrating innovative use of AI integrated with Azure, through Beca’s BEYON platform, which hosts the New Zealand Geotechnical Database.
New Zealand is one of the most seismically active regions in the world. We rely on geotechnical data to decide where and how we should build – and where we shouldn’t.
As our communities grow and climate risks intensify, it is even more important that this data should be reliable, secure, and easy to use.
Beca has partnered with MBIE (New Zealand’s Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment) to rebuild the New Zealand Geotechnical Database (NZGD) on BEYON™, Beca’s configurable, Azure-powered digital twin platform.
The result is a modern, standards-aligned mapping system that elevates data quality and access. Using built-in AI, users can ask questions in natural language and get grounded, geospatially aware answers - moving from search to understanding and then to faster, more confident decisions.
“The pay-off is more productive and more resilient communities, underpinned by accelerated consenting, stronger hazard planning, and better disaster response. Ultimately, this is treating data as a valuable national resource to make everyday better for engineers, councils, researchers, and communities across Aotearoa," Beca Product Strategy Manager Stephen Witherden says.
Beca has developed a proven AI enabled digital twin solution that is transforming how organisations access and understand critical asset information. Beca has integrated BEYON with a conversational AI agent to deliver faster, more intuitive access to complex data.
“The technology has been rigorously tested across multiple environments, but real impact required the right client: one that recognises data as an asset and with leaders ready to embrace innovation that strengthens community outcomes,” Beca Technical Director Digital Sam Houghton says.
“Through NZGD, MBIE is the first client to deploy BEYON with AI at scale. In just six months, this new capability delivers clear, measurable benefits, reducing tasks by up to 40% and enabling faster, more informed decisions,” Sam says.
“Early testing confirms our initial expectations: that Beca’s AI enabled digital twin technology is credible, valuable, and immediately useful. BEYON is setting a new benchmark for how digital intelligence can help build safer, more resilient communities,” Sam says.