The deployment of Univerus software has enabled Upper Hutt City Council to effortlessly manage over 200,000 assets in one software platform.
Upper Hutt City Council (UHCC) began the search for a new asset management solution after finding their previous system to be costly, difficult to maintain, and lacking in terms of direct involvement from the asset management department.
The council’s previous platform was primarily used to record water-related assets such as reservoirs, pump stations, and underground services. It provided very little visibility of parks and reserve assets.
“The Parks and Reserves Team had very little visibility of their assets and therefore resorted to using spreadsheets and other systems to establish what existed within the parks and when assets required replacement.”
– Geoff Swainson, Director of Asset Management & Operations at Upper Hutt City Council
Building assets were not recorded at all. This meant that no information was available regarding any of the assets that had been purchased over the years. As a result, the council became reliant on staff knowledge when it came to planning asset replacement and future work programmes.
An alternative approach was needed. UHCC to a look at the asset management software market and evaluated several solutions before choosing Univerus Assets for its ease of use, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness.
A single source of asset information
The previous process of maintaining and updating asset information was ad-hoc, leading to inconsistent data and a heavy reliance on staff knowledge. Univerus Assets has provided a single source of asset information, ensuring timely updates and accurate data for financial management and planning.
The implementation of Univerus Assets has allowed UHCC to record all of its assets, including buildings, parks, recreational services, and water-related assets – amounting to 200,000 assets in total. The system has also enabled the mapping of assets and integration of external GIS software.
“There are more than 70 parks within Upper Hutt, each have a number of assets that are recorded, valued and depreciated in Univerus Assets. These assets can be mapped and viewed using the WebMap function within Univerus Assets or viewed in the GIS software itself via the plugin.”
Accessible data
“We required a solution that contained all the information our employees need in a user-friendly platform that is easy to access and navigate – Univerus Assets ticked all the boxes.”
UHCC selected a Univerus hosted product to give staff 24/7 access to asset information on any device, whether they are office-based or out in the field. Univerus’ cloud-based application complements the flexible way in which UHCC officers operate, giving users an accessible platform that combines a modern look and feel with comprehensive functionality.
Looking ahead
UHCC continues on its journey of with Univerus Assets and hopes to fully utilize the system going forward by deploying additional features to assist future asset replacement work programmes. Council staff are also excited to see the improvements that will be made to reporting procedures as part of the upcoming Microsoft PowerBI integration.
The implementation of Univerus Assets has already made significant strides in streamlining the UHCC’s asset management process – bringing reliability, cost-effectiveness, and flexibility to teams throughout the organization.
About Upper Hutt City Council
Upper Hutt City Council (UHCC) is responsible for the local region of Upper Hutt, located on the outskirts of Wellington, New Zealand.
The council enhances residents’ quality of life through leadership, support, and community services. These services include the management of municipal buildings, parks, and recreational facilities as well as water-related assets including reservoirs, pump stations and underground services.
Learn more: www.upperhuttcity.com
About Univerus Assets
Univerus Assets is a powerful, fully integrated Asset Management solution that enables organizations to make qualified and intelligent decisions.
The system allows users to track, plan, predict, and enhance every aspect of their asset management processes. Planning for operational and maintenance costs, deterioration, and future growth becomes intuitive, giving communities the confidence that comes with decision-making transparency.
Learn more: www.univerusassets.com
At Univerus, we deliver business software solutions that are built to be powerful yet easy to use. Our intuitive products are tailored to customer needs and expectations, allowing us to support businesses and help them grow through improved operational efficiency.
