WSP, one of the world’s leading professional services firms, has today announced the addition of Transcend’s generative design technology into its workflows to enhance conceptual engineering design.
Initially piloted on a project for Severn Trent Water, the success of the project has demonstrated the potential of using generative design tools in improving the efficiency and consistency of feasibility studies for wastewater treatment projects. By leveraging Transcend’s advanced capabilities, such as generating process flow diagrams (PFD), design reports, bills of quantities, load schedules, equipment lists, carbon footprint analyses, and 3D models, Severn Trent has taken significant strides in modernising its design workflows.
WSP supported this initiative, addressing initial challenges in alignment between Transcend’s outputs and Severn Trent’s internal calculations by introducing a design mass balance step. This ensured accuracy and reliability in feasibility studies, resulting in ten optimised designs for Trickling Filters and Activated Sludge Plants. The collaboration demonstrated the impact of combining innovative software with expert consultancy to streamline project delivery and meet environmental standards.
With an initial focus on wastewater treatment projects in the UK, Canada, and Middle East, the technology will also support substation infrastructure and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) treatment solutions. By harnessing this generative design technology, WSP can help clients significantly reduce the time and effort required to produce early-stage design concepts for critical infrastructure.
Tim Knobbs, Head of Profession, Water at WSP, commented: “At WSP, we are committed to delivering forward-thinking, sustainable solutions for our clients’ most complex engineering challenges. By integrating Transcend’s generative design technology into our workflows, we are integrating advanced generative design capabilities into our workflows. This collaboration will enable us to develop more efficient, cost-effective, and resilient concepts—particularly in wastewater and other emerging areas—helping our clients make better decisions from the very earliest stages of their projects.”
As part of this initiative, WSP is working with Transcend to explore the broader application of generative design technology across multiple sectors. Adam Tank, Co-Founder & CCO at Transcend, said: “We’re excited to work with WSP and support their commitment to innovation. Our platform will help WSP unlock greater value for their clients by enabling rapid, data-rich conceptual designs in wastewater, substation, and PFAS treatment projects. We look forward to collaborating with WSP’s global teams to work together to put these insights into action to reshape infrastructure planning for a more sustainable future.”
Jack Lomas, Emerging Technology Lead at Severn Trent Water, noted: “With AMP8 representing our largest capital investment programme to date, the need to continually evolve our approach to capital design and delivery has never been more important. Our partnership with Transcend reflects our ongoing commitment to tap into the latest technology to unlock new efficiencies in delivering our customer commitments and we’re proud to be able to pioneer this impactful technology within the UK water sector. We’re pleased to have been able to work with WSP to bring valuable expertise and support in our adoption of Transcend, helping to accelerate our programme and embed this new, innovative way of working.”
