Urban Green, a Manchester based design and environmental consultancy, adopted Coreo in 2022. Prior to that they largely relied on a mix of paper-based surveys and spreadsheets. We caught up with their GIS technician, Charlie Lawler and BNG Consultants, Shannon Brady and Sarah Child, to learn more about how the transition to Coreo has transformed their business.
Here’s what they had to say:
What problems did you face before adopting Coreo?
“Like many environmental consultancies, Urban Green faced growing challenges in terms of trying to collect and manage complex spatial data using paper-based methods. It resulted in time-consuming processes, sub-optimal data quality and duplication of effort across the team. The extra requirements needed for Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) brought the issue to a head for us. We realised we needed a data collection software system that could enhance data quality, accuracy, and overall operational efficiency. After trying ESRI Sweet and finding it cumbersome, we heard about Coreo and decided to field test it.“
Simplicity from Day 1
Adopting new software can be daunting and time consuming, but Urban Green’s team found Coreo and the UKHab Survey intuitive to use in the field. In addition to onboarding training for team members and one to one support, clients also have access to a library of online videos, tutorials and guides. Charlie notes that, “By its nature, the UKHab survey is complicated, but the app makes the process streamlined and straightforward for us. With the Coreo team’s support, we encountered no obstacles and built momentum rapidly. The questions we have had, have always been answered quickly and we’ve felt really well supported throughout.”
The Urban Green team estimates that Coreo has boosted the team’s efficiency with UKHab surveys by an impressive 65%.
The Impact of Coreo one year on
The Urban Green team estimates that Coreo has boosted the team’s efficiency with UKHab surveys by an impressive 65%. Urban Green’s adoption of Coreo has not only revolutionised their workflows but has also allowed them to provide their clients with better quality, reliable, and comprehensive data.
The key benefits Urban Green have gained by using Coreo for their UKHab surveys include:
- Faster data collection in both online and offline environments
- Built in condition assessments
- Improved data quality: More accurate and comprehensive data
- A structured survey method with contextual support throughout
- Eradication of manual data transcription
- BNG Compatibility: Data ready to use in BNG calculations
- Higher levels of compliance + data audit trail: Meeting regulatory requirements effectively
- Enhanced collaboration: Improved cross team collaboration thanks to Coreo acting as a centralised data storage and management platform.
Shannon Brady, Urban Green’s Biodiversity Net Gain Consultant, noted that “Coreo streamlines the process of mapping habitats. Having aerial imagery, GPS and all the relevant information relating to UKHab definitions and classifications within Coreo makes habitat surveying much simpler than it used to be for the team. Using the app helps ensure that resulting maps are consistent and accurate, and, therefore, the final BNG reports are accurate.”
Going forward
We have been working with Urban Green, along with many other consultancies, to further improve the functionality of the UKHab Survey. The new version of the Survey, which launches soon, is compatible with v4.0 of the Metric and has a raft of new features designed to further increase efficiency both in the field and back in the office. We’ll be releasing more details over the coming weeks.