QUICK READ: Contact tracing for Energy Development Corporation involves QR codes and configurable apps.
By Erickson F. del Rosario | Geoscientific and Resource Services | Geomatics & Info Management Systems
With the implementation of the shelter-in-place protocol and preparations for several preventive maintenance services of Energy Development Corporation’s power plants, the need for a contact tracing solution for our facilities arose as a control and a preventive measure for the pandemic.
The GIMS team was able to devise a solution with the use of available resources within its enterprise GIS platform, ArcGIS. The team used a configurable out-of-the-box mobile application to develop a QR code scanner which can be easily deployed and implemented in our project sites.
The application is basically a form that can be used for creating, sharing, and analyzing surveys (similar to Google Forms). It is part of ESRI’s geospatial cloud and allows users to collect data through web or mobile devices even offline.
Using the QR code scanner installed in mobile devices sourced from our Tech Office, security personnel deployed in entry gates can now get information from those entering the facility without contact. The QR code contains the name and company, as well as access restrictions and validity. Other personal information is not displayed in the app upon scanning to protect data security.
All captured data is then transmitted to an ArcGIS Online web app where data processors can view the entry and exit location and other details of each personnel. The web app can also be used to query or filter data which is useful in case there is a need to have contact tracing and isolation.
Recently, BacMan already implemented the solution in their scheduled PMS. Mindanao, Leyte, and Negros have conducted test runs for implementation and by December 2020, all sites have full implementation of the QR scanning solution.
The Energy Development Corporation (EDC) is a pioneer in generating 100% clean, renewable, and reliable power as an electricity supplier in the Philippines for over 40 years. With power plants all over Visayas and Mindanao, the company is one of the biggest producers of geothermal energy in Asia and is expanding its reach in the international market, allowing it to offer customers affordable energy rates. EDC also strives to provide the best customer service it can to all its clients by having helpful salespeople and easy to understand contracts. Because of all of this, it is poised to become the premier supplier of electricity for the Philippines’ Green Energy Option Program. EDC takes its mission as a renewable energy provider seriously and goes beyond sustainability by investing in programs that enhance the environment and empower its partner communities, thereby fostering regenerative development. The company has also been working toward being carbon-neutral by improving its energy efficiency, as well as implementing various greening projects to ensure that its mission to provide future generations with a better life remains intact.
