Geographic Information System

The Cadastral Information System (FBSIC) is a geographical information platform configuring a tool whose unique and distinctive characteristics are perfectly aligned to fulfill its purposes, which are related to Cadastral Survey, Property Ownership and Asset Management.

The FBSIC was the brainchild of a team of professionals who had been dealing with the issues surrounding cadastre, property and expropriations for more than two decades. This combined experience meant that they were able to draw on and bring together a large number of common cases, in predefined, organised formats, which would become immediately available to the final user.

One solution – seven modules

The user can view, edit and print geographical, alphanumeric and document data. Currently, it comprises seven modules:

• The Field Module - data collection support
• The Data Migration Module - importation and validation of data collected on the ground
• The Central Module - tools for: loading and editing information from the geographical, alphanumeric and documental database; controlling the quality of the various phases of the project and its workflow; print maps and formal documents; etc.
• The BackOffice Module - system administration and support;
• The Approval Module - allows the user to carry out an approval process before sending the project data to DUP
• The As-Built Plans Module
• The Public Domain Management Module

The operational benefits are obvious, as the tools allow for process integration and standardization of procedures, facilitate quality analysis and control and maximize efficiency in the areas of land acquisition, cadastral information maintenance and management and compulsory purchase.

Amongst other advantages, the FBSIC:

• Integrates standardized information provided by official bodies involved in the process (e.g. Land Registries, Tax Offices, Courts, Postcodes, etc.)
• Gives the user a clear overview of the project
• Allows for integrated sector, corporate and multidisciplinary uses
• Instills rigor, efficiency and efficacy
• Tracks changes
• Includes efficiency indicators
• Exports data to other technological platforms
• Provides the valuable asset of a secure data and knowledge platform exclusively for the user; gives immediate added value which will grow exponentially over time as information is inputted into the databases

The FBSIC is the result of a body of valuable knowledge collected over time by specialists who dedicated themselves exclusively to this material.It is supported by a scalable architecture, standards-based information technology, communication and interoperability, which assures a high sustainability of long-term application.

The implemented system achieves the desirable levels of robustness, comprehensiveness, accessibility, scalability and reliability for a structural platform.

Having only been in operation since mid-2010, this application has already received two awards:

• At a national level (2010)

  its own initiative, ESRI Portugal awarded FERBRITAS S.A. the Prémio Projecto SIG 2010 (GIS Project Prize 2010) for “...the innovative features of the Cadastral Information System. The competence and vision of FERBRITAS has meant that they have been able to develop this concept, the architecture of which, because of its integrated structure, encompasses current needs, allowing for the tailoring of the platform to meet the requirement of future services… This prize is awarded so as to recognise projects which, through their innovation and vision, demonstrate the power of GIS technology in the success of organisation using geographical intelligence to observe, analyse, action and share reality, towards an Unambiguous Vision of Portugal and of the World…”

• At an international level (2011)

  Also at its own initiative, the North American Corporation, ESRI Inc. (Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc.), awarded FERBRITAS S.A. with the 2011 prize for Special Achievement in GIS (SAG).

  This prize is awarded annually to celebrate exceptional achievement in the areas of development and application of geographic information systems. It is worth noting that, in 2011, ESRI Inc. recognized roughly one hundred achievements worldwide, from more than 100,000 eligible organizations.