Alberta’s Go-To Surveying Team
By Anna Guy
With a complete range of surveying services in the residential, commercial, industrial, government and energy sectors, no matter what your project needs, LN gets the job done right.
If we were to list the complete services of LN Land Development Technologies Inc. (LN), it would take up four pages. Suffice to say, if your projects require any Survey or Engineering service, LN are the right team to call.
When Lance Norman, President, started the company in 2007, his aim was to be the go-to surveying team. With prescient and strategic acquisitions, the company has grown to just that. “In 2007, I started business as a single business owner operator providing design and drafting to mining and survey companies in the oil sands region,” says Norman. “It was a busy time up there, and with a demand for experience in the sector, there were a lot of opportunities to be had.”
Expanding Services
And had they were: what started as an owner operated business working out of a rented bedroom has grown to include four geographic offices and with over 100 employees. Norman credits his strong team and loyal clients for LN’s success. “Never forget where you started and the folks that put you there,” is his motto.
In 2011, LN switched from a consultancy, going from a design house that offered surveying support services, to a surveying house with a design division. By 2012, with the addition of partner Geoff Scott, an Alberta Land Surveyor with a legal background, LN was well on the way to the diverse qualifications, experience and in-depth knowledge of the industry LN is known for.
In 2014, LN purchased, Spartan Surveys Inc., a 30-year-old Edmonton Survey firm, with a strong municipal residential and commercial expertise. More recently, LN announced the addition of New West Geomatics Inc. to round out the roster for clients in the Residential, Commercial, Industrial, Energy, and Government sectors. The new team members at New West Geomatics have decades of experience behind them in many areas within the Geomatics profession. Always ready to help with any project, the Lacombe office regularly works with Municipalities, private landowners, land developers, lawyers, and realtors.
One of LN’s high-profile projects is Edmonton’s $2.5 Billion ICE District, one of the most advanced sports and entertainment venues in North America, a humming public plaza, sophisticated living and AAA office space all in one location. LN provided underground locates and utility surveying for all the new infrastructure as well as upgrades to existing infrastructure, and has a scope of work for surface upgrades to streets which will be affected by the development.
Alberta’s Best
With full capabilities to handle any surveying project from Calgary area “and up”, Norman says he will open additional smaller offices in the next five years to solidify all of Alberta and be able to reach any location within an hour.
This is important, because the surveyors are the backbone to any project. “We are the first one in and the last one out,” says Norman. “We need to get all the information before any plans and designs are made. From there, we do quantify verification throughout the project.”
Marrying Technology with Customer Service
According to LN, “The field of land surveying is rapidly changing, and surveying companies must keep up-to-date with the latest tools and technologies. Going high-tech is the best way to deliver trustworthy results to decision-makers in land management, real estate, energy, forestry and agriculture. These project managers in business, industry and government need the best available information to plan, design, construct and maintain buildings, infrastructure and land development projects.”
Few industries see a change in technology as quickly as surveying, says Norman—and LN is at the forefront. Where as 20 years ago, GPS changed the scene, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are now getting more data for less time and money than ever before. Drones, UAVs, and 3D scanning are all tools in LN’s toolbelt to help our clients save money while providing more information.
3D Scanning and Rapid Data Collection are especially important for projects involving Old facilities or aging Infrastructure according to Norman, this equipment helps capture existing field conditions with great detail and is used to provide models of existing conditions, helping with analysis and pre-engineering in a digital world. “This is the first step of leading into a smart virtual BIM world where virtual reality can be utilized for a site walkthrough while being across the world or know exact measurements of your whole facility without having to visit site. This is the way of the future and LN is and will continue to lead this industry,” says Norman.
The counterpart to increased technology is an equal commitment to customer service, says Norman. Some of LN’s first customers are still with them to this day, because making them look good is the ultimate objective. “No matter what the case, we will work with our customers to get the job done. If they succeed, we all succeed, so we are available to our customers. Yes, we have the best technology on the market, but we also have the experience to decide where and how to optimally use it.”
