Modelling what’s to come to spur readiness and climate action

Stevens Solutions & Design Inc., also known as 3D Wave Design, is modelling future environmental scenarios in a way that non-technical people can understand and act on. Using 3D Wave, their proprietary 3D mapping software, the company has created an interactive 3D / virtual reality visualization approach to model the effects of climate change, including sea-level rise, inland flooding, and wildland fires. This Indigenous-owned and operated company in Mahone Bay has thrived despite COVID-19 lockdowns and the shutdown of travel. 3D Wave Design has adapted to provide service delivery virtually to clients, including demos of its software products.

“The ability to do video calls, presentations, and demos remotely was something we embraced quickly with the help of Invest Nova Scotia,” says company president Barry Stevens, who founded the business 20 years ago. His son, Noah, is co-founder and head developer of the company’s 3D Wave Design.

“The lockdowns actually levelled the playing field,” he adds. “The stigma of being in a remote area or in a smaller province or a home-based business was gone.”

PHOTO: Barry Stevens, President & Co-Founder

3D Wave Design has developed its climate-change 3D modelling software in conjunction with, and supported by, the National Research Council of Canada, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, NSCC’s Applied Geomatics Research Group, Atlantic Canada Oppourtunities Agency (ACOA), and others.

During the pandemic, they expanded their 3D modelling of wildland and of fires.

And in 2021-2022, the company’s support from Invest Nova Scotia meant 3D Wave Design could acquire virtual and mixed-reality equipment at half the cost, enabling them to improve upon their content development for headsets while also allowing additional software development and remote technical support.

“We work directly with the Canadian Forestry Service and Natural Resources Canada,” Stevens says.

“We allow people to run scenarios, which is important. For example, if the projected sea-level rise in 2100 is 1.86 metres, we can apply that to an accurate digital elevation model of a community. Is the fire department on a flood plain? Will the community’s access roads be flooded? All of a sudden people can see and understand how their community will be affected. It’s human nature not to act unless we understand the urgency. We get people to understand the risks. Climate change is happening, and we’re running out of time.”

Working remotely has saved 3D Wave Design time and money.

“Now, potential clients can call me up and I can show them the software right away in real time,” he says. “The pandemic also allowed us to hire and employ people in rural Nova Scotia to work remotely. It allowed us to network, and the Digital Adoption Program (a stream within the Export Development Program) was a big part of that.”

PHOTO: Barry Stevens with Scottina Jackson, Export Development Executive for Invest Nova Scotia

3D Wave Design has built relationships with private and government customers throughout Canada. Along the way, they have expanded their human and processing capacities to support increased sales. Their next step is to acquire updated, dedicated hardware to continue to grow sales.

“We see ourselves as communication specialists,” Stevens says. “My background is in electronic engineering. Noah is a filmmaker, programmer, and 3D artist/animator. We’ve combined the creative and the technical to communicate scientific information effectively to nontechnical people. Many small coastal towns and First Nation communities don’t even have a town engineer. We’re empowering communities.”