28 minute read
Industry news
One Click LCA and Trimble to boost low carbon structures
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o make it easier to design and deliver low embodied carbon structures, life-cycle assessment specialist One Click LCA is collaborating with Trimble on a free carbon assessment tool. The tool, which is fully integrated with Tekla Structures, Tekla Structural Designer, and Trimble Connect, is available for free until the end of 2021.
According to research by One Click LCA, structural elements are responsible for around 70% of a building’s embodied carbon footprint. Cutting the carbon of structures critical in the ‘race to zero’, as outlined in the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference goals.
The collaboration between One Click LCA and Trimble is designed to make it easier to calculate and reduce embodied carbon at any phase of a project: from early analysis and design, through to finished construction.
According to One Click LCA, the combination of its Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) database and Trimble’s constructible models enable the emissions of every nut, bolt or rebar to be calculated accurately.
The Trimble integration was developed by construction consultancy, Sweco, in collaboration with One Click LCA. It is one of a series of integrations, with One Click LCA also offering free tools and integrations with McNeel Rhino and IES Gaia, with the aim of supporting the sector to decarbonise.
■oneclicklca.com/cop26
sers of Procore’s construction management software can now remotely ‘walk through’ a construction site thanks to a new integration with the CupixWorks 3D Digital Twin Platform.
Users of the software can navigate to the location of RFIs, observations and open items, search by location names and review job sites retrospectively. According to Cupix, this enables teams to review iterative progress on a job site dating back days, weeks or months.
The integration of Cupix with Procore delivers a 360-degree panoramic view with ‘full 3D spatial context’, enabling users to search locations within a job site
Virtual job site navigation for Procore by the names they already use, (e.g. main U lobby) without having to leave the Procore platform or alter Procore’s normal operations. Cupix’s real-time 3D digital twin collaboration tool, SiteView, offers virtual remote site navigation, progress tracking, as-built vs. BIM analysis, 3D measurements, and 3D annotations. “Before Cupix, we used to send cell phone pictures back and forth, or try to use Facetime. Now, using just an off-theshelf 360-degree camera, Cupix gives us the full context to solve problems,” says Shane Flanagan, senior project manager at Dome Construction. ■ cupix.com
Issue tracking from IrisVR
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ssues discovered during collaborative VR coordination meetings in Prospect by IrisVR, can now be tracked.
Once classified, hard and soft clashes, general issues, requirement changes, or points of interest can exported to a variety of file types. This includes the BIM Collaboration Format (BCF) , which can be used to connect into existing issue tracking workflows, such as BIMcollab and Revizto.
■ irisvr.com
Bringing BIM into AR / VR V
T-Platform is a new web platform from VT-Lab designed to enable AECO teams to visualise and work with BIM models in AR and VR, as well as with smartphone, tablet, and web.
The software targets the entire AECO process, from design and construction through to operations and maintenance. The aim is to give everyone involved in the construction process access to ‘productivity solutions’, to bring BIM to site and enable siteto-office communications.
■ vt-lab.com
Harrow creates ‘digital twin’ H
arrow has added highdefinition street-level imagery and LiDAR data to its Esri UK GIS system, giving staff access to a ‘digital twin’ of the London borough.
The move is designed to improve the efficiency of various tasks in planning, highways and Council Tax and reduce the need for site visits.
Nvidia RTX A2000 professional desktop GPU launches for tiny workstation
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vidia has unveiled the Nvidia RTX A2000, its first desktop GPU with ‘real-time’ ray tracing and AI acceleration capabilities that has been specifically designed for small form factor workstations (SFF).
With an estimated street price of $450, the Nvidia RTX A2000 is also a big step forward in bringing RTX technology into the mainstream workstation segment. According to an Nvidia spokesperson, it opens up RTX to so many more designers who may have been working on small assemblies which now need to be ray traced.
SFF workstations like the HP Z2 SFF and Dell Precision 3450 SFF are extremely popular with AEC firms because they take up significantly less space than standard desktop towers. However, because of their size, they are limited to ‘low-profile’ form factor GPUs.
Historical low-profile GPUs like the Nvidia Quadro P1000 are not RTXenabled and are only suitable for mainstream 3D CAD or BIM workflows (although some SFF workstations offer a custom version of the Nvidia Quadro RTX 3000, an MXM form factor GPU typically found in mobile workstations).
The Nvidia RTX A2000 is ‘low-profile’ but a lot thicker than others. It takes up two slots on the motherboard, something typically associated with high-end GPUs like the Nvidia RTX A5000 or Nvidia RTX A6000. However, The Nvidia RTX A2000 is not limited to SFF workstations. When the GPU is purchased seperately (i.e. not as part of a fully configured workstation) it also comes with a full height ATX bracket so it can be fitted in a standard tower.
Specifications include 6 GB GDDR6 of ECC memory, four Mini DisplayPort connectors and a max power consumption of 70W. It features 8 TFLOPS of single precision performance (double that of the previous generation 5 GB Nvidia Quadro P2200), 15.6 TFLOPS of RT Core Performance and 63.9 TFLOPS of Tensor Performance.
These specs are a fair way behind the more powerful $999 Nvidia RTX A4000 (16 GB), which is available in mini towers, and features 19.2 TFLOPS of single precision performance, 37.4 TFLOPS of RT Core performance and 153.4 TFLOPS of Tensor performance.
The Nvidia RTX A2000 desktop GPU will be available in workstations from manufacturers including ASUS, BOXX Technologies, Dell Technologies, HP and Lenovo as well as Nvidia’s global distribution partners later this year.
■ nvidia.com/en-gb/design-visualization/rtx-a2000
AEC Magazine’s thoughts on the new GPU
This is a very smart move from Nvidia as it looks to extend the reach of its RTX technology among design, engineering and architecture firms.
It’s also one that took us completely by surprise. We had expected Nvidia to launch an RTX A2000 GPU but had no idea that it would have a low profile form factor, using a dual slot design to deliver the required levels of performance.
By doing so Nvidia not only brings RTX technology into the mainstream but makes it compatible with the millions of Small Form Factor workstations already out in the market.
The hope is that firms that were previously unable to widely adopt RTX-enabled workflows without swapping out a whole fleet of workstations, can now do so with a relatively simple and low-cost upgrade.
Nvidia will be particularly keen to use this to drive adoption of its Nvidia Omniverse collaboration and simulation platform, although there are plenty of other RTX-enabled applications out there such as Enscape, V-Ray, KeyShot, Unreal Engine and Solidworks Visualize.
Beyond RTX, the Nvidia RTX A2000 should also help give extended CAD- and BIM-focused teams access to other real-time viz tools and, of course VR.
We’re excited by this announcement and look forward to testing out the GPU later this year. The one question we have is will 6 GB be too limiting for some pro users, even ones considered entry-level? For a GPU of this capability, we would have expected 8 GB, especially as it’s quite a big step up to the 16 GB Nvidia RTX A4000.
ROUND UP
Colour critical print
HP has launched two new large format printers, the HP DesignJet Z6 Pro and Z9+ Pro, specifically designed for those that place a big importance on wide colour gamut and colour accurate printing. This includes GIS professionals and design visualisation artists ■ hp.com
Enscape for Archicad
Real-time rendering and VR software Enscape has released a Service Pack for Archicad 25. It will give access to latest features in Enscape 3.1, including the new material library, simplified assets, panorama gallery, and support for Nvidia DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) technology ■ enscape3d.com
V-Ray 5 for Unreal
Chaos has released V-Ray 5 for Unreal, an update to its production rendering plug-in designed to import V-Ray scenes, bake lighting and render ray-traced images and animations in Unreal Engine. The new version is said to offer a new level of control over light baking ■ chaosgroup.com/vray/unreal
Construction One
Trimble has launched Trimble Construction One, a connected, cloudbased construction management platform designed to bridge the gap between constructible models and project financials during all phases of the construction project lifecycle ■ construction.trimble.com
Assisted reality
RealWear’s head-mounted assisted reality HMT-1 device has been integrated Autodesk Construction Cloud. The ruggedised wearable is designed to give construction workers real-time access to information and expertise, while keeping their hands and field of view free for work ■ realwear.com
Inspection tech
FieldGenius for Construction Inspection from Leica Geosystems is a new solution designed to increase efficiency and accuracy of daily work reporting for inspectors and engineers in construction firms ■ leica-geosystems.com
Fuzor 2022 launches to boost a range of VDC workflows
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uzor 2022, the latest release of the virtual design and construction (VDC) software from Kalloc Studios, has launched with several visual improvements to enhance realism, as well as many other functional updates for co-ordination and 4D construction simulation.
To boost visualisation on large projects, dirt maps can be used to add more realism, while ‘tile mitigations’ randomise repeated textures. Shadows are also improved so they are now reflected on water and there’s a dust particle effect that adds realism when animating excavation using heavy machinery.
High resolution trees with multiple tree types help provide a more realistic backdrop to 4D simulations, while mixed renders can be used in detailed animations to highlight specific parts of the model while everything else is rendered in wireframe to give context.
Finally, Fuzor 2022 includes scrollable textures help show direction, such as entrance / exit signs or to give the effect of concrete being poured.
Beyond visualisation, Fuzor 2022 introduces weight and volume estimation to help determine the most efficient delivery and installation method and adds the ability to export schedule and BIM data to platforms like Power BI for further data analysis. The software also includes enhanced clash detection reports..
■ kalloctech.com
YPE has enhanced the OpenBIM workflow for the 2022 release of its AEC suite with improvements to its cloud-based BIMserver. center platform and the optimisation of IFC file exchange.
According to CYPE, its BIMserver.center platform is being used on a daily basis by almost 95,000 professionals from 180 different countries, 18,500 of which have joined in the first six months of this year.
There are also improvements to its 3D architectural modelling solutions and incorporated national and international codes. Most of the new developments centre on CYPE Architecture with updates including the creation of direct links to other programs, the export of BIM model information to other applications such as Open BIM Memorias CTE, and geometry editing improvements.
CYPE focuses on OpenBIM for 2022 The 2022 version of C CYPE also marks the launch of a new, free program for defining the initial conditions of a project site. Open BIM Site is designed to establish the geographical location of the models, manage different types of maps, enter topographical surfaces and add elements to the site environment, such as plots of land and buildings. ■ cype.com
Fixie and AMRC to bring together 3D printing and AR
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ixie and the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) have secured £500,000 from Innovate UK to help architects author their own immersive presentations.
Fixie will collaborate with the AMRC to explore the emerging field of WebXR, and to also focus on the interaction between physical 3D printed model production and the creation of overlaid augmented reality presentations.
By utilising the same originating data for the two formats, and putting ownership of the process into the hands of architects, Fixie believes the project will facilitate wider adoption by industry.
■ fixie3d.com
Symetri in partnership with matterlab
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esign and engineering software and services provider Symetri has formed a partnership’ with matterlab, a UK provider of strategies and software for the AEC sector.
This includes the development of custom workflows, enhancements for existing tools and solutions based around Autodesk’s BIM 360 ecosystem.
Of particular interest to Symetri, was matterlab’s product portfolio which has been designed to specifically enhance the user experience of Autodesk BIM 360.
The partnership will bring matterlab’s ArchiveHub, ValidationHub and SizeMyHub products into the Symetri portfolio. These tools provide users with the ability to archive and access a completely offline, local version of their BIM 360 data, summarise details around hub size/average file size/files per folder and create strict quality standards for all files uploaded to their projects.
■ symetri.co.uk ■ matterlab.co
BIM Holoview integrates with BIM 360
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IM Holoview, a specialist in mixed reality for construction, has launched an integration with Autodesk BIM 360.
By connecting BIM Holoview and BIM 360, construction teams can create BIM 360 Issues with photo attachments directly from BIM Holoview on HoloLens and Oculus Quest. The newly created issues can then be assigned, updated and resolved in BIM 360.
Additionally, updates made to issues in BIM 360 can automatically display in BIM Holoview. According to the New Zealand company this can greatly reduce data transfer, model review and revision times and improve collaboration across teams.
360 Sync partnership D
esign and engineering software and services provider Symetri has announced an ‘exclusive partnership’ with Applied Software, a provider of products, workflows and customisations for AEC, MEP and manufacturing software.
The partnership will bring 360 Sync into the Symetri portfolio. 360 Sync is a migration and synchronisation tool designed for the AEC industry to sync and organise project files to and from a firm’s Common Data Environment (CDE), server, and other platforms. These include Autodesk Construction Cloud, Vault, BIM 360, Bluebeam, PlanGrid and Panzura.
■ symetri.co.uk ■ asti.com
LiDAR scans on the iPhone
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iteScape, a developer of LiDAR scanning software for the iPhone Pro and iPad Pro, has launched a new subscription service for cloud-based collaboration.
Once scans are synced to the cloud they can be securely viewed or shared with collaborators on any device (desktop or mobile on iOS, Android, Mac, and PC) via a shared link. Users can also annotate scans with comments and measurements.
“We’re taking the scan out of the silo that is your iPhone or iPad and centralising it on the web so that all the various stakeholders can have really easy access. There’s now a single place to find all that information,” says Putch.
■ sitescape.ai
Enscape shares future roadmap with Mac version, SDK and integration with TestFit
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nscape has given a glimpse into the future of its real-time visualisation software. At its Envision 21 user event last month it announced plans for an Apple Mac version, shared a detailed roadmap, and launched a Software Development Kit (SDK), so its real-time engine can be deployed in more software applications, starting with conceptdesign tool TestFit.
Enscape on Mac SDK and TestFit
Like many AEC viz tools, Enscape has been Windows only for many years. However, with the popularity of CAD and BIM software on the Apple Mac platform, strong interest around the new Apple M1 silicon, and increased competition from Epic Games Twinmotion, it makes perfect sense that Enscape is now developing a version for Mac OSX.
Details of the Mac version of Enscape are still thin on the ground, but we do know that the software is planned for release in the first half of 2022. We expect it will work with SketchUp, Archicad, Rhino and Vectorworks (the first BIM tool to have a true Apple Silicon version), but maybe not all four at launch.
Incidentally, Nvidia RTX real time ray tracing, which takes rendering in Enscape to new levels, does not work on Apple Mac, so it will be interesting to see how Enscape on Mac OSX will address high quality ray tracing in the forthcoming release. We presume this will be done through the Vulkan API (see later). Enscape already works with all the leading CAD and BIM tools – Revit, Rhino, SketchUp, Archicad, Vectorworks, and Bricscad. To help make the software more accessible to a wider AEC audience, such as contractors, engineers, or property owners, the company has now launched a Software Development Kit (SDK).
“We’ve taken our renderer API, our programming interface (the same one that we use to develop Enscape internally) and, for the first time ever, we are opening that up to external partners,” said Petr Mitev, VP of Enscape’s visualisation product group, speaking at Envision 21.
Next, directly addressing AEC software developers at the conference, he added, “The idea is that our renderer API can sit on top of your custom apps, whatever they are, and together, you can create powerful visuals experiences for your users just like we’re doing, the only
difference being you can do it for your own applications. “[The SDK] is built on the same foundation as our core product, meaning it’s easy to use, it’s high quality and there is great performance that comes out of the box.” Enscape’s first partner in the SDK programme is TestFit, an algorithmdriven tool designed for property developers and architects for use in the initial planning phases. Users of TestFit will be able to render and export visuals for client presentations, zoning board meetings and ‘‘ With the popularity of CAD and BIM software on the Mac other applications. Any changes made in TestFit will platform, strong interest around the new Apple M1 silicon, and increased competition from Twinmotion, it makes automatically update in Enscape. According to the perfect sense for Enscape to develop a version for OSX Texas-based ’’ company, Enscape will improve its software’s existing lighting tools with complex inputs like calendar and time of day for shadow studies. Trees and cars can also be parametrically allocated with TestFit’s configurator. Goodbye OpenGL, hello Vulkan Enscape confirmed that it is continuing its transition from the original OpenGL graphics engine to one based on the more modern Vulkan API. This will allow the software to be optimised more, both in terms of visual quality and performance. However, according to Enscape’s Mitev, it
PIX4D updates terrestrial reality capture mobile app
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IX4D has updated its ground image capturing app that uses photogrammetry to turn video recorded on a mobile device into a 3D model for construction, or to accurately map underground utilities.
The Android and iOS app automatically records video frames with geolocational data. Those with a LiDAR-equipped iPad Pro or iPhone Pro can also get live ‘augmented reality’ feedback of the site and the completion of the scan with a 3D mesh layer overlaid on the video frame. The recording can be paused at any time and the scene feedback remains on the device’s screen and shows the user what’s already been covered.
Once captured, the data can be automatically uploaded for processing in PIX4Dcloud to generate ‘highly accurate’ geolocated 3D models.
Alternatively data can be exported for free to photogrammetry software such as PIX4Dmatic (or any other photogrammetry software).
To increase accuracy, users can also connect a viDoc RTK rover (real-time kinematic positioning) device to geotag the captured images.
might take a release or two to really start to feel the benefits.
Enscape also highlighted the recent support for Nvidia’s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS), a rendering technique accelerated by Nvidia RTX GPUs designed to enhance quality and frame rates.
Nvidia DLSS works by rendering internally inside Enscape at a lower resolution, then using deep learningbased upscaling techniques to output ‘a clean and sharp high-resolution image’ for high- quality videos and highperformance virtual reality walkthroughs.
Expanded assets
Enscape is putting a lot of resources into expanding its asset library with a particular focus on vegetation, more diverse people, accessories, and furniture – as well as more regional assets.
Mitev explained the complexities of balancing demand for more believable people with the performance expectations of a real-time engine. Enscape’s development team is still trying to figure out its strategy here, but is looking at different options including working with partners and bringing in third-party libraries.
“We want to add those assets, but we want to do it the right way that’s consistent with the performance and the quality that you expect from the Enscape product,” said Mitev.
The way in which designers work with assets is also changing. In the 3.2 release of the software, scheduled for November 2021, users will be able to add, delete or edit existing assets directly inside Enscape. Currently, this needs to be done in the BIM authoring tool which can break the workflow especially when working interactively with clients.
Also new for the 3.2 release will be the ability to randomly place objects such as forests and crowds. Simply select an area, then choose density and distribution type such as uniform, jittered or completely random.
Material benefit
Enscape is also looking to significantly grow its material library, acknowledging that because the library is quite new, it isn’t yet as robust as the one it offers for assets. Mitev explained that in addition to offering a wider and deeper selection of materials, the team is also exploring the idea of giving designers the ability to modify or change materials for a really bespoke design aesthetic.
Plans are also underway to increase the value of Enscape assets by making them more integrated with thirdparty arch viz tools. Enscape currently uses its own material format which is tightly connected to the material system of the CAD or BIM software. As a result, it’s not currently possible to share materials with tools used downstream in the arch viz process. In the 3.3 release, however, scheduled for March 2022, users will be able to export Enscape materials into Nvidia MDL (Material Definition Language) so scenes can be further developed in tools like V-Ray.
All presentations from Envision 21, including Enscape’s strategic outlook, future roadmap, customer stories, technical lounges for practical tips and a preview of the integration with Testfit are now available to view on-demand. Registration is free.
■ enscape3d.com/envision
VRcollab integrates with BIM Track for issue management
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EC-focused virtual reality (VR) software VRcollab can now be integrated with BIM Track, the web-based issue tracking platform for BIM coordination.
Users can take 3D models and corresponding issues from BIM Track and bring them directly into VRcollab for interdisciplinary coordination in immersive VR and on the desktop.
Conversely, users can bring models into VRcollab directly from the BIM authoring software complete with metadata (e.g. Autodesk Revit, Autodesk Navisworks, Graphisoft Archicad, McNeel Rhino3D, Trimble SketchUp or IFC), select BIM Track as the issue manager, and then any issues created in VRcollab can be directly synchronised back to the BIM Track project for issue management.
According to Muhammad Khalil, senior digital delivery manager, Boustead Projects, the streamlined workflow from BIM Track to VRcollab and vice versa has enabled the design-and-build specialist’s BIM coordinators and BIM modellers to be much more productive and accelerate BIM co-ordination. “Now I think because of the seamless data integration, we cut the time by half,” he says.
VRcollab supports multiuser design coordination, so teams from different locations can collaborate over the web. The software is focused on VR, but also runs on Windows so stakeholders don’t have to have a VR headset in order to participate.
Autodesk invests in facilities management
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ith the pandemic highlighting the need for facilities management, and Autodesk’s recent launch of its Digital Twin platform, Tandem, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Autodesk is now getting active in the Facilities Management market.
This month the company made a strategic investment in Houston-based iOffice, which recently merged with Atlanta-based SpaceIQ (a rebranded FM developer better known historically in the Autodesk developer community as Archibus FM).
The firms develop integrated SaaS, mobile and desktop solutions that give businesses the ability to analyse and optimise key aspects of their real estate and assets.
According to Autodesk, the combination of iOffice + SpaceIQ represents the industry’s most comprehensive solutions portfolio for integrated workplace and enterprise asset management platforms.
More than 10,000 customers worldwide use these tools to manage more than 2 billion square feet of space valued at more than $64B. The company’s platforms, including the widely deployed IWMS (Integrated Workplace Management System) Archibus, help 170,000-plus maintenance technicians respond to 1.3 million work orders a month.
The Archibus platform was one of Autodesk’s first facilities management developer partners, and this investment expands the combined capabilities to increase collaboration and scalability.
Out of all the vertical markets which Autodesk entered in the 1990s, the one it actively avoided acquiring any partners in was facilities management. The company’s leadership at the time said it was hard to find the right people with FM budgets and so Autodesk never became a major player, other than through thirdparty developers.
Twenty years later, with the adoption of BIM and now the emerging digital twins scene, FM is seen as a more identifiable market category. Autodesk had been in talks with SpaceIQ about investment as late as last year. SpaceIQ had bought some of WeWork’s in-house developed, advanced AI-based workspace management tools when WeWork became distressed.
In August 2021, iOFFICE and SpaceIQ merged following strategic investments in the companies by global private equity firms Thoma Bravo and JMI Equity, which had made a significant investment in iOFFICE only the month before.
Facility and Asset management is seen as a hot market. As opposed to acquiring the merged firms, Autodesk’s undisclosed investment allows it to get involved in FM, better integrate capabilities into its own digital twin efforts and protect the technology from falling into the hands of competitors.
Nicolas Mangon, Autodesk vice president AEC Strategy, explained to AEC Magazine that the investment is the start point of a wider strategy to play in the post design and construction phase of the lifecycle of buildings. Owners are becoming more aware of what is capable with IoT monitoring operations and being able to visually see their data on dashboards. Mangon could also envisage how data gleaned from the real-world use of buildings and assets could be fed back into early design.
Using the example of Spacemaker AI, a firm Autodesk acquired last year, Mangon was excited at the idea of feeding actual data into SpaceMaker’s generative engine, to better refine the design output from the next generation of design tools.
One could argue that if facilities management was truly going to be a big market, Autodesk could do itself a favour by buying these combined firms now, as opposed to making a strategic investment and trying to acquire later.
From what we can see, private equity and venture capital firms have become very embedded within the sector, and especially within iOffice, which has been propelled at pace over the last three years with investors. The more successful these firms become, the higher the price tag for ownership. Mangon explained that the investment route let Autodesk approach the area ‘at our own pace’. This segment is undoubtedly going to see a lot more focus in the coming years.
“Combining design, operational and performance data and workflows in a single platform to improve the comfort, safety and efficiency of building assets has never been more important,” said Nick Stefanidakis, general manager, Archibus, the iOffice + SpaceIQ product. “The strategic investment from Autodesk allows us to deliver the solutions organisations need to meet this demand.”
“Users of both Archibus and Autodesk products will see value in a tighter integration of BIM-based design and construction data with operations insights and workflows to optimise facility performance, comfort and sustainability,” said Stefanidakis. “Owners and occupiers can leverage these operational data to make better, more informed, design and construction choices.”
Autodesk and iOFFICE + SpaceIQ currently offer integrations between Autodesk Revit and AutoCAD and Archibus with plans for future integrations with the Autodesk Construction Cloud and Autodesk’s Forge platform. Customers, including global housing and construction provider Daiwa House, have already leveraged the existing integration to benefit their businesses.
Using NavVis VLX on a construction site for as-built documentation
Deploying the NavVis VLX mobile mapping system at a large construction site in Stuttgart, Germany, every AEC professional working on the project is positively impacted by its versatility, robustness and accuracy.
How versatile is the NavVis VLX mobile mapping system? Let’s answer this question through the prism of a large construction project in Stuttgart, Germany, where 157 residential units are in the process of being built for a local developer, Pflugfelder Real Estate.
Engaged in this complex undertaking are Kappes & Partners, a leading provider of construction project management services, and JSB Architects, seasoned practitioners in delivering asbuilt documentation to their clients.
Hearing the experiences of these Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) professionals in their own words, we can see the real value that reality capture brings to all stakeholders on a project like this, nimbly straddling the twin disciplines of construction project management and architecture.
And with recent improvements rolled out with NavVis VLX 2nd generation – design features like IP42 for resistance against solid objects larger than 1 mm and vertically dripping water, and a robust Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithm that’s just as capable scanning outdoors as it is indoors – the rigors of a busy construction site are not a problem for everyday operation. A multi-year project with a 12,000 square meter plot size
For over 50 years, Kappes and Partners have provided construction project management services all over Germany. With offices in Stuttgart and Berlin, this firm of architects and engineers has worked on projects big and small.
“We’re facing quite a lot of challenges in the AEC industry these days,” says Dr. Alexander Kappes, Managing Partner.
“There’s a huge demand for
construction projects and because of that, finding trusted partners is key,” he explains. “Always delivering high-quality results is crucial: That’s why we rely on NavVis VLX for scanning our construction site here at Vogelsang. “ Always delivering high-quality The Vogelsang project encompasses four freeresults is crucial: That’s why we rely on NavVis VLX for scanning our construction site. standing residential towers and one elliptical building, plus 163 underground parking spaces. With a plot size of 12,000 sqm, the construction Dr. Alexander Kappes, Managing Partner, Kappes IPG time is estimated at three years. Scans taken with NavVis VLX are used to verify the Building Information Modeling (BIM) models against the as-built conditions of the construction site. “Accuracy is another big priority for us,” Dr. Kappes continues, as they need precise measurements to determine whether the model correctly reflects the as-built state of the project. “Together with our partners, we have achieved amazing results at the Vogelsang construction site by repeatedly taking measurements of the walls throughout several construction phases.”
Using point cloud data to update BIM models on a regular basis
Elsewhere in the project, we have testimonials from professionals at Jundi Schrade Baumeister (JSB), an architecture firm operating out of Stuttgart which offers BIM services that are safe, innovative, and interdisciplinary.
“We’re no strangers to working with point clouds as we’ve done so before several times,” says Julie Scheffler, Project Leader at JSB.
“With the Vogelsang project in Stuttgart, the creation of the point cloud was very fast and efficient,” she continues, “because the construction management decided to deploy NavVis VLX to capture the site at different stages of the project.”
Scheffler is using the data to update the BIM model. Taking underfloor heating in the residential units as an example; the layout of the pipes is planned, but it’s not fully documented.
“Using our point cloud,” Scheffler says, “we know exactly where the pipes are located. We can also take measurements, thereby avoiding possibly damaging any pipes when drilling.”
In this way, where as-built documentation is used to maintain the BIM model that all stakeholders are referring to as a single source of truth, costly planning mistakes are avoided early and often. Combined point clouds and BIM models meet clients’ needs
Founder and partner at JSB, Sirri El Jundi, has his own perspective on the work they’re doing at the firm.
“The challenge we are facing at JSB is providing our customers with documentation, more precisely with as-built models,” he says.
“What we’re seeing is that a hybrid approach combining point clouds and
BIM models works best in meeting our customers’ needs and supporting them with their current projects.” The rewards of this approach are enhanced efficiency and accuracy, with these benefits passed on to the client. “We are saving big on time and What we’re seeing is that a resources, while still delivering exactly what our customers hybrid approach combining need,” says El Jundi. “The data we provide them point clouds and BIM models works best in meeting our with can then be integrated into a point cloud or be used for creating a BIM model,” he customers’ needs. That’s says with conviction. “That’s the future right there if you ask me, the future right there, and and NavVis is the one to help you implement it.” NavVis is the one to help you implement it. So, there you have it. Using NavVis VLX in one construction site, every AEC professional working on the project is
Sirri El Jundi, Founder and partner, JSB Architects positively impacted by its versatility, robustness and accuracy – and are motivated to achieve their best work.
