1. 3D Tech is Enabling Better Collaboration
Here’s where BIM comes in. According to the WEF, building information models are gaining traction in the industry as a platform for collaboration and data access during all phases of a building’s lifecycle. It puts 3D spatial data (like laser scans of the site, photogrammetric as-builts of the building, and so on) in the same database as asset data, temperature data, and whatever other kind of data might be pertinent.
A collaboration between Trimble and AECOM using Microsoft’s HoloLens
As the WEF explains, “BIM facilitates collaboration among all stakeholders […] and thereby holds out the promise of large efficiency gains. All stakeholders can contribute information to and extract information from the central model.”
But VR and AR play a big role in improving collaboration, too. These communication tools help give stakeholders intuitive access to the 3D models included in the building information model. They help make extremely technical information easy for everyone to understand, meaning that now everyone can access, discuss, and collaborate on the data contained in the model throughout the building lifecycle.
Real-World Example: AECOM’s VP of Business Technology Solutions, Jim Dray, explained to SPAR 3D that Microsoft’s HoloLens enables the company to connect hundreds of staff members over all continents to work on very large, very complex projects. With an augmented reality approach, he says, they’re able to complete these projects faster and more effectively. “[We’re able to] actually experiment with design and structural support options. You could have a structural engineer in London advising on different scenarios with an architect in Hong Kong or Dubai—and making getting a lot more headway than they normally would. Normally they would give up and say, “Well, I guess I have to get on a plane.”