ELECTRICAL DESIGN SOFTWARE FEATURE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT FOR BIM
Steve Martin, director of technical at electrotechnical and engineering services trade body ECA, explores how virtual reality could interplay with building information modelling (BIM)
A
lthough BIM adoption across the industry remains slow as it becomes gradually more
commonplace, it is worth considering how its use might evolve in the future. The next step could be the introduction of virtual reality (VR), which will further enable the project team - and the client - to understand all the project’s elements and allow for greater collaboration, innovation and problem solving. The introduction of VR could help the client see how a finished project will look in a more realistic manner that a 3D computer model. Doing this at the planning stage of a project should mean any issues are spotted and resolved as early as possible. Those who already work in this way have reported that it leads to faster project approvals, better relationships with clients and higher levels of client satisfaction. In addition, the technology will allow service engineers to look at systems and see real-time data on any errors and maintenance schedules.
OPTIONS FOR VR ADOPTION Firms already on the BIM ladder who are looking to follow suit should be aware there are a number of options available to them. One option is headsets or head mounted displays (HMDs). These allow the user a fully immersive 3D experience and provide an opportunity to walk through an entire building, accessing all the relevant information about every part of it. This is crucial when you think about the need to monitor costs and meet deadlines, and ensure objects are correctly positioned. Another element of virtual reality technology that could be useful is real-time motion capture
systems. These allow the user to move through a virtual environment as they would a real one, and eliminates the need to use a mouse and keyboard to explore rooms and buildings. Mixed reality (MR), which blends the real world with virtual images and holograms, is also something that may become more common as part of the BIM process. This approach helps the user to gain greater insight into the construction of the building or a component within it. This may evolve in time to provide more details like product and planning information, which will be useful during the design stage and during the building lifecycle.
CHALLENGES WITH VR AND BIM One key issue that may slow down BIM’s adoption of virtual reality is the potential cost of the technology. Some of the more specialist elements mentioned above will cost thousands of pounds, which is a significant investment. However, the price of VR technology has declined significantly recently. If this trend continues, and the benefits become more widely known, we might see the technology become
more accessible and affordable to companies throughout the construction supply chain. Another fundamental challenge remains the construction industry’s slow progress in using BIM Level 2 on all projects. Despite being mandated on government projects last year, there is evidence that many clients are not requiring it, and indeed many contractors and specialist engineers are not offering it during the tendering process. This therefore remains the current key objective for the industry in terms of the development of BIM. A more viable and practical approach to VR for BIM newcomers is the use of apps on smartphones and tablets. There are a range of options that can enable anything from viewing a 2D drawing in 3D, to giving the user the ability to walk around rooms and re-arrange elements of them. Some are even compatible with certain makes of headsets, giving the user a more in-depth experience than one provided by a mobile phone. In addition, more training and support is also
required at present to help get businesses up- to-speed with BIM. As part of this, the ECA and CIBSE created a ‘BIM checklist’ for contractors and clients to utilise. While this is not as transformative as VR, the end goal remains the same -enhanced use of BIM to deliver productivity gains in the building and maintenance process. ECA members can obtain a free copy of the
ECA/CIBSE BIM checklist. For more information, please see the website below.
ECA
www.eca.co.uk
More Speed. More Automation. More Schematic.
EPLAN Cogineer.
www.eplancogineer.co.uk e
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING | APRIL 2018 29
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