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Abstract
Improving delivery of building services systems by implementing; Augmented and Virtual Reality technologies
Construction projects are generally short term engagements between multidisciplinary teams with different levels of process maturity and varying information handling capabilities. Clarity of communication is essential in order to achieve a successful project. Innovative visualisation technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) create a new way of envisaging the end product whilst also potentially improving team collaboration.
It is argued that VR and AR have the potential to increase efficiency in construction projects at every stage of the building life cycle, from design concept, through construction, maintenance to demolition.
Building Information Model (BIM) supported by innovative visualisation technologies such as VR and AR offers a holistic and system-driven approach to the whole life cycle of a project.
Research within the manufacturing industry has shown that design process that combine concurrent engineering techniques with innovative 3D stereoscopic technologies such as VR or AR, can significantly reduce lead times, resulting in increased efficiency . Unfortunately, VR and AR are scarcely used within the construction industry; limited examples are recorded mostly at university level or as a tool for showcasing a design concept for the main stakeholders.
Keywords: Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Building Information Model
About the speaker
Irek Starzyk is a mechanical design engineer at Crown House Technologies (part of the Laing O’Rourke group) and currently working on Heathrow Terminal 2A project. In his MSc, Irek explored ways to use technologies like virtual and augmented reality to improve design and collaboration within the construction industry. These technologies are already used in manufacturing, aerospace and healthcare industries and could be a useful tool during design, construction, maintenance and demolition of buildings.
Irek’s research was carried out at the Design London Innovation Technology Centre at the Royal School of Art which houses a 3D stereoscopic visualisation system, allowing for an immersive experience and the visualisation of life size objects in real-time stereoscopic visualisation system.