Integration of Building Information Modelling and Augmented Reality for Building Energy Systems Visualisation

Abstract

Buildings consist of numerous energy systems, including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and lighting systems. Typically, such systems are not fully visible in operational building environments, as some elements remain built into the walls, or hidden behind false ceilings. Fully visualising energy systems in buildings has the potential to improve understanding of the systems’ performance and enhance maintenance processes. For such purposes, this paper describes the process of integrating Building Information Modelling (BIM) models with Augmented Reality (AR) and identifies the current limitations associated with the visualisation of building energy systems in AR using BIM. Testing of the concept included creating and superimposing a BIM model of a room in its actual physical environment and performing a walk-in analysis. The experimentation concluded that the concept could result in effective visualisation of energy systems with further development on the establishment of near real-time information.

Building Information Modelling and Augmented Reality for building energy systems visualisation

“…People nowadays are pressed for time [2], and everyone's inadequacy is that they expect everything to be done swiftly and well, so augmented reality was formed. Augmented reality combines a real-world vision with a virtual one made by a computer through the use of an augmented view [4] [9]. Using the camera and a display on any device, such as smartphones, webcams on PCs, iPads, and so on, we may build augmented reality.…”

“…This technology has advanced the construction business to the point where a client sitting at home can view his engineers' and architect's drawings and virtually experience the interiors of a project. Heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and lighting systems are among the energy systems found in buildings, with space cooling, heating, lighting, and water heating accounting for over 60% of total energy use [9]. In the construction business, these provide numerous benefits, including the ability to examine building designs.…”

“…Construction is often the industry with the least relation to digitalization, and we are currently dealing with challenges with real-view objects. Because some Elements are buried beneath the fake ceiling and walls, these components, which include ventilation, air conditioning, heating, and lighting, are now only partially visible in the building environment [9]. As per this article, Owners can track the project and use it for predictive maintenance, facility management, and future refurbishment using a mobile.…”

Building information model visualisation in augmented reality

“…Current BIM models lack real-time data to reflect changes in building environmental conditions (Dudhee and Vukovic, 2021). Therefore, the integration of real-time sensory data can make the visualisation process more accurate, detailed and informative.…”

Three-Dimensional Engine-Based Geometric Model Optimization Algorithm for BIM Visualization with Augmented Reality

“…The integration of BIM and AR has been investigated to improve the visualization of 3D models. It has been explored in several different fields in the construction industry [ 18 , 19 , 20 ]. The research areas include on-site construction process control [ 21 ], construction safety management and visualization [ 22 ], and construction collaboration and discussions for multiple users [ 23 ].…”