INNOVATION FOCUS
Virtual Reality
Jay brings Virtual Reality to the construction site
Dominion is constantly looking to innovate and actively seeking ways to improve the way in which our teams engage with and deliver projects. In 2013, we saw the potential of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and moved quickly to establish ourselves as leaders in this space in New Zealand. Dominion’s Virtual Construction Team is now well established within our business and our people are embracing BIM and the benefits it brings to projects.
One of our latest initiatives has been the introduction of virtual reality technologies and a new member to our Virtual Construction Team – Jay Vaai, who comes to Dominion in the role of Technical BIM Specialist – Structures & Immersive Technologies. Jay brings a vast amount of knowledge in the virtual and augmented realities space and compliments the expertise of existing members to convert traditional screen based model viewing methods, to fully immersive virtual experiences.
Virtual reality is having a significant impact on how buildings are being designed today. Project stakeholders now have the ability to experience their buildings well in advance of any actual construction taking place and the opportunity to become far more involved in the design process than ever before. The issue that virtual reality solves is one of collective design comprehension – it tackles head on the fact that not everyone can read construction drawings and visualise 3d space. This greater alignment of thinking between multiple parties means better decisions and better outcomes with no surprises.
“Dominion is bringing virtual reality to the construction site and we are realising a great range of benefits.”
Firstly, and most importantly, users who had struggled with BIM before, mostly in terms of navigating models, now find it easy! Our teams are identifying design issues early, allowing them to action solutions before money is spent in manufacture or construction on site, they are reporting a greater appreciation of space and their scope of work and pre-empting site safety issues like trip hazards and areas that need edge protection. Some of our earliest simulations with clients have elicited invaluable questions ranging from their perception of what a space looks like to why a door swings in a certain direction. Virtual reality is helping us deliver exactly what our clients are expecting in reality.
According to Jay, augmented (or mixed) reality (as opposed to entirely virtual reality) has even greater potential for construction, however there are numerous challenges that this technology must overcome for it to become widely adopted.
“Augmented reality allows the virtual model to be superimposed (augmented) on to a user’s view of the real world.”
Large tech firms like Intel, Autodesk, Microsoft and Apple are investing heavily in this area and hopefully this means that it will progress quickly. Dominion see this technology as a game changer and are watching developments in this space closely.
Rob Stuart
Director of Innovation & Technology
Jay shows Joseph Parker our Virtual Reality