Year: 2021
Timeline: 1 month (June-August)
Hardware: Hololens 2 Trimble XR10
Industry: AEC & STEM
Services: Consultancy Services, Bespoke Development
THE STORY BEHIND CHANGING THE FUTURE OF CONSTRUCTION.
Built Environment – Smarter Transformation (BE-ST) – formerly known as Construction Scotland Innovation Centre – is one of eight industry led and demand driven Innovation Centres supported by Scottish Funding Council, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and 12 Scottish university partners. They build strong collaborative projects that tackle construction industry challenges, create jobs and stimulate economic growth.
THE UNEXPECTED PROBLEM.
To address the current climate crisis, the Scottish government is looking to introduce a legislative change that enables people to develop skills contributing to the Net Zero Scotland efforts. As part of this initiative, BE-ST are focusing on building capacity and training as many learners as possible on adopting the Passivhaus standard and methodology in larger construction projects, such as social housing and schools.
Encouraging sustainability is the driving force behind an eco-friendly future in construction and in young people that want to enter the sector. However, traditional ways are not engaging enough and do not provide enough interaction – young professionals and students are learning passively, instead of being active in their learning.
Instead of the traditional paper graphs and manuscripts, users blend the real-world components with digital visualization of crucial Passivhaus concepts, allowing them to gain better practical experience.
Once the headset is on and the activity starts, users can visualise essential models of the Passivhaus standard right in front of their eyes, expanding on the different layers and on the practical choices that can be made in favour of sustainability. Some examples include air quality and flow within the house, build-up, and composition of the walls, building materials and natural light.
THE DIGITALNAUTS
SOLUTION.
Using the XR-10 HoloLens 2 headset, we produced a Mixed Reality (MR) application that allows learners to visualise and understand crucial concepts of the Passivhaus standard. Also, this MR training app is currently helping BE-ST showcasing the potential of immersive technologies in construction, with a focus on the future of sustainable architecture and construction.
WHAT IS MR?
In mixed reality, digital and real-world objects interact and co-exist in real-time. This new reality is based on advancements in computer vision, graphical processing power, display technology, and input systems.
WHAT MAKES THIS MR?
To be considered an MR experience, the interaction between human, computer and environment (the physical world) needs to happen. So, for example, movement through the physical world translates into movement in the digital world. Environmental input is, however, the most crucial of the three: without the blending of the physical space and digital realities, an immersive experience can’t truly be considered Mixed. That’s why Passivhaus XR10 is an MR experience, allowing the users to learn in a blended environment, maximising interaction, practical and visual learning.
WHAT’S IN STORE FOR THIS PROTOTYPE?
The experience is developed to be easily extended in the future. This development choice significantly reduces the cost and time for implementing future features. Here’s a few examples of what could be next:
- Implement different scenarios
- Change language or localisations
- Build specific experience for marketing or regional uses
- Port to different XR devices (e.g. VR)
- Update the application with other walls build-ups
As with all new technologies, it’s important to have a strategy for the future, prototypes are only the first step into greater projects and reaching further objectives.
OUTPUTS AND RESULTS.
The application is currently being used by BE-ST and Edinburgh Napier University as a blended learning tool to compliment their current training on PassivHaus.
In the coming months, we hope to continue the project to bring it to a commercial standard and inject new learning techniques into the ever changing workforce.
DOWNLOAD THE CASE STUDY PDF.
WHAT'S INSIDE?
- An example of a successful MR project in the construction industry and its applications for the future of work
- A summary of the problems solved by this project with insights from our team and clients
- A description of the challenges in the development process, with a focus on specific MR challenges
- A detailled outline of the process and learning outcomess, resulting in awareness of sustainability in construction
WHAT THEY WROTE ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE
SHOWCASING NEW VIRTUAL REALITY OFFERING AT WINDEUROPE ELECTRIC CITY 2021
DID YOU KNOW PROJECTS LIKE THIS ONE ARE AT RISK OF HACKING IF NOT MANAGED AND STORED CORRECTLY? HOLOHUB CAN HELP.
HoloHub is an XR management platform, focusing on the infrastructure and user management necessary to use emerging technologies in your organisation.
