Commercial Investment Real Estate March/April 2017 | Page 12

MARKET
FOR ECAST
Smart Cities
Harnessing data and technology creates better urban developments.
ew technology developments make incorporating
existing buildings and utilities into Building Informa-
tion Models easy. Developers can get the full benefi ts
of using BIM even on brownfi eld sites.
Software is a key element in the architecture and construction
world, creating today’s connected world. From design drawings
to promotional images through building construction, software is
tracking the stages and presenting the results to improve productiv-
ity and ensure timely delivery. BIM manages this data coherently. N assets of the utility and telecom infrastructure serving them. In
these cases, 3D scanning and point cloud capture techniques
can be used to capture above ground assets and buildings. High-
resolution scanners can capture data at a range of scales from
inside and outside existing structures, placing the scanned image
into real-world 3D space.
For instance, an impressive multiplatform scanner can fl y on
an unmanned aerial vehicle. Scanned images are resolved into
vector data for editing and integrating into models and drawings.
Power of BIM New Developments Context
With a new building on a pristine site, the benefi t of BIM and
the value of capturing data in digital tools is easily realized. The
appeal of applying these same techniques to projects involving
existing buildings and infrastructure is growing. The drawback
is the cost of capturing the digital model of a building or site that
exists only on paper.
With a new greenfi eld development, the model is developed
in parallel to the design and construction phases, becoming
an integral part of the design and decision-making processes.
With brownfi eld developments, involving pre-existing struc-
tures, the challenge becomes capturing suffi cient data to retrofi t
a digital model.
The complexity involved multiplies when factoring the buried Understanding how a new development will fi t into the existing
landscape is essential for winning client approval and gaining
regulatory permissions. By showing the context of a new struc-
ture, developers can win acceptance for a project and ensure the
investment is protected.
For cities like London, the development of citywide, 3D models
of existing and planned buildings visualizes the ability to place a
new development into an existing neighborhood. Once in place,
this model shows exactly how the development fi ts into the exist-
ing buildings: where light and shade are affected, how protected
views can be assured, and what verifi ed views can be shared with
clients. Buildings still in the planning phase show how the city
may look post-construction.
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March | April 2017
COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT REAL ESTATE
by Christine Easterfi eld