Research

The UK construction industry spends approximately £20 billion per year repairing and rebuilding construction defects due to poor communication and collaboration between the working groups on construction sites (BRE Guidance on Construction Site Communication). This research project aims to support effective construction management and monitoring to minimize construction defects by utilizing on site augmented visualization systems integrated to a Building Information Model. We will develop a communication framework that is better adapted to mobile and onsite workers in the construction industry. This framework will utilize an ubiquitous infrastructure to support the mobile and on-site visualization. Thus, the system will support the on-site workers to check and visualize different construction phases with the possibility of detecting clashes between the augmented virtual model and the real site.

Building Conservation, according to BS 7913:1998 The Principles of the Conservation of Historic Buildings is, "… to secure the preservation of the nation's stock of buildings, and in particular its historic buildings and fine architecture, in the long term interest of society."  The term ‘heritage asset' is used to refer to historic buildings and their immediate setting but not, as in the normal use of the term, monuments, memorials, archaeological remains and designated landscapes, which are held to have cultural value. Heritage assets hold their own story and are the focus for others experiences, and have therefore significance beyond the fabric value. This research project aims to explore the use of Building Information Model (BIM) in particular the Asset Information Model (AIM) in the conservation of heritage assets.

This research project uses the emerging approach to design in which performance is a guiding design principle. The concept of performance-based design is approached from the environmental aspect. The aim of the research is to explore parametric modelling combined with genetic algorithm to optimise architectural design solutions at early stage of design.

Resident Artist, David Booth, uses virtual and augmented reality technologies to see how a piece of work might relate to its surroundings. Much of David's work focuses on complicated structures and three-dimensional modelling. David is also considering the way augmented technology can expand his potential to display work in the future, offering visitors the ability to see a sculpture or installation using smart phones and tablets.

The residency programme was set up through Future Factory, a sustainability project run by Nottingham Trent University. Project Co-ordinator, Angela Scott, said the artist brief was to look at the technology available and explore different ways it could be used. "We wanted to work with artists in the Creative and Virtual Technology Research Lab getting them to look at things from a new and different angle to see how far it could be used." Formed in 2009, Future Factory is funded by Nottingham Trent University and the European Regional Development Fund.

To see more of David's work, please visit his website.