can help commercial property owners reimagine their office spaces for a post-pandemic world. Commercial property owners make design changes that are based on the needs of their prospective tenants. By publishing virtual reality models of proposed spaces, designers can use real-time feedback from virtual reality sessions to better align their designs with end user needs. #5 Demonstrating Sustainable Building Features Sustainable building is still on the hearts and minds of corporate and government leaders. While the Leadership in Energy and Environmen- tal Design (LEED) rating system and certification program bring soci- ety closer to a greener planet, eco-friendly designs are only effective if they are built, used, and maintained correctly. Virtual reality models can help you to prove out sustainable systems to make sure that users will get the full benefits of LEED-certified buildings. The Nuthatch Hollow research facility at Binghamton University in New York put its proposed sustainable building designs to the test with virtual reality. Faculty and students mapped out plans for the build- ing’s lighting needs and heating, ventilation, and cooling system. They were able to convey lighting with designs that showed windows and those that substituted windows with artificial lighting. Users who ex- perienced the virtual reality model became aware of how natural and artificial light affected the mood of a space. The team was also able to make better decisions about heating needs when more windows were added or deleted from a virtual reality model.
Most organizations don’t have unlimited funds to construct or renovate their buildings to meet their sustainability goals. Virtual reality models give designers the opportunity to incorporate eco-friendly features into their plans and show the public what the end result will look like before serious money changes hands. On-site restoration of soil and vegeta- tion is a LEED building feature that many designers incorporate into their plans. By using virtual reality models, the designers can show the public what the finished project’s landscape will look like with native vegetation planted. They can also simulate how soil additions help to maintain the property during rain storms. Conclusion Free-flowing communication is and always will be the key to success- ful construction projects. Incorporating virtual reality technology into BIM removes a number of communication roadblocks that plague your average building project. As a result, virtual reality is the heir apparent to the BIM dynasty.
SOFIA JARAMILLO is Customer Success Representative at Microsol Resources. Sofia joined Microsol Resources in 2018 as a Customer Success Representa- tive. She was born and raised in Colombia, where she got her Business Administration degree. She moved to New York in 2016 and has found a new passion within the field of design and construction. In her free time, she likes to practice yoga and run in Central Park.
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