virtual design & construction
Benefits of VDC:
Advances in construction technology have changed the way almost everything is done. One of the most noticeable areas of change due to growing construction demands is the use of Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) tools.
As an ever-evolving, adapting, and growing company, Russell has embraced the use of VDC processes to drive additional value. This has allowed us to compress schedules, reduce costs, and increase quality on job sites across the country. It also allows us to improve the quality of our offerings. Delivering a positive client experience, especially in regards to project outcomes, and achieve our goal of saving our clients time and money is our focus.
Building Information Models (BIM)
From development through design to construction and operations, we bring together the Building Information Models from all design and trade partners. This creates a complete visual foundation for your project allowing you to look at key areas of a building and multiple scenarios before it’s built. Â
VDC Process:
Virtual Design and Construction works best with input from all project stakeholders, which naturally allows for true collaboration to occur. From owners, developers, design teams, project management, and subcontractors to field supervisors and maintenance technicians, we find ways to help everyone collaborate, communicate, and execute more efficiently with technology solutions.
Our in-house team of VDC professionals is poised and ready to begin saving you time and money, from day-one!
Our Services:
Utilization of laser scan (point clouds) to develop scaled three-dimensional representations that can be used as the base information in a design. Coordinated 3D productions of architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection designs for collaboration during design based on laser scans data collection.
Gathering of in-depth data to further visualize existing building conditions. Discover and communicate each project’s unique opportunities and challenges through unmanned aerial (drone) flights, laser scanning, and 360° photo documentation (pre-construction & construction phases).
Gathering of in-depth data in shorter amounts of time to further visualize, discover, and communicate each project’s unique opportunities and challenges. This is achieved through unmanned aerial (drone) flights, laser scanning, and 360° photo documentation (pre-construction & construction phases).
Implementation of concept design and programming data translated into spatial layouts and architectural designs. Developing multiple options for site analysis and market surveys. The accurate size and orientation of buildings and surrounding areas will drive spatial programming and design concepts utilized by clients for feasibility studies.
Automated quantification of 3D models to help establish base cost estimates. Material calculations and gross/net area values are acquired from the design models, creating accurate analyses for higher efficiencies and decreased margins of error.
Creation of accurate visualizations of digital designs to help communicate the final design look and feel to enable stakeholders to make informed decisions on design options. Illustrating a lifelike experience of the built environment prior to breaking ground at the construction site.
Animations: Manipulating successive images, views, and objects created from 3D models to create the illusion of movement around and through digitally built environments. Adjusting daylighting and weather to emphasize different times of day or seasons. Progressive rendering of objects moving through the digital environment to ensure spatial requirements are met for installation and maintenance.
4D Scheduling: Analyzing construction planning and scheduling scenarios to create a visual schedule (4D) that demonstrates the assembling of the building over time. Promoting opportunities to optimize and improve construction projects through Lean planning, prefabrication, and modular fabrication.
Organizing and integrating relevant design and construction models to perform a variety of clash detection analyses. Enhancing mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection trade abilities to utilize 3D coordination models to produce submittals, prefabricate construction elements, and allow the use of robotic total stations to layout systems during construction.
Virtual Reality: Utilizing a Head Mounted Display (HMD) to immerse users in a simulated environment in which the user (client/key stakeholder) can visualize the final design as an artificial duplication of the soon to be constructed surroundings. Movement through and around this virtual space will allow users to interact with the features or items of the designed space and support new design directions and material selections.
Augmented Reality: A mixed reality between real and virtual objects and environments, where a digital design can be super-imposed into the user’s view of the real world. Practiced in construction to project new equipment/ furnishings during construction phases to verify coordinated locations of the design.
Virtual mock-ups are used in a variety of ways through our integrated VDC services, including:
- Taking a detailed look at complex systems (such as a building enclosure), to review the interface of multiple systems prior to their physical construction.
- Determining the best installation sequencing and detecting details that are not easily discovered using a traditional 2D shop drawing process.
- Producing virtual mock-ups of highly integrated assemblies / finishes in advance of, or in lieu of, physical mockups.
- Virtual design assembly allows for greater scrutiny of how fabrication and installment lead to greater confidence in building performance over its lifetime.
Configuration of final compilation video and timelapse productions following coordination and construction and design processes over the duration of the project. Compilation of renderings, camera stills, and video clips taken during construction to present the built environment through all phases of construction.
examples of our vdc portfolio.
