Creating 3D Web-Based Game Environment Using BIM Models for Virtual On-Site Visiting of Building HVAC Systems

Abstract

A web-based 3D game project was presented in this paper to demonstrate the process of using building information modeling (BIM) to create an interactive 3D on-line 'Green' training environment. The system architecture, the implementation process and major components of this virtual training environment were discussed. Existing studies on BIM-based collaborations mainly focused on local-file-sharing approach using proprietary applications. Limited research focused on using BIM as an online gaming platform to create a web browser-based interactive 3D virtual environment for collaboration, learning and/or training. The gap was partially caused by the lack of understanding how to implement a BIMbased game in web browser environment. In this paper, the authors provided an implementation example using a hospital BIM model to create an interactive web-based 3D BIM game environment to allow users to visualize and interact with the BIM components using regular web browsers. The intention of this project is to create a proprietaryindependent training environment to conduct energy re-commissioning trainings for hospital facility management staff. This virtual BIM environment can potentially be customized for engineering student learning and project collaborations as well. The conclusion was that current BIM and game technology are mature enough to allow us to create serious web-based interactive learning/training virtual environment. The successful integration of BIM and web browsers paved the way for many learning and training applications, which need builtenvironment as context.

Overcoming challenges in BIM and gaming integration: the case of a hospital project

“…Kumar et al [17] found importing BIM data directly into the game engine through a FBX file format to be the best workflow when aiming to transfer as much information as possible. Recent research recommends taking an intermediate step by importing BIM data to Autodesk 3DS Max ©, and then to the game engine [15,18] to overcome the reported inaccuracies related to distorted geometries, missing textures and the overall organization of the model hierarchy [13][14][15][16][17][18]. This proposed workflow can be seen as a routinized workaround as several researchers have tested and reported improvements to the process, and illustrates that a digital BIM-gaming integration is affordable.…”

“…These challenges are due to different data structures and ways to store information within each technology. Distorted geometries, missing textures or faults related to the overall organization of the model hierarchy are examples of frequently reported interoperability issues [13][14][15][16][17][18]. Thus BIM data is not always correctly interpreted by game engines.…”

“…Our analysis is guided by Alter's 'Theory of Workarounds' [19]. Promising early stage results for converting BIM-to gaming-data have been achieved by developing dedicated software to undertake the "translation" [13,16]. However, these systems are not yet commercially available and practitioners address the lack of interoperability by resorting to workarounds, as taking intermediary steps via other existing design systems to facilitate their file exchange [13].…”

“…A game engine can be defined as the software used to produce and display images in real-time on the display device of a computer game [8]. Interoperability issues have been reported as an important reason for why integration of BIM and gaming is a challenging arena [16,17].…”

Design for Aging with BIM and Game Engine Integration

“…For instance, Yang [20] proposed a learning tool to educate non-experts about energy-related design and decision-making; Shen et al [21] developed a web-based 3D game project to demonstrate the process of using BIM to create an interactive 3D on-line training environment focusing on the energy commissioning of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems; Rüppel and Schatz [22] designed a new serious gaming approach based on BIM for the exploration of the effect of building condition on human behavior during the evacuation process; Dib and Adamo-Villani [23] described the development and initial evaluation of a serious game for learning sustainable building design principles and practices; and Liu et al [24,25] developed a framework to build a human behavior library through a BIM based cloud gaming environment and to solicit and collect human egress behavior data from a larger pool of human beings.…”