The Scope in the INTELCITIES Project for the Use of the 3D Laser Scanner

The difficulty in visualising 2D plans of building elements and components brings about errors in interpreting design specifications in terms of accuracy, completeness. Besides, accessibility is another major problem encountered by surveyors. A number of strategies have been set out to improve efficiency and quality of design within the built environment. One of them is the new innovation of 3D laser scanning technology, which has come about and can be used to improve the efficiency and quality design. It has enormous potential to benefit for refurbishment process. The scanner can digitise all the 3D information concerned with a building down to millimetre detail. A series of scans externally and internally allows an accurate 3D model of the building to be produced. This model can be "sliced" through different planes to produce accurate 2D plans and elevations. This novel technology improves the efficiency and quality of construction projects, such as maintenance of buildings or group of buildings that are going to be renovated for new services. This paper describes the generation of 2D and 3D CAD plans of existing buildings. It explains the generation of interior and exterior 2D and 3D CAD plans of the existing facilities. Furthermore, it presents the use of 3D laser scanner in integration with other VR systems such VR workbenches for visualisation, analysis and interaction with a VR model of existing buildings.