The global construction industry is not known for its capability to adapt rapidly or frequently churn out advances. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Ineptitudes will often occur, for instance due to high costs for construction equipment or long planning cycles, slowing industry activity. Let us talk about how the construction industry can transmute into a receptive and ever evolving sector. One such technology that has the potential to ease some of the challenges faced by the industry and is gaining increasing traction is 3D printing or the use of a 3D architectural model.
Business applications of 3D printing are predicted to be more profitable than its consumer market. Gartner, an IT research firm, estimated a compound annual growth of more than 106 per cent and sales greater than US$13.4bn by 2018. An ever growing interest in green construction and the significant savings it provides matched with traditional methods. Additionally, almost all 3D printing systems allow for simple setup and operation, rapid construction, enabling reduced labor costs.
3D printing consequently not only has the potential to lessen overall construction costs, relieve managers’ ethics, but also to facilitate the creation of increasingly complex architectural designs and functional integration. Recent study and observations suggests more companies will turn to 3D printing resulting in more efficient way of functioning. The use of 3D printing in construction has huge possibility as an eco-friendly process, as it supports the application of new (and green) materials and results in lower waste production.
In the digital age, architectural models have become trendier than ever before. Having always been a prospect for builders, engineers, architects, and clients alike to envisage their concepts, digital pathways have permitted and improved access to the tool. New technology, in fact, has led to prospects in architectural modeling that were unheard of only a few years ago. As a result, even more clients can take rewards of some of the benefits that architectural models can provide.
Let us focus on few of the advantages a well-structured 3D Architectural model can offer:
1) Project Visualization
An architectural model can benefit you visualize a project. We’re visual beings able to understand complex and especially three-dimensional concepts much more easily if we can view them rather than visualizing them. The result will be fewer disclosures and an easier way for everybody to get on the same page on the final result you’re working towards.
2) Improvement in Project Speed
Once the 3D model is built, you can use it as a focus to adjust and center your efforts on the significances that need to be completed. Especially once you begin your work with contractors and other builders, showing them their work in the model helps them understand their work and save significant time to obtain from a 2D drawing. The result, ideally, will be a quicker design and construction process.
3) Process Planning
An architectural model can help you make sure that every person involved in the building process is on the same page. Architect, engineer, and contractors will all need to know their role, and a look at the totality of the process can be appreciated in helping to give them valued context as to the end goal of their contribution. The result is a better planning process. Everyone can refer back to the model as needed, tracking their success toward the finished project.
4) Obtaining Your Permit
Finally, you may need and can definitely take advantage of an architectural model in obtaining any necessary permits for your new building. As you probably know, obtaining the right permits is a crucial part of the architectural and engineering process for any building project. With the right model, you can accelerate the process. A 3D architectural model can give regulators a better, more visual idea of just that, expediting the process of making sure that all of your paperwork and permits are in place.
3D Architectural models are now a very imperative part of visually realizing the ideas and concepts produced during the architectural design and detailing phase of a project. As software suites advance it is now affordable to start the 3D model during the architectural design concept phase and continue the development of the model up to and including ID construction documentation.
A fully developed 3D model which includes both architectural and structural elements may be adopted directly by the MEPF (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Firefighting) designer.
The key advantage now is that the MEPF design team knows precisely where all the structural and architectural elements are allowing them to produce a fully coordinated set of construction documents which facilitates control over both time and cost budgets. A completely developed architectural 3D model can also be used as the base model to facilitate rendering options; it may also be used as the base model for animation and walk throughs.
Therefore, we can conclude saying that with the advancement of technology, there are several ways of reducing an extra cost to construction and one of the most receptive and well-designed way is the use of a 3D Architectural model !
