Developing a Virtual Reality self-evaluation platform to reduce non-compliant building and plumbing work

What we did and why

The BPC supported research by RMIT through a research grant, for a proof of concept to develop virtual reality (VR) based inspection scenarios, and a platform for building and plumbing practitioners to use to self-assess the risk of non-compliant building and plumbing work in their own projects. The proof of concept focused on inspection scenarios targeting the risk of moisture ingress and water damage in Victorian buildings.

This research grant was awarded in 2022 and led by RMIT’s Professor Ron Wakefield and Professor Peter SP Wong.

Many Australian homes suffer from excessive dampness and indoor mould. This can be exacerbated by inadequate or poor design, poor construction practices, and poor maintenance practices, resulting from lack of awareness and knowledge in the construction industry and by building occupants. Wet areas, water proofing and drainage issues are commonly occurring areas of non-compliance risk that are identified through the BPC's Proactive Inspections Program (PIP).

The researchers proposed to develop a novel approach to enable illustration of on-site building inspections through a mobile VR app. This would allow practitioners to be immersed in real building site inspection scenarios through VR technology, and help them identify and understand work that may be at risk of non-compliance with regulatory requirements and standards and how to rectify this.

What we found

The research delivered:

• the design and development of VR-based building inspection scenarios: 4K resolution 360-degree pictures and videos that illustrated building inspections under PIP, focussed on areas that were likely to lead to moisture ingress and water damage, and captured on real construction sites for use in the VR app development.
• the design and development of a VR app: a VR app designed to guide practitioners to be immersed in building site inspection scenarios and understand the non-compliance risks in these scenarios. The app generates information to users to assist them to reduce non-compliant work.
• the design and development of an online platform for building and plumbing practitioners to self-assess whether their own work is at risk of non-compliance with regulatory requirements.

What difference this made

The research successfully achieved its primary aim of developing a proof-of-concept VR-based building inspection scenarios and a platform for building and plumbing practitioners to self-evaluate compliance risks. As a proof-of-concept, it demonstrated the potential of high-fidelity, user-friendly VR models to enhance self-regulation and quality assurance by improving practitioners' understanding of compliance risks.

The research showcases a VR-approach to enrich practitioners’ knowledge of non-compliance risks and offers a flexible, economical training alternative. Aligning with existing regulations, the project promotes proactive self-evaluation.

The proof-of-concept VR app and platform is a starting point for exploring the development of VR-based training and education programs for building and plumbing practitioners that will assist them to self-evaluate their own work, reduce non-compliance and increase consumer confidence in the built environment.

This initiative complements the BPC’s Practitioner Education Series webinars by offering an alternative learning environment.

Test the VR app and platform

You can trial and test the proof-of-concept VR app and platform.