FACILITIES MANAGEMENT JOURNAL JOBS
FM CAREERS - TRAINING
SEEING IS BELIEVING Interactive 3D visualisation and augmented reality off er the FM
a dynamic new toolkit for training staff and managing assets
Virtual reality (VR) applications immerse the
user in a computer-generated environment
to provide a powerfully engaging experience.
Augmented reality (AR) adds elements such as
computer-generated graphics or data to a live
representation of a real-world environment.
Combined, these technologies have the potential
to transform employee training programmes, as
well as assist FMs in the e icient management of
buildings and estates.
It’s estimated that by 2020 a third of the UK
workforce will be aged over 50, with many approaching
retirement. This will potentially create a shortage
of skilled workers across a range of industries. VR
and AR can take education and training to the next
level, enabling employers to build realistic scenarios
that equip their employees with the knowledge
and information they need in a safe, cost-e ective
environment.
Seeable is one of a handful of organisations providing
AR, VR and interactive 3D applications to the UK FM
industry. Managing Director Nick Blenkharn explains:
“When you ask most people about their knowledge
or experience with AR, it’s usually through computer
games such as Pokemon Go. The rapid advance of
technology has enabled us to combine the real and
the virtual world for use within business, providing a
powerful training and business tool.”
AR enables users to visualise buildings, interiors and
assets in a digital environment. “Allowing employees to
navigate through a building even before it is built, be
safely trained on the machinery or equipment vital to
their job, or locate hidden hazards becomes so much
easier than the traditional method of using stacks of
files, plans and PDFs,” says Blenkharn.
The benefit comes not only through training and
awareness, but in knowledge management and access
to information. “Take operation and maintenance
manuals for key equipment as an example,” he says.
“PDF O&M manuals could be accessed by the click
of an information icon with a 3D representation of
the equipment. Progress this further via another icon
which accesses a video explaining how to operate it,
and another linking to the health and safety system for
details of past accidents and warnings of near misses.”
By holding up an AR-enabled mobile device to an
asset or piece of equipment, the employee could
generate a virtual view of the inner workings, training
guides or even a live data feed of performance metrics.
“Workforce training implemented through augmented
reality and visualisation technology provides so
many more advantages and is already so far ahead of
traditional learning methods that there really is no fair
comparison,” Blenkharn claims.
THE DIGITAL TWIN
Interactive 3D, VR and AR are just new ways to
communicate information in an accessible, userfriendly
manner. In the 1980s, the mouse was an
amazing tool enabling people to access and exploit
the power of computers. With the rise of laptops came
trackpads, and now with the advent of smartphones,
touchscreens and VR headsets we are enjoying another
leap forward with how we access and interact with
information.
For FMs, the potential uses are obvious. Many
facilities are still managed with out-of-date 2D floor or
fire plans. AR and VR technology allows for the facility
to be captured as a 3D digital representation, or twin,
augmented with the information needed to manage
it e iciently. This method of linking data to items and
locations in the real world is called georeferencing.
Seeable creates the twin in several ways. Existing
architectural and engineering designs and data can be
used, or BIM-compliant designs, with a visualisation
tool to make it easy – no need for special Cad training.
If the facility is being updated, refurbished or extended,
3D laser scanning and modelling can be employed.
If there are multiple buildings or sites, vehicle-based
mobile mapping at ground level and drone mapping
at roof level can provide comprehensive coverage.
Where the facility is likely to be unchanged, Blenkharn
explains that a quick and e icient technique called
rapid simultaneous localisation and mapping (Slam)
can be used.
Once the digital twin has been created, it can be
deployed or augmented in various ways depending
on the FM’s requirements. These might relate to safety,
compliance or maintenance issues, construction
planning or ongoing utilisation of a space by the
occupant.
“The answer is to create once and use for many
purposes,” says Blenkharn. “You could create a
simplified version of the digital twin for navigation
and wayfinding at the front desk, for example, while
augmenting the full version with key or pass number
information for the security o ice.” Workers could be
inducted or trained using embedded 360° virtual tours,
saving time and minimising disruption in the real-world
environment.
DATA VISUALISATION
The internet of things (IoT) is another key technology
on the rise. Many of us already use IoT data without
knowing it – when the outside temperature is fed to
a mobile weather app, for example, or the live tra ic
flow is shown on Google maps. If sensors are added
to a facility, or already exist to report room occupancy,
temperature or electricity use, then the data they
generate can be sampled, stored online and fed to the
facility’s digital twin.
Visualisation tools can present complex data and
information much more clearly – representing room
temperature as a colour gradient, for example, and
occupancy as a chart, enabling the FM to see at a
glance where heat is being wasted on empty space.
Better visualisation could aid space planning decisions,
enabling more e icient utilisation of existing space.
Organisations need to study the possibilities, see
what’s available and work out what the new tools can
do for them. It’s important not to be diverted by flashy,
‘techy’ solutions with no real benefit. Used properly,
new visualisation technology can be a powerful aid
in implementing the e iciencies and smarter ways of
working that will be key to survival in a changing world.
56 MARCH 2019