The Specialist and User Forum for 3D-Documentation (Fach- und Anwenderforum für 3D-Dokumentation), to date the only event of its kind in Europe, will be celebrating its premiere in Essen on 17 and 18 May 2011. The venue is the grounds of the historic Zollverein coal mine. The specialist congress is a communication platform, idea pool and innovation forum for developers and users of 3D laser scanner documentation. This innovative measuring procedure has clear advantages in planning and operating buildings. The conference will focus on the wide range of uses in the building and real estate sectors and visions of this highly promising technology. Other subjects include the use of the new technology in plant construction and factory planning, preparing inventories of monuments, archaeological excavations and forensic reconstruction.

About 50 renowned experts from 14 countries will provide inspiration and topics of discussion relating to 3D-documentation in workshops and panel discussions during the two-day conference. The keynote address on the conference’s first day will be a highlight in itself: Pioneering Professor Spath from the Fraunhofer Institute for Labour Management and Organisation (IAO) will speak on how he sees the future administration of the built-up environment using 3D data. Kyle Bernhardt from Autodesk (USA) will give a presentation on how the software integrates 3D point clouds from laser scanners and in this way opens up new possibilities for planning and managing buildings. Practical demonstrations will illustrate the efficiency of portable laser systems – such as the highly precise and time-saving recording of even the most complex surface and spatial geometries. Ben Bennett from Digital Surveys (UK) will give a practical demonstration of 3D-documentation with Autodesk Revit. In his workshop Andrew Maltby from Land Surveys (UK) will address the entire workflow from data recording to finished building documentation - once again using exemplary buildings. A cocktail reception, dinner party and tour of the grounds of the Zollverein industrial heritage site provide an attractive supporting programme for the diverse programme blocks.

Cutting-edge process

The main benefit of an exact and yet simple measurement process – such as 3D-documentation using laser scanners – for the construction and real estate sectors lies in the direct and precise transformation of real buildings into digital data and virtual models. In this way, buildings can be presented photo-realistically; surfaces, and volumes calculated for mass determination; and, finally, ground plans, cross-sections and views generated with ease. Apart from the building envelope, laser scanners can record all relevant fixtures like supply routes and visible pipelines three-dimensionally and with their precise dimensions – greatly simplifying the work of documenting existing buildings. Using those collected data the creation of stock plans, virtual construction drawings and building stock analyses can be realised easily, quickly and inexpensively. Furthermore, it’s possible to implement the building information modelling (BIM) as the basis for virtual building modelling.

More information about the 1st International Specialist and User Forum and the programme can be found at: http://3d-documentation-conference.com.