Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com

UK's first virtual reality construction training centre set to open

The UK’s first virtual reality construction simulator – offering a hi-tech new approach to training in the housebuilding and construction industry – is set to open its doors next month.

The NHBC (the National House-Building Council) has been closely involved in the development of the Coventry-based £8.7 million ACT-UK Centre which uses advanced computer simulation to create a ‘virtual’ construction site combined with professional actors who interact with the trainees.

The centre uses actual construction site offices where trainees deal with realistic site management situations with site personnel, colleagues, and members of the public played by the actors. The 3D simulations are projected on the simulator hall’s 180˚ 12 metre-long panoramic screen with trainees using a joystick to ‘fly’ through the virtual building site and inspect building work in close detail.

The NHBC has been working with ACT-UK to develop the centre, helping create scenarios related to housebuilding to test the trainees. The training facility uses fully immersive simulated environments which recreate in precise detail the build process for two actual construction projects: a 57-home affordable housing development built in Coventry and a high-rise office development in Birmingham.

Computer simulation specialists Makemedia used more than 10,000 reference photographs taken during the construction of these two projects coupled with the architects’ AutoCAD drawings to produce 3D models to the exact specifications of the original scheme.

Making training real

NHBC training services business manager Dave Towell has undergone simulation training at the Dutch BMSC (Building Management Simulation Centre) which is the model for the UK facility.

He said: “On the surface, it looks like role-playing, but I was absolutely blown away by the intensity of the simulation and its ability to make the training scenario ‘real’. The centre gives trainees the chance to learn – and make mistakes – in a safe environment, and without any cost implication.

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