Digital Twin of the Computer & Information Sciences Building at Northumbria University to improve indoor Air Quality

PlaceChangers is a platform which helps organisations embed online community engagement into their planning and property development work. As an outcome, fusing academic work with PlaceChangers sector and implementation expertise, the project resulted in a new service which allows town planners to insert building design models from BIM processes in a map-based town planning consultation. Through an iterative design and evaluation process the online platform has evolved to include 3D building model information.The premise of this research was tested with a pilot case study involving a project led by IC3 (a University initiative) and involving planning consultancy DDP who was due to arrange a planning consultation for a newly proposed IC3 (International Centre for Connected Construction) building at Northumbria. For the pilot case study, PlaceChangers provided a technical prototype setup using the proposed IC3 building design models provided by Ryder Architecture. During the case study, a design workshop was held with 20 participants to understand how users potentially changed their interaction with planning consultations when presented with a 3D model planning consultation. The study split participants into two panels, one engaging using the standard ‘static’ consultation with static renders and the other looking at the interactive 3D consultation on PlaceChangers. 

While both websites provided the same information, the results provided evidence that the use of an interactive 3D model was capable to communicate complex planning constraints in easy visual terms. Results suggested that participants felt that they were more confident in the views that they voiced and that the 3D-based consultation appeared more meaningful. The testing of the technical prototype also demonstrated several challenges around performativity and challenges around communicating interaction potentials indicative of the 3D design space.

This case study demonstrates the commitment of IC3 to engaging industry in research and innovation. Bringing together key IC3 partners from the region, with experts in BIM and Human Computer Interaction (HCI) to develop innovative sustainable methods of design through the building itself. In addition, exploring new approaches of integrating digital technologies to embed modern approaches such as the use of BIM data for supporting the visualisation and communication of planning proposals.

Commenting on the overall collaborative PhD, Dr Megan Doherty said:
‘The PhD has allowed me to utilise many skills which might not have been considered usual to Human Computer Interaction. I have an interdisciplinary background and working alongside a well-known industry partner meant I was able to utilise those analytic and styled writing skills to use.’
The PhD experience on such a collaborative project was unique. You get to be involved in the business and you are still part of the academic community of the University, and with that gain the advantage of looking behind the curtain.’ 

At times, such an industry-university collaboration can be confusing and so the support network by the university was key to guide me through my journey. ‘
‘Workloads could be considered more stressful than the ordinary thesis, as this meant collating what studies could be done at certain points of the year instead of the linear progression expected from the doctoral candidates. This has suited me, as I prefer usually being left to my own devices and pursuing my own PhD journey.’