Enhancing Immersive Representation in Building Information Modelling: Towards a Framework for Effective Integration of Immersive Technology in the AEC Sector

The digitalization of information processes has become a standard practice in the construction sector, especially in the context of Building Information Modelling (BIM). With the advent of immersive technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), we now can enrich the representation of information in BIM, offering an interaction with the data that goes beyond simple visualization. Despite this, current standards and guidelines for BIM tend to focus on the structuring and organization of data in a traditional digital environment, overshadowing immersive aspects like representation and interaction in virtual ecosystems. This article, through the analysis of a case study, explores the issues arising from the lack of a structured information framework for immersive representation in a BIM environment. It emphasizes the need to define specific information requirements for an effective implementation of immersive simulations. Based on the observations collected, a structured information plan is proposed, complete with prerequisites and criteria for immersive simulation, and its practical application in a scenario is illustrated. The study continues with a comparison between structured and unstructured scenarios, discussing the implications and potential future developments. In conclusion, this research highlights the possibility of creating immersive models, with informational content, that are aligned with BIM coordination. This alignment prevents informational inconsistencies and ambiguities that could invalidate the immersive representations and compromise a potential contractual agreement.