December 29, 2021 Virtual Reality Enhances Pre-Construction Decisions on Animal Shelter Project
Virtual reality (VR) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) enabled MYR Group subsidiary, Sturgeon Electric, to make pre-construction decisions in real time for the Riverdale Animal Shelter Project.
The shelter was Sturgeon Electric’s first project utilizing VR to tour the various spaces and visualize the functionality of proposed switch and outlet placements. Instead of reading drawings and blueprints, the animal shelter staff used a VR headset to “walk through” surgery space and exam rooms to visualize where switches and outlets would be located and what equipment they would serve. This allowed Sturgeon Electric to relocate devices to best serve the end user and refresh the VR within minutes to show the changes.
Investing in cutting edge resources such as VR helps our teams work more effectively in the pre-construction stage. VR technology in construction allows for collaboration without having to meet onsite multiple times throughout the planning stages. The VR environment also improves transparency during the construction process by virtually showing what each team will be doing on the job.
By improving visualization and streamlining collaboration, VR helps our construction teams create unique and custom solutions specific to the project. This results in a more profitable and satisfying experience for both the client and our project teams.
Watch Sturgeon Electric and the shelter staff demonstrate how they used VR in this video, which Riverdale Animal Shelter posted to its social media channel.
The shelter opened its doors late last year and houses kennels, surgical suites, community spaces, and administrative offices – all requiring power and adequate lighting for the essential equipment needed to care for the animals. The Sturgeon Electric team was responsible for the installation of all electrical aspects of the building including lighting, telecom rough-in, security, and fire alarm system. It was important for our teams to tour the space virtually to understand how the electrical would be laid out and used.
The facility partners with more than 40 animal rescue shelters and provides respite to more than 6,000 animals. The Sturgeon Electric team is proud it was part of constructing this beautiful space that provides the life-saving resources and staff to care for animals that otherwise wouldn’t have a chance.
Watch the video below to see the facility.
