Wessex Water has been working with the global engineering firm AECOM on a £50m project to reconstruct the Durleigh Water Treatment Centre.

It’s a highly complex, technically challenging project. It’s being delivered to BIM Level 2, which means collaborative 3D models must be used, with embedded digital versions of all project and asset information, documentation, and data. Also, all data is managed in a single-source environment to ensure high levels of collaboration across the project lifecycle.

AECOM saw the potential for an immersive, collaborative environment. So, as part of the proposal to Wessex Water, it suggested the use of an Igloo Shared VR system, and a 6-metre cylinder was purchased.

The 3D BIM model created by AECOM contains data from ground-penetrating radar, drone surveys, and laser scans. Teams of up to 12 people can stand within the Igloo and walk around the virtual model. And AECOM has reported that design reviews carried out from within the Igloo have helped with design coordination, stakeholder buy-in, and plant operability reviews.

COMPANY: Igloo