The value of virtual reality in buildings

Each year, 500,000 tonnes of waste is incinerated at Vestforbrænding resulting in several tonnes of polluted ash accumulating.

To solve the challenge of accumulated ash, it was decided to invest EUR 7 million (partly EU-funded) in a development project for ash cleaning. Virtual reality was applied in the design phase for fitting new machinery into already existing facilities

COWI was in charge of the demolishing project in order to make space for the new process plant as well as the complete installation of the new plant. Using 3D technology and virtual reality, the planning of the demolition and the installation of the new plant was carried out as an integrated process.

The process comprised a 3D scanning of the allocated facilities and vectorization of staying parts such as platforms, carrying structures, pipe works, cable trays and electrical panels. In the process, virtual reality was applied by means of walk-through in fitting and integrating the models. Through these, it was easy to pinpoint areas of conflicts during the design phase, pinpoint the possibilities for optimisation, and provide valuable information for logistics design.

Vestforbrænding is the largest waste management and energy company in Denmark with a clear objective of maintaining a circular method of waste management. Based on 49 years of experience, Vestforbrænding handles more than 1 million tonnes of waste each year and encounters 25% of Danish household waste.