Schiphol Airport and Allinq Digital transform scan to BIM to realize ambitious sustainability goals

An ambitious new project

Recently, Schiphol began planning to renovate its largest parking complex, P1. The project would focus on installing new elevators and reworking the expansion joints on the concrete plates that form the driving surface.

Following on the airport’s first successful collaboration with Allinq Digital, Schiphol tasked the innovative provider with capturing point clouds and generating a comprehensive, detailed BIM model of the parking complex.

The airport would use the point clouds to calculate the required amount of concrete, compile a bill of materials, and conduct other measurements.

They would provide the BIM model to contractors to streamline the construction process.

“Schiphol was aware that the work needed to be completed quickly," remarks Goor. "Otherwise, passenger access to the passenger-specific area of the garage would be obstructed, necessitating a detour. With accurate information from the outset, the construction process can proceed efficiently and eliminate significant disruption."

Big, complex, and a lot of blind spots

This scan-to-BIM project might seem straightforward, but the unique nature of Schiphol's parking complex makes the work anything but typical.

The complex spans five floors and covers an area of 250,000 square meters, equivalent to approximately 47 football pitches. It houses numerous technical rooms, each densely packed with piping, machinery, and other infrastructure.

Adding to the challenge, the airport couldn't afford to shut down operations during scanning. This meant the parking complex would include parked cars, which Allinq Digital would need to navigate to fill in blind spots and ensure a comprehensive scan.

Furthermore, Schiphol required the garage to be modeled in meticulous detail. "We had to model everything," explains Goor. "From the gates and lighting fixtures to piping, and every other element."

True economy

If Allinq Digital had opted for a TLS, Goor estimates that the project would have taken upwards of six months to complete.

"Navigating around blind spots and maneuvering between parked cars would significantly slow down the process, posing a major obstacle to timely completion. Even with up to eight TLS units, which we've used in the past to expedite projects, it still wouldn't have been sufficient."

"The other issue with TLS is the size of the point clouds," he adds. "TLS scans produce much larger files compared to mobile scans, resulting in higher storage costs and longer transfer times."

According to Goor, these factors would have led to substantial costs and delays, rendering the project too expensive for Schiphol to pursue. If TLS had been the only option, the airport would have been unable to generate point clouds or BIM models for its garages prior to renovation, missing out on the significant benefits of 3D data during construction.

However, with Allinq Digital's workflow built on NavVis VLX, NavVis IVION, and automated modeling, the scan-to-BIM project became viable for the first time.

Tweaking best practices

Initially, Allinq Digital attempted to capture the garage using the NavVis VLX and then automatically align the scans using interior walls. They found this approach to be less than optimal.

"It was impossible to align the scans properly," explains Goor. "This was due to the decrease in point density of the scanner at longer distances and the gap in the data caused by the ramp where cars transition between floors. The algorithms lacked sufficient data to align the point clouds accurately."

With assistance from NavVis support, Goor and Allinq Digital developed new best practices and a more effective workflow.

"We discovered that we needed to place three to five ground control points per scan," he says. "Initially, we encountered challenges with placing points on lower levels because they were obstructed, with no open sky. But NavVis helped us find a solution so we could proceed with our standard scan-to-BIM workflow, running our scripts to generate Revit elements and position the model elements in Revit.”

Airport results

Using NavVis VLX, NavVis IVION, and their innovative scan-to-BIM methodology, Allinq Digital produced high-quality deliverables for Schiphol.

"We were extremely pleased with the data once we became accustomed to using NavVis VLX and understood its limitations," remarks Goor. "While it may not be suitable for every task, it excels in projects like this, which demand rapid scanning. It surpassed our expectations for this project."

Schiphol was also “highly enthusiastic about it,” Goor says. “They've integrated the model into NavVis IVION, utilizing it for the dilation lines project and ongoing reconstruction projects. As intended, it has become the foundational model for all contractors."

Goor notes that adopting new workflows and data types, as Allinq Digital has done for this project, may require some adjustment time for users. Just as Allinq Digital addressed workflow challenges with the assistance of NavVis support, contractors needed to adapt to a new way of working.

"The BIM model didn't accelerate the initial project," he explains, "since it was the contractors' first experience with such a model. However, for subsequent projects? It will undoubtedly streamline the construction process."

An augmented path to the future

The most innovative aspect of this scan-to-BIM project extends beyond construction applications. Schiphol intends to use the BIM model to develop an augmented reality wayfinding application for passengers.

Goor explains how it will function: "A passenger arrives at the airport, parks their car, and then retrieves their phone. The phone determines the passenger's location within the parking garage by correlating their position with the BIM model or point cloud. Subsequently, the app presents an augmented reality interface to guide the passenger to their gate.”

“Upon the passenger's return to the airport, the app can assist them in locating their car as well. Many individuals experience difficulty locating their vehicle upon arrival, and the app can provide valuable assistance."

"This type of application has the potential to significantly enhance the passenger experience, and that's a major objective for Schiphol," Goor says.

"However, it can only be achieved with a digital replica of the asset, in this case, the parking garage. And the digital replica is only feasible if the scan-to-BIM project is economically viable."

The biggest benefit

So far, we've discussed numerous advantages of NavVis VLX, including reduced scan-to-BIM costs, accelerated construction timelines, expanded potential use cases, and the foundation for innovative AR applications.

But these benefits primarily apply to Schiphol. How does NavVis VLX benefit Allinq Digital?

"Our collaboration with Schiphol continues to grow stronger,” says Goor. “And this growth is bolstered by our automated modeling process, which is in turn supported by NavVis VLX."

“Given the operational complexity of Schiphol — and the airport’s stature in the Netherlands — working on scan-to-BIM projects with them presents inherent challenges. That’s why our achievements have garnered attention, not only from the airport and its main contractors, but also from diverse industries around the country.”

For example, Allinq Digital is now playing a pivotal role in the Netherlands’ nationwide energy transition.

“We are capturing the current conditions at high-voltage substations, and transforming point cloud data into LOD350 models within weeks,” says Goor. “We’re helping contractors obtain BIM models, which helps them make informed engineering decisions based on factual data without the need for high voltage substation shutdowns.”

Due to this airport project, says Goor, “Allinq Digital is also gaining recognition in the Netherlands for our ability to reduce the costs of scan-to-BIM work in brownfield scenarios. We are now known for producing low-cost models that deliver the sought-after benefits of BIM methodology. This data is enabling organizations to meet a variety of goals, such as reducing their carbon footprints by upgrading outdated equipment.”

In other words, the success of the Schiphol scan-to-BIM projects is paving the way for exciting prospects and partnerships for Allinq Digital.

REALITY CAPTURE →

ALL PRODUCTS →

REALITY ACCESS →

Better together

The NavVis LX-Series Bundle

We have the perfect solution, all bundled into one exciting new offering.

SURVEYING →

ALL INDUSTRIES →

CONSTRUCTION →

AUTOMOTIVE →

PROCESS →

Redefining handheld reality capture

Experience an unrivalled combination of agility, ergonomics, and outstanding data quality from a handheld device.

CONTENT LIBRARY →

BLOG →

DEFINITIVE GUIDES

NEWSLETTER

Get the latest news as it happens.

You will receive our newsletter once a month about upcoming events and webinars as well as latest news from the field.

COMPANY

PARTNERS →

COMPLIANCE

Schiphol builds a digital twin to achieve an ambitious goal: Become the world’s most sustainable airport by 2030

Amsterdam’s international airport collaborates with a leading AEC service provider on a series of ambitious scan to BIM projects.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Key takeaways