Starting point / motivation

Digital recording of existing buildings is a key prerequisite for renovation planning, energy efficiency measures, and circular construction. While interiors can already be captured with mobile laser scanners or photogrammetric methods, there is still no cost-efficient, permit-free and sufficiently precise technology for the exterior shell.

Drone-based surveys are subject to strict flight regulations in urban areas, while stationary measurement systems are expensive and struggle with tall structures. These limitations significantly slow down renovation processes and hinder data-driven planning approaches.

Within the ongoing research project CSR:H by Digital Findet Stadt, methods for AI-supported interior data capture are already being investigated. Building on these results, ReCapture aims to explore the missing link — the automated and accurate digital recording of building envelopes.

Contents and goals

The approach transfers SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) technologies from the mobility sector to the building domain. These systems combine camera, LiDAR, and radar sensors to generate precise 3D data in motion.

The innovation lies in applying these sensing technologies to complex building geometries and combining them with AI algorithms for automated identification of façades, openings, and roof structures. For the first time, interior and exterior scans can be seamlessly merged into accurate openBIM (IFC) models suitable for design and planning purposes.

The technology promises a fast, cost-efficient, and regulation-free alternative to conventional surveying methods and lays the foundation for large-scale, data-driven renovation strategies. The study will provide the technical and conceptual basis for a subsequent demonstration project.

Methods

Through comparative sensor tests, accuracy analyses, and stakeholder workshops, the project will assess whether the technology provides sufficient geometric and semantic accuracy for reliable use in BIM-based renovation planning. The main outcome will be a demonstrator concept showcasing practical application in real renovation contexts, such as the building portfolio of ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG.

Expected results

The expected impact includes a significant acceleration and cost reduction in digital building data acquisition — a crucial lever to increase renovation rates and advance urban climate neutrality. ReCapture directly contributes to the objectives of the program "Technologies and Innovations for the Climate-Neutral City" by promoting digital transformation in renovation processes, improving resource efficiency in the building sector, and supporting climate-neutral and circular construction practices.

Project management

Digital Findet Stadt GmbH

Project or cooperation partners

z-tech software GmbH

Digital Findet Stadt GmbH
Dr. Sigurd Steffen Robbi
Prinz-Eugen-Straße 18/1/7
A-1040 Vienna
E-mail: steffen.robbi@digitalfindetstadt.at
Web: www.digitalfindetstadt.at