Worldwide an increasing number of people is moving to cities. Especially the provision of a sufficient number of housings is a challenge for urban planners and the building sector. This challenge can be overcome by densifications and conversions in the urban areas. The rapid urbanization is leading to planning processes which acquire rapid transitions under complex boundary conditions.

The recently founded research-group at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar aims to support such processes with a consequent application of digital methods. The researchers use an interdisciplinary approach and sophisticated technologies such as the drone-based acquisition of geometries of buildings (Computer Vision), the estimation of energy performance of buildings using thermography, sensor-based monitoring of characteristic values, the consistent storage of all acquired data using Building Information Modeling (BIM) as well as the visualization and interaction with Virtual Reality (VR).

The applicants Prof. Guido Morgenthal, Prof. Volker Rodehorst and Prof. Conrad Völker will support the researchers during the process of developing modern methods and the application on a reference-object in Weimar. Initial point of the research is a comprehensive investigation using Unmanned Aircraft Systems, which circuit the building autonomously and simultaneously generate image- and thermography-data.

Following the data acquisition individualized algorithms will generate three-dimensional building, neighbourhood and terrain models, mapping of identified damages as well as an estimation of energy performance.

For a comprehensive description of the project, please see this site.

Funded by:
Thüringer Aufbaubank

project duration:
11/2016 - 10/2019

Contact person: 
Alexander Benz
Tel. (+49) 03643 584835