Reconstruction of 3D building models from 2D scanned plans-opening the path for enhanced decision support in renovation design

Abstract : Many buildings are now to renovate. Main challenges are often focused to improve energy performance. To determine the building characteristics, simulations are done using ICT tools that need more than ever 3D digital models. However, not a lot of 3D models are available for non-recent buildings and creating a 3D building model could be expensive. This is why our approach is to generate a 3D building model using existing 2D floor plans to minimize recognition costs. Building elements like walls, openings (doors and windows), stairs and spaces are extracted and recognized from existing plans. At the end, the model is exported in a format that complies with BIM (Building Information Model) standards. In this article, the process implemented to convert a 2D scanned plan in a 3D building model is presented, as well as preliminary evaluation. The obtained results on real plans are very promising. A discussion is done about possible improvements of the recognition.