Search Results (150)

This study examines the relevance of Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) for documenting and reconstructing architectural heritage elements that have partially or completely disappeared over time, using the remains of the service staircase of the Infantado Palace (Guadalajara) as a case study. Approaches based solely on historical plans cannot verify their reliability without physical evidence for contrast. Based on a critical analysis of existing historical plans and an updated survey using a Terrestrial Laser Scanner (FARO Focus 3D S120), a reconstructive hypothesis is proposed for the 16th-century service staircase. The 3D scanning revealed initial evidence of the previous structure’s existence; within the Palace’s historical–constructive context (15th–16th centuries), the study analyzes the 19th-century floor plans by the Madrid School of Architecture and the Geographic and Statistical Institute, evaluating their correspondence with current spaces. The methodology integrates 3D point cloud surveying, documentary analysis, metric comparison, and the development of an HBIM (Heritage Building Information Modeling) model as the tool through which the reconstruction proposal is materialized and adjusted to empirical evidence, contrasting historical sources with physical evidence. The results reveal discrepancies between historical plans and a previously undocumented constructive reality, confirming the advantage of empirical contrast over documentary analysis. Consequently, the survey made it possible to precisely locate the elements needed to propose the reconstruction of the service staircase. The originality of this study lies in shifting TLS from mere graphic documentation toward the hypothetical reconstruction of disappeared elements, extending its use to research on the historical spatial functioning of buildings. Full article

Heritage buildings sit outside most national energy codes, yet Palestine alone hosts over 3000 historic structures whose 80–120 cm two-leaf stone construction is absent from any published, measurement-grounded retrofit dataset. A 19th-century three-storey heritage building (Qaser Morcos, Bethlehem; net floor area 406 m², volume 2100 m³) was investigated through (i) in situ measurements (heat-flux meter to ISO 9869-1; infrared thermography; illuminance survey); (ii) a Heritage Building Information Model (H-BIM) built in DesignBuilder v7 with EnergyPlus 25.1 and the Jerusalem-centre typical meteorological year weather file, with end-uses other than heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) calibrated to three years of measured electricity records and the HVAC baseline comfort-normalised; (iii) a Heritage Impact Assessment per EN 16883:2017; and (iv) a 5000-run Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis on five envelope and system inputs. Two retrofit stages were evaluated: Stage 1 (passive and renewable measures—roof insulation, shading elements, LED lighting with motion sensors, solar water heating, and a 20 kWp photovoltaic system) and Stage 2 (deep envelope and system upgrade—Stage 1 plus triple-glazing, Variable Refrigerant Flow system, and a 17.5 kWp photovoltaic system). Predicted final (delivered) electricity intensity falls from 94.5 to 71.2 kWh/m²·y under Stage 1 (−24.7%) and to 63.3 kWh/m²·y under Stage 2 (−33.0%; 90% Monte Carlo uncertainty interval 59.0–70.4 kWh/m²·y), both well below the Palestinian Energy Building Code limit of 120 kWh/m²·y. On-site generation exceeds post-retrofit electrical demand under both stages, yielding a net-positive electrical balance. Direct carbon dioxide emissions fall by 6.84 t/y (−33%) at Stage 2. Discounted paybacks are 4.6 y (Stage 1) and 10.4 y (Stage 2), with internal rates of return of 24.7% and 11.7%. All proposed interventions received project-team consensus scores of ≥3/5 against EN 16883:2017 heritage-impact criteria. This study delivers a replicable simulation-based workflow for the energy assessment and heritage-compatible retrofit of thick-walled Palestinian stone buildings and one of the first field-informed heritage-retrofit datasets from the Levant. Full article

Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM) models enable architectural heritage to be documented, analysed, and managed through the integration of graphical and semantic information, thereby supporting preventive conservation, documentary traceability, and decision-making in heritage sustainability strategies. However, access to these models is often restricted to specialised technical environments. This study develops an HBIM-to-XR (Extended Reality) workflow for transforming an HBIM model into an immersive, interactive, multitemporal digital twin accessible through a web browser. The case study is the Real Club Náutico de Donostia-San Sebastián (RCNSS), a protected work of the Spanish Modern Movement that remains in active use and includes restricted-access areas. The methodology, based on Design Science Research (DSR), integrates the transfer of the model from Revit to Unreal Engine and incorporates Physically Based Rendering (PBR) materials, navigation between historical construction phases, and access to technical and heritage metadata. Remote access via Pixel Streaming and Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC) enables users to interact with the digital twin without requiring specific software, advanced graphics hardware, or model simplification. The results indicate that the XR environment preserves the semantic continuity of the HBIM model, facilitates the interpretation of the building’s evolution without interfering with its ongoing use, and enhances the non-invasive dissemination of modern architectural heritage. The findings also suggest that the XR environment could contribute to sustainable management and preventive conservation, although further professional and institutional validation is required to confirm this potential. Full article

This paper shows an AI-assisted workflow supported by a Large Language Model for the geometric and informative reconstruction of masonry arch bridges from multi-source input data. The proposed methodology combines point cloud preprocessing, vegetation filtering, AI-based or semi-automatic segmentation, geometric feature extraction, 3D mesh generation, and parametric Heritage Building Information Modeling integration. The study specifically aims to examine how the quantity and type of input information influence the reconstruction process and the reliability of the resulting HBIM model. The input data considered include Point Clouds (PC), photographic images, and descriptive information related to the bridge geometry, construction features, and visible architectural components. Particular attention is given to the initial geometric characteristics of the point cloud, including its point density, spatial distribution, level of completeness, and overall number of points, to assess how point cloud numerosity affects the accuracy and level of detail of the reconstructed geometry. Starting from a dense 3D survey, the workflow identifies and reconstructs the main architectural and structural components of a masonry arch bridge, including the arch, intrados, parapets, masonry walls, roadway surface, abutments, and cutwaters. The extracted geometry is converted into a clean 3D mesh and subsequently structured into parametric HBIM objects suitable for documentation, conservation, structural assessment, and future monitoring activities. A Cloud-to-Mesh comparison is performed to evaluate the geometric accuracy of the reconstructed model with respect to the original point cloud. The results demonstrate the potential of hybrid AI and geometric approaches to improve the efficiency, repeatability, and reliability of Scan-to-BIM processes for historical masonry bridge heritage. Furthermore, they show that the geometric quality of the HBIM model depends primarily on the density, spatial distribution and completeness of the structural points, rather than on their total number. Well-distributed point clouds, in fact, allow for more reliable reconstructions than larger datasets characterised by uneven coverage. Full article

Digital technologies have significantly advanced documentation, management, and dissemination of Cultural Heritage (CH) through reality capture, Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM), and Extended Reality (XR). However, the digitisation of large and historically stratified heritage sites still relies on fragmented workflows that compromise interoperability and interrupt the continuity of geometric and semantic information throughout the heritage lifecycle. This paper proposes and validates a platform-independent, ecosystem-based methodology integrating multi-scale reality capture, hybrid Scan-to-HBIM modelling, semantic information management, interoperability, and XR within a continuous digital workflow. The methodology was validated through the large-scale digitisation of the Certosa di Pavia, where more than 1500 terrestrial laser scans, over 200,000 photographs, and approximately 50 billion points were acquired across a monumental complex covering nearly 331,000 m². The proposed framework reconstructs irregular architectural geometries with millimetre-scale accuracy (σ = 0.005 m) while preserving geometric reliability, semantic consistency, and information traceability across point-cloud processing, HBIM environments, Common Data Environments (CDEs), and XR applications. The results demonstrate that the effective digitisation of complex CH depends not only on the accuracy of individual technologies but also on their coordinated integration within interoperable digital ecosystems. The proposed methodology provides a transferable framework for preserving knowledge continuity throughout the heritage lifecycle, enabling HBIM to evolve from a geometric representation into a dynamic knowledge environment supporting conservation, management, research, education, and public dissemination. Full article

HBIM (Historic Building Information Modelling) and Heritage Digital Twins (HDT) are increasingly used to organize geometric, historical, and conservation knowledge in digital environments. While research has advanced modelling accuracy, semantic enrichment, and interoperability, evaluation approaches remain largely focused on technical descriptors such as Level of Development/Detail (LOD), information completeness, and geometric reliability. Less attention is given to whether these digital outputs are effectively accessed, interpreted, used, and maintained within institutional practice. This paper examines how use is currently framed in HBIM and HDT literature and identifies a gap between technical performance metrics and the conditions required for sustained real-world adoption. Based on an interpretive review of recent research, it analyses existing evaluation paradigms and highlights their limitations in capturing operational and lifecycle dimensions of digital heritage initiatives. To address this gap, the paper introduces Level of Use (LOU) as a complementary evaluation dimension. LOU is defined as the extent to which digital heritage models are accessible, interpretable, actionable, and maintained over time within their organisational context. Positioned alongside LOD, Level of Information (LOI), and accuracy specifications, LOU links technical model quality with institutional adoption, long-term usability, and sustainable heritage management. Full article

The integration of advanced terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) techniques into building information modelling (BIM) workflows has significantly enhanced the digitization and preservation of cultural heritage sites. In this context, crowdsourcing can operate as a complementary upstream mechanism for enriching heritage inventories, supporting participatory mapping, collecting preliminary condition observations, and prioritizing assets for subsequent expert-led TLS acquisition, HBIM modelling, and structural assessment. This paper explores the application of TLS within BIM for the structural assessment and the long-term monitoring of historic structures. The reviewed studies show how high-resolution TLS data can support the development and updating of geometry-informed structural models, enabling detailed structural assessment and effective management strategies. The reviewed case studies demonstrate the practical benefits of integrating TLS with BIM, such as improved accuracy in structural assessments, enhanced data processing capabilities, and the creation of comprehensive digital twins. These advancements facilitate better-informed decision-making and targeted preventive measures, contributing to the resilience and preservation of cultural heritage assets. The results underscore the contribution of TLS–BIM/HBIM workflows to condition-informed documentation, structural assessment, conservation planning, and long-term heritage management. This research was supported by the ERA4CH project, which aims to protect European cities’ cultural heritage from earthquake risks through innovative monitoring and management tools. Full article

Immersive technologies and digital twins have provided new opportunities for the documentation, interpretation, and conservation of architectural heritage. However, the knowledge structure and evolutionary pathways of this interdisciplinary field remain insufficiently understood. This study conducts a scientometric analysis of 273 articles published between 2007 and 2025 using CiteSpace to investigate publication trends, collaboration networks, co-citation structures, and keyword evolution. The results demonstrate that research on immersive technologies and digital twins in architectural heritage has evolved from digital documentation and visualization toward integrated information management and intelligent conservation. The knowledge foundation of this field is mainly constructed around three interconnected areas: three-dimensional data acquisition, Historic Building Information Modeling (HBIM), and digital twin-supported conservation management. Collaboration and co-citation analyses reveal an interdisciplinary knowledge base spanning architectural conservation, construction informatics, remote sensing, computer science, and human–computer interaction, but also indicate a comparatively fragmented collaboration structure. Keyword evolution further indicates a transition from photogrammetry and virtual reality toward HBIM, extended reality, Internet of Things, and digital twin applications. Based on these findings, this study proposes a preliminary Cross-Domain Technology Adaptation Framework to organize potential relationships among data acquisition, semantic information modeling, immersive interaction, digital-twin analytics, and heritage-oriented applications. The framework represents a conceptual synthesis rather than a validated technology-transfer model and provides directions for future empirical research and sustainable architectural-heritage conservation. Full article

Implementing Historic Building Information Modelling (HBIM) for heritage structures is challenged by incomplete knowledge of hidden or inaccessible elements, as well as limited information on construction history, original design, and structural details, making geometric definition inherently uncertain. Simultaneously, applications such as structural analysis often require the same missing information. This study proposes an adaptive parametric Scan-to-BIM-to-FEM workflow that explicitly incorporates geometric uncertainty by generating multiple plausible and complete reconstructions from survey data and typological inference, enabling their use in parametric structural analysis. Starting from TLS survey, adaptive families were used to link measured and inferred dimensions through geometric constraints. The methodology is applied to the 19th-century masonry arch bridge of Montoggio (Genoa, Italy), currently characterized by a hybrid structural system resulting from subsequent retrofitting. Eight geometrical configurations were tested by varying uncertain parameters, including vault thickness and backing height, and were analyzed through modal and static finite element simulations. The results show a limited but non-negligible sensitivity of the structural response to these parameters, highlighting the influence of geometric uncertainties on analysis outcomes. In this light, the proposed framework provides a bridge between survey, modelling, and structural analysis, enabling HBIM to support interpretative and predictive structural assessment. Full article

Common Data Environments (CDEs) have become a cornerstone of information management in BIM-enabled construction projects and a key enabler of ISO 19650 implementation. Within the context of sustainable and Smart Construction, CDEs integrate design, construction, and operational information, supporting informed decision-making throughout the building lifecycle. However, their effectiveness depends not only on software capabilities but also on the configuration of processes, roles, permissions, workflows, and information structures. This paper proposes an ISO 19650-compliant CDE implementation framework for university construction projects. The study combines a literature review on CDEs, BIM/FM, HBIM, and information management with two university case studies: a new laboratory and educational building and a specialized facility integrated with a historic campus. Based on the findings, an eight-step implementation model was developed, covering information requirements, CDE structure, information states (WIP, Shared, Published, Archive), roles, metadata, workflows, site data integration, and information audits. A mapping matrix linking ISO 19650 requirements with CDE configuration elements and an issue management workflow are also presented. Exploratory findings from the two case studies indicate that a properly configured CDE can help reduce information-related risks, improve issue management, and enhance decision traceability; these results should be regarded as illustrative and context-dependent rather than statistically generalized. Although environmental impacts were not directly measured, improved information management may indirectly contribute to more efficient resource use and more sustainable university infrastructure management. Full article

The documentation and management of heritage structures in arid environments present significant challenges due to environmental deterioration, limited historical records, and the complexity of capturing irregular architectural forms. This study presents a structured Scan-to-HBIM workflow integrating terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), photogrammetry, and Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM) for the digital documentation of Qasr Harrana, one of the most significant examples of Umayyad desert architecture in Jordan. The proposed workflow combines reality-capture technologies with parametric modelling to generate an information-rich HBIM model that supports the systematic organization of geometric, architectural, and condition-related data. The methodology includes field data acquisition using TLS and digital photography, point cloud processing and registration, photogrammetric image integration, geometric reconstruction, and the development of parametric HBIM components representing key architectural elements of the monument. The resulting model was assessed through geometric verification procedures and was used to document architectural features, spatial organization, and visible deterioration conditions. The study demonstrates how established reality-capture technologies can be integrated within a coherent documentation framework to support the creation of accurate and reusable digital heritage records. Rather than proposing new acquisition algorithms or modelling techniques, the contribution of this research lies in the structured adaptation and implementation of existing Scan-to-HBIM methods for the documentation of desert heritage architecture. The resulting HBIM model provides a comprehensive digital archive that can facilitate future conservation, management, and research activities while improving the accessibility and long-term usability of heritage documentation data. Full article

Cultural Heritage (CH) is becoming increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, aging, and environmental decay, necessitating advanced preventive conservation strategies. This study presents the results of the SPIDER project, focused on Marquis’s Palace in Botrugno, a small but representative case study in Southern Italy of a municipality overwhelmed with the management of valuable CH sites. The approach integrates multi-sensor surveys, subsurface diagnostics, HBIM modeling, and IoT microclimatic monitoring into a lightweight information model designed for operational flexibility. In addition to that, the possibility of producing new, eco-friendly filaments for Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) printing from industrial stone dust waste was explored through a preliminary morphological, structural, and chemical–physical investigation of the stone material historically used in construction, with the aim of identifying materials similar to the original using a simplified, low-cost process. The findings highlight that economic and social factors such as limited resources and the “digital divide” hinder effective technology transfer. Consequently, this study investigates whether a “lightweight” Asset Information Model (AIM) can provide a more sustainable alternative to complex Digital Twins for small municipalities and other public bodies. For this reason, this research proposes a scalable, wide but basic framework of information management tools and methods aimed at enhancing territorial capacity building, fostering technology integration and social inclusion, and valorizing multidisciplinary approaches to address the challenges affecting CH. Full article

Traditional “hórreos”, vernacular granaries widely distributed across northern Spain, constitute a highly valuable form of cultural heritage due to their historical, architectural, and ethnographic significance. However, their progressive deterioration, dispersion in rural contexts, and limited maintenance resources pose significant challenges for their long-term conservation. This research article explores the potential of the Historic/Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM) methodology as an innovative and effective tool for the documentation, analysis, conservation, and management of “hórreos” as cultural heritage assets. The study proposes an HBIM-based workflow adapted to the specific characteristics of “hórreos”, integrating data acquisition techniques such as laser scanning, photogrammetry, and historical archival research with parametric modelling of traditional construction elements. The resulting HBIM models are conceived not only as geometric representations, but as comprehensive digital repositories that store historical data, construction techniques, materials, conservation states, and recorded pathologies. The research analyses how HBIM supports decision-making in restoration planning and enables preventive maintenance strategies over time. Furthermore, the article discusses the role of HBIM in improving heritage management at a territorial scale, enabling standardised inventories and supporting institutional protection policies. The potential of HBIM for heritage dissemination, education, and digital preservation is also examined. The results highlight HBIM as a powerful and adaptable methodology that contributes to a more sustainable, informed, and holistic approach to the conservation of “hórreos”, enhancing both their physical preservation and their transmission as living cultural heritage. Full article

The rapid development of digital technologies has significantly transformed architectural heritage research through the emergence of Historic Building Information Modeling (HBIM) and Historic Digital Twin (HDT) approaches. This study aims to analyze and compare the scientific evolution, collaboration patterns, and technological trends of these two research domains between 2019 and 2025. A comparative bibliometric analysis was conducted using publications retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) and Scopus databases. The results indicate that the HBIM domain represents a more mature and consolidated research field characterized by stable publication growth and strong international collaboration networks, particularly in European countries. The findings also reveal a strong conceptual relationship between both domains, suggesting that HBIM currently functions as a foundational framework for the development of HDT systems. Full article

The rapid development of Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM) has transformed digital models of historic buildings from design-support tools into long-term information assets used for documentation, conservation, and heritage management. Despite their growing importance, issues related to copyright protection, intellectual property rights, and data exchange remain insufficiently addressed in both research and professional practice. This study examines the legal status of HBIM models under European Union, especially Polish, copyright law and identifies challenges associated with licensing and interoperability in BIM environments. The research combines a doctrinal analysis of copyright legislation, a review of BIM and HBIM literature, an examination of information management standards, and a case study of an HBIM project developed for a listed historic property of the University of Wrocław. The findings indicate that HBIM models may qualify as copyright-protected works, most often of a joint authorship nature, requiring clear regulation of economic rights, derivative works, and model updates throughout the lifecycle of a heritage asset. The study also reveals a gap between technical and legal interoperability, as the IFC format does not consistently preserve information concerning authorship, licensing conditions, and revision history during data exchange. The results highlight the need to integrate copyright considerations into contractual arrangements, Common Data Environment (CDE) management, and metadata structures to support the lawful and sustainable long-term use of HBIM models in cultural heritage conservation. Full article