Make a BIM turns 2D drawings into 3D models with the help of AI
How useful is AI in converting 2D building drawings into 3D models? The LiveCol project and its partners studied Make a BIM company’s AI-assisted tool that makes this possible. Methods to better utilize 2D data and convert it into 3D form are part of the project’s Circular Design Support task, which uses existing building model data to assess the features of different building products and components.
Make a BIM’s founder Leo Salomaa presented the tool and answered our numerous questions. Salomaa and his partners have created a cloud-based AI-assisted program that, for example, reads PDF files and generates an IFC model based on them. The generated model uses an open industry-standard format that almost all construction software can read. Afterwards, the finished model can be downloaded and transferred to another program for further editing with familiar tools.
“AI is not a flawless tool – at least not yet. We talk about artificial stupidity, which means that sometimes AI leaves out a wall and still has the window in place, for example. In these situations, you can generate the model again or send us the information, and we will correct the model”, Salomaa says.
More productive work with building information models
What are the benefits of such a program? According to Salomaa, the company was born out of a desire to reduce manual building information modeling (BIM).
“Our goal is to make BIM much more productive with AI. One reason for this is that the industry manually produces models of the same building many times throughout their lifecycle, which is expensive and slow. Often, the necessary information about the building is not available when needed, so it is recreated repeatedly from scanned drawings for purposes such as renovation planning or circular economy demolitions”, Salomaa explains.
Benefits of the tool for the LiveCol project
LiveCol researchers and our cooperation partners from AFRY, Senate Properties, and Trimble actively participated in the discussion. There were so many questions that the session ran slightly overtime. The LiveCol project participants were especially interested in different information that can be found in the model due to the Circular Design Support task. The models can be enriched with information such as contaminant values, manufacturing years, or potentially recyclable parts in demolition projects.
If the information about the parts of buildings under demolition are known in advance, supply and demand can be matched better. Some parts of the building can be very valuable and still have lifespan left. These parts include ventilation machines, elevators, doors, or concrete elements. However, this is challenged by the lack of data. Additionally, buildings under demolition are not usually modeled because no one wants to invest in them. Make a BIM’s product could be a cost-effective way to model buildings under demolition in advance, even on a large scale, resulting in a comprehensive database for review.
Finally, here are some excerpts from our questions and Salomaa’s answers:
Is the model accustomed to 2D drawings made by others besides Finnish designers? (Yes!) How well does AI distinguish between different building parts like exterior and interior walls? (The AI has learned the difference between an exterior and interior wall this week, and it is scheduled to be available in the APP next week.) What work does a 2D model require before being fed to AI? (At least remove all personal data and other such information that you do not want the AI to process. We also have preprocessing guidelines for images that should be followed.) What about data security? (We are very careful with the data we input. The processing currently takes place in Google Cloud, but we can easily install the AI container in another system, so the data stays within the borders of Finland, for example. We do not use language models developed by others.)
Learn more from:
Leo Salomaa
Founder, co-founder and CEO
leo.salomaa@makeabim.com
+358 505509028
Robert van den Brink
Research Scientist
Data-driven Circular Construction
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd
Robert.vandenBrink@vtt.fi