Question 1

What services do you offer?

Accepted Answer

We provide surveying services for construction and development, including point cloud surveys, Scan-to-BIM, 3D modelling, model validation, GPR, Topographical, 360° virtual tours, drone site surveys, photogrammetry, and aerial photography and videography.Find out more by clicking on the relevant service page:3D Laser ScanningScan-To-BIMModel Validation360° Progress ReportingVirtual ToursDrone SurveysTopographical Surveys

Question 2

Which areas do you cover?

Accepted Answer

Whilst Spacion's offices are in Birmingham and London, we're happy to travel anywhere in the UK to help our clients. Our teams work nationwide, with extensive experience across the Midlands, the North, and the South East and West of the country.Visit our Projects page to see more clients that we have worked with across the UK.

Question 3

What industries do you work with?

Accepted Answer

ArchitectureEngineeringProperty & DevelopmentConstructionRetail & HospitalityCulture & Heritage

Question 4

What are the advantages of drone surveys?

Accepted Answer

In difficult or hard-to-reach locations, manual survey methods are slower and carry greater risk. With drone surveys, the team at Spacion can reach even the most challenging places quickly, safely, and accurately.

Question 5

What is Reality Capture technology?

Accepted Answer

Reality capture is the process of scanning objects, buildings, or sites and turning that scan data into accurate 3D models and visualisations. It's a fast, cost-effective way to record exactly how something looks and measures in the real world. Those records can then be used to save time and money and improve accuracy across a project. The most common methods are laser scanners, 360° cameras, and drone photogrammetry, which produce everything from simple images to detailed 3D point clouds.

Question 6

What is Scan-to-BIM?

Accepted Answer

Scan-to-BIM is the process of turning a laser scan / point cloud of an existing building or site into an accurate 3D model within various softwear including Revit and ArchiCAD. A point cloud is captured on site, then used as the basis to build an intelligent digital model, where walls, floors, structure, and services are represented as real, measurable objects rather than just points.It gives architects, engineers, and contractors a reliable, up-to-date record of existing conditions to design and plan against. This reduces the need for repeat site visits, cuts down on costly errors, and helps teams work confidently from a single accurate source. Scan-to-BIM is especially valuable on refurbishment, retrofit, and renovation projects, where precise information about what's already there is essential.

Question 7

What is a digital twin?

Accepted Answer

A digital twin is an accurate, digital replica of a physical building or site that mirrors its real-world conditions. It brings together the measurements, geometry, and detail captured on site into a single model that teams can view, measure, and work from remotely.At Spacion, this starts with reality capture. We use laser scanning, drone surveys, and 360° imagery to record a site exactly as it is, then process that data into point clouds and intelligent 3D models. The result is a precise digital version of the real thing that architects, engineers, and developers can rely on throughout a project.

Question 8

What are 360° virtual tours and how are they made?

Accepted Answer

360° virtual tours are interactive experiences that let users explore a location from every angle. They're built using a combination of images, video, and spherical 360° media to take the viewer on an immersive virtual walkthrough.A tour can begin with a video, floor plan, or map to introduce the space and help users get their bearings. We then present a draft to the client and refine it until they're happy. Once finished, the tour can be added to a website, social media, email signature, QR code, and more.

Question 9

What is laser scanning and how do point clouds work?

Accepted Answer

Laser scanning is a process of capturing precise, three-dimensional information from a real-world object, a group of objects, or an environment, using a laser as a light source. Laser scanning combines controlled steering of laser beams with a laser rangefinder. By taking a distance measurement in every direction, the scanner rapidly captures the surface shape of objects, buildings, and landscapes with great accuracy, with the highest resolution scanners capturing millions of points per second.Each of those measurements becomes a single point in space, with its own precise position. Together, these millions of points form what's known as a point cloud, a detailed 3D representation of the scanned area. The denser the point cloud, the more accurate and true to life the result. This point cloud then becomes the foundation for producing accurate models, drawings, and digital twins, giving teams a reliable record to plan and design from.

Question 10

What are BIM models and when are they used?

Accepted Answer

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a digital process for creating and managing information on a construction project throughout its entire lifecycle. A BIM model is a 3D virtual model of a building enriched with data, providing a coordinated digital description of every aspect of the built asset.BIM models are used from the earliest stages of design through construction and into operation. They allow architects, engineers, builders, and contractors to work collaboratively from a single shared source, analysing and managing information on a building's design, construction, and ongoing use.

Question 11

What are Revit models and when are they used?

Accepted Answer

Revit models are detailed 3D models created using Autodesk Revit, one of the most widely used building information modelling (BIM) software packages. Because they are built to a BIM standard, Revit models hold both the geometry and the data behind every element of a building.Revit models are used by architects, structural engineers, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineers, designers, and contractors. They allow teams to create, edit, and review a building's structural components alongside its systems, including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), electrical, and plumbing.A Revit model can be used across the entire building lifecycle, from initial design and construction through to operation, renovation, and renewal. This makes it a valuable tool for coordinating information and keeping every discipline working from the same accurate source.

Question 12

What are ArchiCAD models and when are they used?

Accepted Answer

A popular alternative to Revit, ArchiCAD models are digital 3D models of buildings created within Graphisoft's ArchiCAD software. Each model is made up of walls, slabs, roofs, doors, windows, and other building elements, which can be viewed and modified from a range of different model views within the software.These model views do more than let you edit the virtual building. They're also used to produce the architectural drawings needed for final documentation, forming the basis for drawings that are placed onto layouts. This makes ArchiCAD models a valuable tool throughout design and documentation, giving architects and design teams an accurate, coordinated source to work from.We recently used ArchiCAD to provide a set of 2D stonework elevations for Hanehouse Developments on the Bostin Clothing development in Birmingham.

Question 13

What is photogrammetry?

Accepted Answer

Photogrammetry is the process of turning 2D photographs, often aerial images captured by drones, into photorealistic 3D representations of topographic surfaces and structures. By combining enough overlapping images and processing them through photogrammetry software, individual photos are stitched together and converted into accurate, measurable 3D models.The result is a detailed, true-to-life record of a site or object that teams can view, measure, and work from. Photogrammetry is widely used across construction, development, surveying, and heritage projects, where it provides a fast, cost-effective way to capture real-world conditions in high detail.

Question 14

What is model validation?

Accepted Answer

Model validation is the process of confirming that a 3D or BIM model is accurate, reliable, and fit for purpose. It involves checking the model against the original survey data, usually a point cloud captured on site, to make sure every element truly reflects the real-world conditions of the building or structure.This gives architects, engineers, and contractors confidence that they're working from a trustworthy source. By comparing the model to accurate scan data, model validation highlights any discrepancies, errors, or deviations before they cause problems on site. The more thoroughly a model is validated against real-world measurements, the higher the confidence teams can place in it.Model validation is especially valuable on complex construction, refurbishment, and development projects, where even small inaccuracies can lead to costly delays. It ensures the digital model and the physical asset stay aligned throughout design and delivery.

Question 15

What is LiDAR?

Accepted Answer

LiDAR stands for "Light Detection and Ranging". The technology determines distances by targeting an object or surface with a laser, then measuring the time it takes for the reflected light to return. By repeating this millions of times, LiDAR builds a detailed, highly accurate 3D picture of the area being surveyed.One of LiDAR's key strengths is its ability to penetrate vegetation and tree canopy, capturing the ground surface beneath and revealing features that would otherwise be hidden from view. This makes it a valuable tool for applications such as mapping terrain, delineating flood plains, and surveying difficult or heavily covered sites. Depending on the system, LiDAR can capture objects at distances ranging from a few metres to more than 200 metres.

Transforming Property and Construction Through Digital Innovation

Frequently asked questions

What services do you offer?

Which areas do you cover?

What industries do you work with?

What are the advantages of drone surveys?

What is Reality Capture technology?

What is Scan-to-BIM?

What is a digital twin?

What are 360° virtual tours and how are they made?

What is laser scanning and how do point clouds work?

What are BIM models and when are they used?

What are Revit models and when are they used?

What are ArchiCAD models and when are they used?

What is photogrammetry?

What is model validation?

What is LiDAR?

Frequently asked questions

What services do you offer?

Which areas do you cover?

What industries do you work with?

What are the advantages of drone surveys?

What is Reality Capture technology?

What is Scan-to-BIM?

What is a digital twin?

What are 360° virtual tours and how are they made?

What is laser scanning and how do point clouds work?

What are BIM models and when are they used?

What are Revit models and when are they used?

What are ArchiCAD models and when are they used?

What is photogrammetry?

What is model validation?

What is LiDAR?

Transforming Property and Construction Through Digital Innovation