Building in Four Dimensions! - Google SketchUp Workshop: Modeling, Visualizing, and Illustrating - page 104

MS Project, Primavera, and Powerproject are applications that have been
developed specifically for project management in the field of construction.
All these applications are based on the same working principle that allows the
manipulation of project-management data, most often using Gantt charts.
However, they differentiate themselves in their power, their control functions,
and their interface. The xD Virtual Builder Classic plug-in can interact with all
these popular programs.
New Approaches
The originality of this solution is twofold: on the one hand, it puts complex
techniques into practice within a simple 3D environment; on the other hand,
it capitalizes on SketchUp's simplicity to communicate an overview of the
process of construction, its various phases, and any potential difficulties to all
those taking part in the project.
The possibility of running through all the aspects of the construction process
in a virtual environment is particularly useful for identifying and resolving any
possible problems before the construction work starts. This facility is even
more interesting when there are many contractors involved in the work or if
the project is either complex or one of urban design, encompassing a wide
area. This not only avoids cost overruns but also greatly improves the man-
agement, upkeep, and longevity of the final building.
By taking advantage of the “best of both worlds,” we have been able to
uncover complex data, often buried deep within inaccessible databases, and
present them in an extremely visual manner. What is more, although this
works for following the progress of the construction project, it also allows us
to demonstrate other visualizations, based on other approaches, thanks to the
xD Virtual Builder database.
Example 1: Project Using xD Virtual Builder Light
For our first case study, we will use the SketchUp plug-in, xD Virtual Builder
Light, which works completely independently within Google SketchUp. All the
time-based data are input manually and are stored within the model. In order
to access these data, you simply need a plug-in. This works with version 6 and
above of SketchUp and is available on both Mac and PC.
Stage 1: Base Model and Preparatory SketchUp Model
Objective : To create the base model in SketchUp, including all the final
elements and also including temporal or logistical elements such as
cranes, site access, etc.
Data : Model created using project database. This model can, of course, be
built using external files such as AutoCAD DWGs, for example.
Tools : SketchUp's modeling functions.