Existing-condition reference
Provide a point-cloud record of the areas covered during the site visit.
Building & Construction
Capture existing conditions for construction planning.
Record accessible building geometry for renovation, design coordination, and project documentation. Confirm how the scan will be checked, modeled, and exchanged before using it in the design workflow.
The project challenge
Bring the existing building into the coordination process.
Rooms, circulation areas, plant spaces, and exterior interfaces often need to be understood together. A spatial record gives designers a reference for what was visible at capture, while a defined modeling brief establishes the detail needed for the project.
Useful deliverables
Define the record your team needs.
Coordination measurements
Review selected dimensions and interfaces against the project’s tolerances.
Modeling inputs
Supply agreed files and reference information for the team creating or updating the building model.
From planning to handover
A workflow for building & construction.
- 01
Agree the scope
Identify floors, rooms, interfaces, required detail, and site access.
- 02
Record the building
Capture connected spaces and revisit obstructed surfaces where practical.
- 03
Align and review
Check registration, coverage, coordinates, and measurements needed for coordination.
- 04
Hand over for modeling
Deliver supported data with the modeling brief and outstanding coverage notes.
Project requirements
Agree these requirements before capture.
- Access and occupancy. Plan around people, restricted rooms, temporary works, and changing conditions.
- Model requirements. Specify required elements and detail; a scan export does not automatically create a finished BIM model.
- Reflective surfaces. Assess glass, polished finishes, and occluded services during route planning.
- Revision context. Record capture dates and areas so future teams can understand what each survey represents.
Relevant systems
Choose around the capture task.
Pentra
Evaluate broad 360° coverage and a portable form for room-to-room existing-condition capture.
Explore Pentra →Cobra S & X
Compare sensor options and the integrated preview workflow for interior and exterior documentation.
Explore Cobra S & X →Evaluate the selected hardware and processing configuration using the project’s environment, required detail, and deliverables.
Related reading and resources
Explore the evidence and supporting workflow.
Underground garage project
Explore a real capture and spatial documentation example.
Explore Underground garage project →From point cloud to deliverable
Distinguish captured geometry from downstream modeling work.
Explore From point cloud to deliverable →Maintaining a spatial baseline
Consider how the record will be updated and connected to asset information.
Explore Maintaining a spatial baseline →Building & Construction questions
Will scanning deliver a finished BIM model?
Agree any modeling work separately, including element selection, level of detail, software, and review requirements. A point cloud is an input to that process.
Can the scan show concealed services?
Plan around visible, accessible surfaces. Concealed services require suitable source records or a separate investigation method.