When North Carolina State University decided to renovate its two central boiler plants, facilities managers faced a daunting task. The university had scant construction documentation. The design team developed two scenarios to obtain the documentation – field measurement and 3D laser scanning. The scanning option was selected, and McKim & Creed produced scan files at (+/-) 1/8-inch accuracy in half the time of the field measurement approach, with minimal disruption to plant operation. The files allowed “walk-through” views of the spaces at any level, construction cost estimating proved to be accurate, and project phasing plans were easily facilitated by the versatility of the files.
