VR as a tool for specification of functional requirement in construction of hospital facilities

This paper investigates how virtual reality (VR) can facilitate the planning of new hospital premises from an end-user perspective and whether VR can minimize the risk of costly reconstructions close after commissioning. Currently, review of hospital premises is done in 2D based blueprints and 3D models. These blueprints and models do not always provide sufficient understanding on the hospital staff’s part. VR has been developed by suppliers to counteract this problem and to function as a design review tool for the end-users. VR is mainly used in the design phase of the building process, whereas it acts as a complementary design tool during the later phases of the building process, when the end-user participation is less tangible. Due to VR not being an established tool for all parties involved in the building process, it has consequently led to difficulties for the hospital in terms of understanding the value of said technique and knowing what set of requirements that should be taken into consideration when implementing VR into the building project. The results in this paper have shown that VR is a better tool during the design process than other available review tools. This enhanced understanding is not only limited to the end-users, but the suppliers as well have shown a better understanding of what they offer to their hospital clients. The results also show that the value of VR mainly is apparent during the design phase and less evident during the later phases of the building process due to the technical limitations VR currently faces