Virtually there: a 4-dimensional digital multi-disciplinary learning environment

Working within the architectural and construction industries requires skills and knowledge which encompass design, structural and constructional systems, technical and environmental services, communication and management. An essential part of a student's education in the built environment is the integration and application of these core competencies, with learning traditionally enhanced through students visiting sites under construction. However, the ever increasing complexities of building technologies and the growth of consultancies specialising in specific environmental services contribute to a general student perception that environmental science is an area of specialisation rather than an integral component of architectural practice. In addition, the ability for students to access construction sites is becoming increasingly problematic, and with it the ability to contextualise learning as a realistic experience