Journal for Geometry and Graphics 26 (2022), No. 1, 171--184
Copyright Heldermann Verlag 2022
Exploratory Virtual Model: Study and Evaluation of a Low-Cost VR-Based Real Estate Sales Tool
Nilton P. R. Mendes
Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
niltonpr@usp.br
Eduardo Toledo Santos
Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
etoledo@usp.br
Nowadays, it is common to find architectural scale models at real estate sales booths, as they are considered important sales tools. On the other hand, they are fragile, expensive, take considerable time to be made and have a short life span, as they are discarded when the sales booth is decommissioned. Full scale mock-ups share a similar context, but have even higher costs. In the search for alternatives, this paper studies the Exploratory Virtual Model (EVM), a system based on simple Virtual Reality techniques to be used at real estate sales booths which has the potential to eventually replace the architectural scale model or even the full-scale mock-up of apartments. The studied artefact can be implemented with simple VR tools and devices, namely: passive stereo projection and 6D-mouse. EVM may be implemented from the Building Information Model, saving even more development time and costs. EVM was evaluated through two case studies in real projects. In the first study, real estate brokers analysed it, while potential clients evaluated EVM at a sales booth in the second case study. Results show that EVM can be developed with much lower cost and shorter time than the architectural scale model or the full-scale mock-up apartment and that was well accepted and found useful by both real estate sales professionals and clients.
Keywords: Real estate sales, virtual reality, BIM, stereoscopy.
MSC: 65U05
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