{"id":39186,"date":"2026-09-07T09:51:46","date_gmt":"2026-09-07T02:51:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vmts.ch\/?p=39186"},"modified":"2026-09-07T09:51:46","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T02:51:46","slug":"scan-to-bim-heritage-buildings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vmts.ch\/en\/scan-to-bim-heritage-buildings\/","title":{"rendered":"Scan-to-BIM for Heritage Buildings and Historic Structures"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div style=\"background:#000000;padding:24px 28px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;border-left:4px solid #C70100;margin:0 0 32px\">\n  <p style=\"font-size:10px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.16em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#C70100;margin:0 0 14px\">In short: 3 points<\/p>\n  <ul style=\"list-style:none;padding:0;margin:0\">\n    <li style=\"display:flex;gap:12px;padding:8px 0;border-bottom:0.5px solid #222222;align-items:flex-start\">\n      <span style=\"color:#C70100;font-weight:700;font-size:13px;flex-shrink:0;margin-top:1px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif\">01<\/span>\n      <p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#cccccc;line-height:1.55;margin:0;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif\">Listed and historic buildings rarely have square corners or repeatable geometry, and the standard tolerances used on new-build projects are often not enough.<\/p>\n    <\/li>\n    <li style=\"display:flex;gap:12px;padding:8px 0;border-bottom:0.5px solid #222222;align-items:flex-start\">\n      <span style=\"color:#C70100;font-weight:700;font-size:13px;flex-shrink:0;margin-top:1px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif\">02<\/span>\n      <p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#cccccc;line-height:1.55;margin:0;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif\">VMTS has delivered heritage projects in Switzerland, Germany, Australia and Vietnam, from castle complexes to listed industrial buildings.<\/p>\n    <\/li>\n    <li style=\"display:flex;gap:12px;padding:8px 0;align-items:flex-start\">\n      <span style=\"color:#C70100;font-weight:700;font-size:13px;flex-shrink:0;margin-top:1px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif\">03<\/span>\n      <p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#cccccc;line-height:1.55;margin:0;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif\">The outcome of a heritage scan-to-BIM project depends less on the scanner than on the modelling team&#8217;s experience with irregular, historic geometry.<\/p>\n    <\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px;line-height:1.7;color:#4A4A4A\">Listed and historic buildings place different demands on scan-to-BIM than a modern new build. Historic components are rarely symmetrical, drawings from earlier centuries often do not match the actual structure, and every restoration measure has to respect the original fabric rather than simplify it. This article explains what makes heritage scanning technically different, how VMTS approaches these projects, and shows real projects from our portfolio in Europe and Southeast Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-1.png\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-1.png\" alt=\"Point cloud of a historic building transitioning into a native BIM model in Archicad\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-37224\" style=\"border-radius:4px\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%272560%27%20height%3D%271440%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%202560%201440%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%272560%27%20height%3D%271440%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-1-200x113.png 200w, https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-1-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-1-400x225.png 400w, https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-1-600x338.png 600w, https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-1-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-1-800x450.png 800w, https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-1-1200x675.png 1200w, https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-1.png 2560w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\" style=\"color:#4A4A4A;font-size:13px;font-style:italic\">From point cloud to native BIM model: as-built capture of a historic building at VMTS.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_87 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/vmts.ch\/en\/scan-to-bim-heritage-buildings\/#What_makes_heritage_scanning_different\" >What makes heritage scanning different<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/vmts.ch\/en\/scan-to-bim-heritage-buildings\/#VMTS_experience_in_heritage_documentation\" >VMTS experience in heritage documentation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/vmts.ch\/en\/scan-to-bim-heritage-buildings\/#Case_studies_heritage_projects_by_VMTS\" >Case studies: heritage projects by VMTS<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/vmts.ch\/en\/scan-to-bim-heritage-buildings\/#Which_standards_apply_to_heritage_scanning\" >Which standards apply to heritage scanning?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/vmts.ch\/en\/scan-to-bim-heritage-buildings\/#Frequently_asked_questions\" >Frequently asked questions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/vmts.ch\/en\/scan-to-bim-heritage-buildings\/#Planning_a_heritage_project_or_an_as-built_survey\" >Planning a heritage project or an as-built survey?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_makes_heritage_scanning_different\"><\/span>What makes heritage scanning different<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A modern office building has repeating grids, right angles and standardised components. Historic buildings almost never offer that advantage. Scanning and modelling listed buildings brings together several factors that rarely matter on new builds:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Irregular geometry:<\/strong> handcrafted elements, floor plans that grew over several building phases, no recurring standard dimensions<\/li>\n<li><strong>Missing or outdated drawings:<\/strong> original plans often no longer exist, or they date from a building phase long since overtaken by later alterations<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fine architectural detail:<\/strong> cornices, stucco, window frames and stonework that must be preserved in the model rather than simplified<\/li>\n<li><strong>Tight tolerance requirements:<\/strong> restoration planning with prefabricated components (for example glass balustrades or facade panels) often allows only a few millimetres of deviation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background\" style=\"background-color:#F5F5F5;border-left:3px solid #C70100;padding-top:20px;padding-right:24px;padding-bottom:20px;padding-left:24px\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:10px;font-style:normal;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.12em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#C70100\">VMTS practice note<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:20px;font-weight:700;line-height:1.3;color:#000000\">About half of the point clouds supplied by clients contain relevant errors.<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#4A4A4A\">In our experience on demanding heritage projects, registration errors or insufficient coverage are the rule rather than the exception. That is why our team with a geodetic background checks every point cloud before modelling begins, not at the end of the project.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"VMTS_experience_in_heritage_documentation\"><\/span>VMTS experience in heritage documentation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VMT Solutions has been modelling from point cloud data for more than a decade, including many heritage and as-built projects for historic buildings in Switzerland, Germany, Australia and Vietnam. On these projects we consistently rely on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Terrestrial laser scanners<\/strong> such as the Leica RTC360, Faro Focus or Riegl VZ series; mobile scanners are usually not suited to this accuracy class<\/li>\n<li><strong>Native, fully editable models<\/strong> in Archicad, Allplan or Revit rather than generic IFC files, using techniques such as Morph modelling (Archicad) or Model-in-Place (Revit) for irregular components<\/li>\n<li><strong>Verified source data:<\/strong> every point cloud is checked for registration errors by a team with a geodetic background before modelling<\/li>\n<li><strong>Experience across building types:<\/strong> from castle complexes and libraries to listed industrial buildings<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-2.png\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-2.png\" alt=\"Detail of a native BIM model of a historic building with irregular geometry\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-37225\" style=\"border-radius:4px\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%272560%27%20height%3D%271440%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%202560%201440%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%272560%27%20height%3D%271440%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-2-200x113.png 200w, https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-2-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-2-400x225.png 400w, https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-2-600x338.png 600w, https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-2-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-2-800x450.png 800w, https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-2-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-2-1200x675.png 1200w, https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-2-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/vmts.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Point-Cloud-to-Archicad-Scan-to-BIM-for-Historic-Buildings-2.png 2560w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\" style=\"color:#4A4A4A;font-size:13px;font-style:italic\">Model detail: irregular historic components are represented, not simplified.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Case_studies_heritage_projects_by_VMTS\"><\/span>Case studies: heritage projects by VMTS<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#000000;padding:36px;margin:0 0 20px;border-left:4px solid #C70100;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif\">\n  <p style=\"font-size:10px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.16em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#C70100;margin:0 0 10px\">Project reference \u00b7 VMTS<\/p>\n  <p style=\"font-size:20px;color:#ffffff;margin:0 0 20px;line-height:1.25;font-weight:700\">Schloss Laufen, Switzerland<br><span style=\"font-size:14px;font-weight:400;color:#9E9E9E\">Architectural renovation of a heritage site at the Rhine Falls<\/span><\/p>\n  <div style=\"display:flex;gap:40px;margin-bottom:20px;flex-wrap:wrap\">\n    <div><div style=\"font-size:32px;font-weight:700;color:#ffffff;line-height:1\">406<\/div><div style=\"font-size:11px;color:#9E9E9E;margin-top:4px;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.08em\">Point cloud files<\/div><\/div>\n    <div><div style=\"font-size:32px;font-weight:700;color:#ffffff;line-height:1\">747<\/div><div style=\"font-size:11px;color:#9E9E9E;margin-top:4px;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.08em\">Photographs<\/div><\/div>\n    <div><div style=\"font-size:32px;font-weight:700;color:#ffffff;line-height:1\">Exterior + interior<\/div><div style=\"font-size:11px;color:#9E9E9E;margin-top:4px;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.08em\">2D and 3D scope<\/div><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <p style=\"font-size:14px;color:#aaaaaa;line-height:1.7;margin:0\">VMTS captured and modelled the complex exterior and interior detail of Schloss Laufen (door and window openings, multiple roof levels, stone cornices) as the basis for its architectural renovation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#000000;padding:36px;margin:0 0 20px;border-left:4px solid #C70100;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif\">\n  <p style=\"font-size:10px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.16em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#C70100;margin:0 0 10px\">Project reference \u00b7 VMTS<\/p>\n  <p style=\"font-size:20px;color:#ffffff;margin:0 0 20px;line-height:1.25;font-weight:700\">Elders Wool Stores, Fremantle (Australia)<br><span style=\"font-size:14px;font-weight:400;color:#9E9E9E\">As-built capture of a listed industrial building for revitalisation<\/span><\/p>\n  <div style=\"display:flex;gap:40px;margin-bottom:20px;flex-wrap:wrap\">\n    <div><div style=\"font-size:32px;font-weight:700;color:#ffffff;line-height:1\">1927<\/div><div style=\"font-size:11px;color:#9E9E9E;margin-top:4px;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.08em\">Main building year<\/div><\/div>\n    <div><div style=\"font-size:32px;font-weight:700;color:#ffffff;line-height:1\">\u00b11.5 cm<\/div><div style=\"font-size:11px;color:#9E9E9E;margin-top:4px;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.08em\">Standard tolerance<\/div><\/div>\n    <div><div style=\"font-size:32px;font-weight:700;color:#ffffff;line-height:1\">40+ years<\/div><div style=\"font-size:11px;color:#9E9E9E;margin-top:4px;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.08em\">Vacant before reuse<\/div><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <p style=\"font-size:14px;color:#aaaaaa;line-height:1.7;margin:0\">An Australian architecture practice commissioned VMTS to model the listed 1927 brick building and its 1950s extension as a reliable planning basis for the long-term revitalisation of the site.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#000000;padding:36px;margin:0 0 24px;border-left:4px solid #C70100;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif\">\n  <p style=\"font-size:10px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.16em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#C70100;margin:0 0 10px\">Project reference \u00b7 VMTS<\/p>\n  <p style=\"font-size:20px;color:#ffffff;margin:0 0 20px;line-height:1.25;font-weight:700\">State Library of Berlin<br><span style=\"font-size:14px;font-weight:400;color:#9E9E9E\">As-built capture of a historic library building<\/span><\/p>\n  <div style=\"display:flex;gap:40px;margin-bottom:20px;flex-wrap:wrap\">\n    <div><div style=\"font-size:32px;font-weight:700;color:#ffffff;line-height:1\">170,000 m\u00b2<\/div><div style=\"font-size:11px;color:#9E9E9E;margin-top:4px;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.08em\">Area captured<\/div><\/div>\n    <div><div style=\"font-size:32px;font-weight:700;color:#ffffff;line-height:1\">LOD 300<\/div><div style=\"font-size:11px;color:#9E9E9E;margin-top:4px;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.08em\">Delivered level of detail<\/div><\/div>\n    <div><div style=\"font-size:32px;font-weight:700;color:#ffffff;line-height:1\">RTC360 + NavVis<\/div><div style=\"font-size:11px;color:#9E9E9E;margin-top:4px;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.08em\">Scanners used<\/div><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <p style=\"font-size:14px;color:#aaaaaa;line-height:1.7;margin:0\">One of the largest heritage projects in the VMTS portfolio: the as-built capture of the State Library of Berlin across 170,000 m\u00b2 using stationary and mobile laser scanning.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Full project details: <a href=\"https:\/\/vmts.ch\/en\/portfolio\/project-laufen-castle\/\">Schloss Laufen<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/vmts.ch\/en\/scan2cad-for-the-elders-wool-stores-heritage\/\">Elders Wool Stores<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/vmts.ch\/en\/state-library-berlin-scan-to-bim\/\">State Library of Berlin<\/a>. Further reference projects include the <a href=\"https:\/\/vmts.ch\/en\/portfolio\/le-corbusiers-ronchamp-chapel-point-cloud\/\">Ronchamp Chapel<\/a> by Le Corbusier (UNESCO) in France and, in Southeast Asia, the <a href=\"https:\/\/vmts.ch\/en\/hue-citadel-heritage-documentation-ngo-mon\/\">Hue Imperial Citadel<\/a> (UNESCO) in Vietnam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Which_standards_apply_to_heritage_scanning\"><\/span>Which standards apply to heritage scanning?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is no single binding international standard that prescribes accuracy and level of detail for heritage projects, unlike some BIM standards for new construction. In practice, heritage scan projects work to two reference frameworks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>LOD (Level of Detail):<\/strong> for as-built capture and restoration planning, LOD 300 is the practical standard, see our <a href=\"https:\/\/vmts.ch\/en\/level-of-detail-lod-point-cloud-to-bim\/\">LOD matrix (LOD 100 to 400)<\/a>. A higher LOD can be worthwhile for components of particularly high conservation value.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Project-specific tolerances:<\/strong> instead of a universal value, VMTS sets the tolerance per project: for standard projects it is \u00b11.5 cm, and for particularly sensitive restoration work with prefabricated components a tighter tolerance can be agreed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The term <strong>Historic Building Information Modeling (HBIM)<\/strong> is increasingly used in the technical literature for BIM models of historic buildings. At its core it describes the same approach: a digital model that represents the actual, evolved structure rather than an idealised or simplified version of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\" style=\"background-color:#C70100;color:#ffffff;padding:22px 36px;border:none\">\n<p style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:16px;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;margin:0;line-height:1.45\">&#8220;On heritage projects we model the structure as it really is, not as it should be in theory.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_asked_questions\"><\/span>Frequently asked questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Why are standard tolerances often not enough on heritage projects?<\/summary>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Historic components are rarely symmetrical or standardised. On restoration work with prefabricated elements, such as glass balustrades or facade panels, even a few millimetres of deviation can make installation impossible. That is why the tolerance is set per project rather than adopted as a blanket figure.<\/p>\n\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Which LOD is suitable for as-built capture of listed buildings?<\/summary>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">LOD 300 is the practical standard for most as-built and restoration projects. A higher LOD may be necessary for components of particular conservation value or with complex fabrication requirements.<\/p>\n\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Which scanners are suitable for heritage scanning?<\/summary>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">High-accuracy work uses terrestrial laser scanners such as the Leica RTC360, Faro Focus or Riegl VZ series. Mobile scanners are usually not suited to this precision class, but can be used as a supplement on larger areas.<\/p>\n\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Does VMTS deliver native BIM models or only IFC files?<\/summary>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VMTS delivers fully editable, native models in Archicad, Allplan or Revit, not just generic IFC exports. This allows the model to be developed directly in the client&#8217;s existing planning process.<\/p>\n\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background\" style=\"background-color:#000000;padding:48px\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:10px;font-style:normal;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.16em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#C70100\">Work with VMTS<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:24px;font-weight:400;line-height:1.3;border:none\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Planning_a_heritage_project_or_an_as-built_survey\"><\/span>Planning a heritage project or an as-built survey?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#888888;font-size:14px\">Describe your project and we will reply within one working day with an initial assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"fusion-button button-flat button-large button-custom fusion-button-default fusion-button-default-span fusion-button-default-type\" style=\"--button_accent_color:var(--awb-color1);--button_accent_hover_color:var(--awb-color1);--button_border_hover_color:var(--awb-color1);--button_gradient_top_color:var(--awb-custom_color_1);--button_gradient_bottom_color:var(--awb-custom_color_1);--button_gradient_top_color_hover:hsla(var(--awb-custom_color_1-h),var(--awb-custom_color_1-s),calc(var(--awb-custom_color_1-l) - 12%),var(--awb-custom_color_1-a));--button_gradient_bottom_color_hover:hsla(var(--awb-custom_color_1-h),var(--awb-custom_color_1-s),calc(var(--awb-custom_color_1-l) - 12%),var(--awb-custom_color_1-a));--button_text_transform:uppercase;\" target=\"_self\" data-hover=\"icon_slide\" href=\"https:\/\/vmts.ch\/en\/contact-us\/\"><span class=\"fusion-button-text awb-button__text awb-button__text--default\">Contact VMTS<\/span><i class=\"fa-long-arrow-alt-right fas awb-button__icon awb-button__icon--default button-icon-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why are standard tolerances often not enough on heritage projects?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Historic components are rarely symmetrical or standardised. On restoration work with prefabricated elements, even a few millimetres of deviation can make installation impossible, so the tolerance is set per project rather than adopted as a blanket figure.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Which LOD is suitable for as-built capture of listed buildings?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"LOD 300 is the practical standard for most as-built and restoration projects. A higher LOD may be necessary for components of particular conservation value.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Which scanners are suitable for heritage scanning?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"High-accuracy work uses terrestrial laser scanners such as the Leica RTC360, Faro Focus or Riegl VZ series. 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