Practical Applications of Digital Documentation in Adaptive Reuse

Speaker: Rachel Palisin, PE, SE, Walter P. Moore

Adaptive reuse of masonry buildings requires precise documentation to accurately assess existing conditions and guide rehabilitation efforts. This seminar explores how digital documentation technologies—including laser scanning, photogrammetry, drones, and Building Information Modeling (BIM)—are being used on masonry restoration, preservation, and adaptive reuse projects. Through real-world case studies, participants will learn how these tools improve condition assessment, structural evaluation, interdisciplinary coordination, and decision-making while preserving the character and integrity of existing masonry structures.

Learning Objectives
• Identify digital documentation technologies—including laser scanning, photogrammetry, drones, and BIM—and their application to existing masonry buildings.
• Explain how digital documentation supports the evaluation, rehabilitation, preservation, and adaptive reuse of masonry structures.
• Evaluate how digital documentation improves the assessment of masonry conditions, structural analysis, project coordination, and construction planning.
• Apply best practices for incorporating digital documentation into masonry restoration and adaptive reuse projects to reduce uncertainty, improve accuracy, and support informed engineering decisions.