The Victorian Building Authority (VBA) has supported an investment into the development of a Virtual Reality (VR) app for practitioners to use to identify potential water damage risks.

The program, led by RMIT University professors Peter SP Wong and Ron Wakefield, aims to provide builders and plumbers with access to high-resolution pictures and videos of common inspection scenarios on construction sites to help increase industry compliance with regulations.

The VBA says the app intends to allow users to “self-assess and identify” their own compliance and reduce risks associated with areas of likely moisture ingress and water damage.

Professor Wong says the innovative project can provide practitioners with an accessible experience that can be easily applied in the workplace.

VBA State Building Surveyor Andrew Cialini says non-compliance risks such as failed waterproofing and drainage issues continue to be prevalent, with 44% of proactive inspection program inspections by the VBA in 2021/22 identified at least one non-compliance risk.

“This proposed technology is a new way to help both students and practitioners get a better understanding of what to look out for, and what compliant work looks like.”

The program follows a recent VBA study that called for improved practitioner education on regulatory standards after it noted a possible “general misunderstanding” across the industry.

The funding for the program comes as part of a second round of grants provided by the VBA to RMIT University, Deakin University and the University of Tasmania to support researchers in finding solutions to challenges in the Victorian building and plumbing sector.