Property view assessment by integrating BIM and 3D GIS: A quantitative methodology

Abstract

This paper presents a method for quantitatively evaluating property landscape views by integrating Building Information Model (BIM) and 3D Geographical Information Systems (3D GIS). Previous studies have used limited methods such as dummy variables and the hedonic method, which are subjective and implicit. Additionally, GIS-based methods have not fully accounted for important variables such as building layout, observer position, and landscape diversity, all of which impact view assessment quality. To address these limitations, the proposed method integrates 3D GIS and BIM to accurately determine the field of view, while considering the observer's position in relation to windows, window size, observer field of view, landscape diversity and quality, and the simultaneous presence of visible landscapes. The weight of simultaneous presence and intensifying effects of different landscapes were modeled using Sugeno fuzzy measures and Choquet integral. An Ordered Weighted Average operator (OWA) was designed to estimate the building's view score in optimistic, normal, and pessimistic states. The proposed method was evaluated on a case study building, demonstrating its effectiveness in measuring and ranking property based on visible landscape views. Additionally, the proposed method can be applied in pre-construction and architectural design phases to identify optimal positions for windows and terraces, to enhance the aesthetic value of a building's view. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd