Reference

Glossary of Terms

Plain-language definitions for the terms you will encounter when working with ScanAudit. No technical background required.

As-built drawing: A drawing or model that shows a building or space as it actually exists today, not as it was originally designed. As-built drawings are essential for renovation planning because real buildings often differ from their original blueprints after years of modifications. ScanAudit produces as-built drawings directly from scan data, accurate to within a few millimeters.
Aerial survey: A survey carried out using a drone or aircraft-mounted scanner rather than a person on the ground. Aerial surveys are used when a space is too large, too dangerous, or too difficult to scan at ground level, such as a roof, a road corridor, or an open site. ScanAudit uses aerial drones alongside ground-based equipment for complete coverage.

BIM (Building Information Modelling): A method of creating and managing digital information about a building throughout its lifecycle: from design and construction to renovation and demolition. A BIM model is not just a drawing; it is a structured database of the building's components, dimensions, materials, and relationships. When ScanAudit delivers a BIM model, your building's real-world state has been captured and encoded into a format that design teams can work with directly.

Digital twin: A precise digital copy of a physical space, object, or system. A digital twin reflects the real world accurately enough that decisions made using the digital version translate reliably to the physical one. When ScanAudit scans your building, the resulting model is a digital twin of that space, usable for renovation planning, contractor coordination, or facility management without visiting the site.
Drone survey: A survey carried out using an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with a laser scanner or camera. ScanAudit uses drone surveys for roofs, large open areas, infrastructure corridors, and sites where access on foot is restricted.

Georeferenced: Data that has been tied to real-world geographic coordinates. A georeferenced scan knows exactly where it sits on the planet, not just how it relates to itself internally. This allows scan data to be overlaid on maps, combined with data from other surveys, and used in planning tools that require location accuracy.

IFC (Industry Foundation Classes): An open file format for sharing building information between different software applications. IFC allows a model created in one BIM software to be opened and used in another without losing information. When ScanAudit delivers an IFC-compatible model, your team or contractors can use it regardless of which software they work in.

LiDAR: Short for Light Detection And Ranging. A technology that measures distance by firing rapid pulses of laser light and calculating how long each pulse takes to return. By doing this millions of times per second in every direction, a LiDAR scanner builds a highly accurate three-dimensional picture of its surroundings. LiDAR is the capture technology ScanAudit uses, the same technology in self-driving vehicles and satellites mapping the Earth's surface.
LOD (Level of Detail): A standard that defines how complete and precise a BIM model is. LOD runs from 100 (a rough conceptual shape) to 500 (a fully detailed model for facility management). The most common range for ScanAudit projects is LOD 200 to 400. LOD 200 is sufficient for spatial coordination and early design; LOD 400 includes the precision needed for fabrication and construction.

Mobile scanner: A LiDAR scanning system designed to be carried or mounted on a moving platform (a backpack, a trolley, or a vehicle) rather than set up on a fixed tripod. Mobile scanners cover large areas quickly by capturing data continuously as they move through a space. ScanAudit uses mobile scanners for retail stores, warehouses, corridors, and road surveys where speed and coverage are priorities.

Operator: In the ScanAudit context, an operator is a certified scanning technician who executes the physical survey on site. Operators are trained and certified through LookAcademy before their first deployment. They handle data capture; ScanAudit handles all post-processing, modeling, and delivery.

Point cloud: The raw output of a LiDAR scan: a dense collection of millions of individual measurement points, each with a precise X, Y, and Z coordinate in three-dimensional space. A point cloud looks like a detailed 3D photograph made of dots. It is the foundational data from which all ScanAudit deliverables are derived: floor plans, BIM models, and viewer access. Point clouds are delivered in LAS or LAZ file format.

Scan-to-BIM: The process of converting raw LiDAR scan data (a point cloud) into a structured BIM model. This is the core workflow ScanAudit delivers: physical reality is captured by a scanner, processed into a point cloud, and then modelled into a BIM-ready file that architects and engineers can work with in Revit or compatible software.
SurfaceLab: A LookGroup company that produces BIM-ready material and surface specifications (finishes, wallcoverings, and cladding) derived from ScanAudit's as-built data. The ScanAudit + SurfaceLab pipeline takes a project from physical scan through to procurement-ready surface schedules, without manual handoff between the survey and specification stages.

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