Construction Company Uses Video Game ‘Doom’ To Design Offices

The construction firm Doing It Right This Time (DIRTT) has turned to the horror-themed first-person shooter "Doom" to build rooms for office buildings, Popular Science reported.

According to DIRTT president Scott Jenkins, the company uses the game engine from the first installment of the "Doom" series released in 1993.

The engine, known as ICE, helps the construction company avoid the two most hated words in the industry.

"The two words are 'change order,'" Jenkins said.

In the world of construction, change order or order changes occur when workers come across unexpected or unsolvable problems in their projects. It also happens when contractors suddenly realize that they have underestimated the necessary labor, cost and resources for a construction job.

Through the ICE software from "Doom," DIRTT is able to make sure that it will not encounter any problems in their projects.

"We're going to have cost certainty with ICE," Jenkins said.

The ICE computer program works by turning 2-D blueprints into 3-D designs. Since the software is open-source, the company was able to use it along with its other design software such as AutoCAD, according to IGN.

Before construction begins, an architect or engineer creates a 3-D design of a room using ICE. The software allows the user to design every aspect of a room including its electrical engineering and water pipe lining.

The blueprint finalized on ICE is then printed and taken to a facility where wall panels and other components are constructed based on the design.

These parts are then transported to the construction site and are assembled.

Jenkins noted that ICE eliminates potential problems because construction companies don't have to rely on several people or other firms to handle different aspects of the project like before. Instead, all design aspects are taken care of by a single program, Polygon reported.

"Because of ICE, we don't have to separate teams of manufacturers trying to coordinate with ordered engineering," he said. "You' have to build the materials separately and then put them together later."

Aside from ICE, DIRTT is also planning on integrating virtual reality systems such as the Oculus Rift into their design process.

"Imagine, if you slapped on those Oculus glasses, you could view what changes to make as if you were in the room," Jenkins said.