Research

Below is our research including grants, publications and awards since the lab started in 2021 (earlier works of PI are also available). To find articles and data, visit publisher’s site.

Research Programme

My research is driven by the vision of Smart Nation Initiative, with the overarching goal of harnessing automated, intelligent technologies for high-precision reality capture and 3D modelling of built environments, enabling accurate computational analysis and optimisation of smart digital cities. At its core is an R&D programme on autonomous data acquisition and semantic Building Information Modelling (BIM) to generate reliable, semantically rich digital assets.

Within this context, my work has converged on three interrelated areas: (i) autonomous 3D scanning to maximise geometric data accuracy and completeness; (ii) representation learning and semantic enrichment of scan data for high-precision Scan-to-BIM; and (iii) graph-based modelling and bio-inspired generative design.

Grants Awarded to Date

Competitive Research Grants

  • Principal Investigator, AI-assisted scan-to-BIM technology for 3D reconstruction of infrastructure information models. National Research Foundation through AI Singapore Programme (Ref: AISG-100E-2023-113) and Land Transport Authority through Land Transport Innovation Fund (Ref: LTIF Proj. 22/05E), S$704,996, 9.2023 – 2.2025.

  • Deputy Project Manager and CI, Building information modelling-based rebar design optimisation and prefabrication automation. Hong Kong Construction Industry Council under Explorative Project Scheme (Ref: CIC19EG03), HK$1,071,800, 6.2019 – 12.2020.

Industry-funded / Translational Grants

  • Principal Investigator, Robotic scan planning technology for automated 3D digital reconstruction. DeGAP Grant under RIE2025 (Ref: GAP502024-04-05), S$65,000, 12.2024 – 11.2025 and MOE AcRF Tier-1 Grant (Ref: A-8003194-00-00), S$20,000, 3.2025 – 9.2026.

  • Principal Investigator, Pilot study for measurement of carbon emissions from construction activities and EC from residential development. Swire Properties (Ref: A-8000171-01-00), S$35,000, 1.2022 – 9.2022.

Equipment In-kind Contributions

  • Principal Investigator, Experimental evaluation of FAST3DIS 3D LiDAR-based object tracking system for built environment applications. Aruvii Pte. Ltd. (Ref: 2025-01471), S$38,000, 9.2025 – 3.2027.

Internal Grants

  • Principal Investigator, Automated reconstruction of as-built building information models using LiDAR and deep learning. Singapore Ministry of Education AcRF Tier-1 Grant (Ref: A-8001207-00-00), S$212,380, 3.2023 – 3.2026.

  • Principal Investigator, Towards coastal resilience in Singapore: Automated 3D reconstruction of coastal digital twins using robotic scanning. Singapore Ministry of Education AcRF Tier-1 Grant (Ref: A-8002138-00-00), S$200,000, 3.2024 – 3.2027.

  • Principal Investigator, Artificial intelligence assisted Scan-to-BIM for existing buildings in A&A projects. Singapore Ministry of Education AcRF Tier-1 Grant (Ref: R-296-000-213-114 / A-0008304-01-00), S$170,000, 3.2020 – 2.2023 (PI since 5.2022).

  • Principal Investigator, BIM and Internet of Things-driven multi-agent system for post-COVID facility operations and optimisation. NUS Start-up Grant (Ref: R-296-000-233-133 / A-0008324-01-00), S$179,925, 3.2021 – 9.2024.

  • Principal Investigator, Predicting thermal comfort and energy performance of mixed-mode ventilation in buildings using building information modelling. HKUST Initiation Grant (Ref: IGN17EG04), HK$100,000, 2.2018 – 6.2019.

Education Grants

  • Principal Lecturer, Blended Learning 2.0 Project Cost Management. Blended Learning Module (Ref: E-027-00-0063-07), S$87,925, 5.2022 – 3.2023.

Co-PI Grants

  • Co-Principal Investigator, Computer vision system to manage housekeeping on construction sites. DeGAP Grant under RIE2025 (Ref: GAP502024-04-12), S$65,000, 1.2025 – 12.2025.

  • Co-Principal Investigator, Computer vision for housekeeping on construction site. National Research Foundation under AI Singapore Programme (Ref: AISG2-100E-2021-084), S$529,794, 10.2022 – 4.2024.

  • Co-Principal Investigator, Multi-agent system and integrated collaborative robots for targeted disinfection over 5G network for Post-COVID FM. Singapore Ministry of Education AcRF Tier-1 Grant (Ref: R-296-000-244-114), S$180,000, 3.2022 – 4.2024.

  • Co-Principal Investigator, 3T framework for mitigating challenges and enhancing digital twin implementation over 5G network for smart FM. Singapore Ministry of Education AcRF Tier-1 Grant (Ref: R-296-000-243-114), S$179,000, 4.2022 – 3.2024.

  • Co-Principal Investigator, Pilot study for measurement of carbon emissions from construction activities and EC from major construction materials. Swire Properties (Ref: 1718106-0), HK$150,000, 12.2017 – 6.2019.

  • Co-Principal Investigator, Study on sustainable construction practices to reduce the carbon footprint of LPMit works. Fugro Hong Kong (Ref: 1718088-0), HK$176,000, 12.2017 – 9.2020.

Publications (Selected)

Patents and Invention Disclosures

Provisional Patents

  • Li, K.X., Li, M.K., Gan, V.J.L., Knowledge Graph-based Building Information Models. NUS Invention Disclosure Reference: 2024-443-01; Singapore Patent Application No. 10202500432T. Filed 18 February 2025.

Software Invention Disclosures

  • Li, K.X., Li, M.K., Gan, V.J.L., Scan2BIM: Automated 3D BIM Reconstruction with Deep Learning and Knowledge Graph. NUS Technology Transfer and Innovation Reference Number: 2024-443. Filed: 13 December 2024.

  • Gan, V.J.L., Robotic Scan Planning Technology for Automated 3D Digital Reconstruction. NUS Technology Transfer and Innovation Reference Number: 2024-269. Filed: 12 August 2024.

  • Li, M.K., Li, K.X., Zheng, Q., Li, X.Q., Gan, V.J.L., Point Cloud Semantic Instance Segmentation for High-Precision BIM Geometric Modelling and Calibration. NUS Technology Transfer and Innovation Reference Number: 2025-019. Filed: 8 January 2025.

  • Goh, Y.M., Tian, J., Shao, Z., Gan, V.J.L., Sun, K., Computer Vision Monitoring System for Construction Housekeeping. NUS Technology Transfer and Innovation Reference Number: 2024-296. Filed: 30 August 2024.

Awards and Invitations

Research Awards

  • Second Runner-Up (2024) Scan2BIM - Robotic scanning for automated 3D digital reconstruction. Awarded by NUS College of Design and Engineering, Impact Accelerator Challenge.

  • openBIM/openGIS Grand Award (2022) openBIM-based design optimisation and prefabrication automation of steel reinforcement. Awarded by buildingSMART HK and Finalist of Professional Research 2023 by buildingSMART International.

  • Structural Excellence Award (2020) Parametric modelling and evolutionary optimisation for cost-optimal and low-carbon design of high-rise reinforced concrete buildings (First Author). Awarded by Hong Kong Institution of Engineers.

  • Best Paper Award (2020) Concrete reinforcement modelling with IFC for automated rebar fabrication (Corresponding Author). Awarded jointly by the International Conference on Innovative Production and Construction and the International Conference on Construction Engineering and Project Management.

  • Best Paper Award (2017) BIM-based methodology framework for sustainability analysis of low-carbon high-rise buildings (First Author). Awarded by International Conference on Construction Engineering and Project Management.

  • Best Paper Award (2013) Developing an agent-based decision support system for construction waste management (First Author). Awarded by International Conference on Civil and Building Engineering Informatics.

Invited Presentations

  • IAARC Research Seminar. From reality to digital twin: Robotic scanning and scan-to-BIM for automated 3D reconstruction of the built environment. Invited by University of British Columbia and International Association of Automation and Robotics in Construction (IAARC) @ Canada. July 2025, Kelowna, Canada.

  • UCL Guest Lecture. Digital twins, robotics, and automation for smart facilities management; for MSc Course: System Integration and Building Information Management. Invited by Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, University College London. Feb 2025, London, UK.

  • Panel Speaker for Building and Simulation Conference. AI and robotics technologies for building information modelling, simulation and optimisation. Invited by Tsinghua University. Nov 2024, Beijing, China.

  • Panel Speaker for International Forum on Engineering Education. Artificial intelligence and robotics for building information modelling and optimisation. Invited by Tsinghua University and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Nov 2024, Beijing, China.

  • Keynote Speaker for International Forum on Generative Design. openBIM-based generative design optimisation and precast construction. Invited by Faculty of Architecture, Hong Kong University. May 2023, Hong Kong, China.

  • UCL Guest Lecture. Digital twins, robotics, and automation for smart facilities management; for MSc Course: Management of Major Programmes with Digital. Invited by Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, University College London. Feb 2023, London, UK.

  • Speaker for Systems Engineering and Innovation Industry Showcase. Platform approach to design, manufacturing, and assembly of industrialised modular buildings. Invited by Imperial College London and Institution of Civil Engineers. Nov 2019, London, UK.