Images courtesy of Pennoni Associates
Pennoni FX Studios (PFX) has taken on dozens of large-scale projects from Pennsylvania to Florida, delivering stunning visualizations and videos that show exactly how a structure will be built or an area will be transformed. But producing these photoreal presentations came with a price: large-scale projects often require multiple revisions along the way, which meant slow and sloggy navigation through a memory-guzzling CAD file, then more time to wait for new renders.
All that changed when PFX started using Unreal Engine to visualize projects, according to Joseph Spadea, Associate VP at Pennoni. “Our main offering is around public outreach and approval,” says Spadea, “and our unique strength is that we can accomplish more for our clients by using the latest technology like Unreal Engine and Cesium to complement our traditional engineering services.”
An example of this improved workflow came with one of PFX’s recent projects, the I-95 Central Access Philadelphia (I-95 CAP) development, a multifaceted plan that calls for multimodal improvements along the Delaware River waterfront. A key feature of this plan is to improve access and views to the waterfront from Center City and to create a new vibrant, landscaped public space for the region and its visitors.
All that changed when PFX started using Unreal Engine to visualize projects, according to Joseph Spadea, Associate VP at Pennoni. “Our main offering is around public outreach and approval,” says Spadea, “and our unique strength is that we can accomplish more for our clients by using the latest technology like Unreal Engine and Cesium to complement our traditional engineering services.”
An example of this improved workflow came with one of PFX’s recent projects, the I-95 Central Access Philadelphia (I-95 CAP) development, a multifaceted plan that calls for multimodal improvements along the Delaware River waterfront. A key feature of this plan is to improve access and views to the waterfront from Center City and to create a new vibrant, landscaped public space for the region and its visitors.
Images courtesy of Pennoni Associates
The ambitious project includes the placement of over 60 new inlets, the replacement of multiple traffic signals and overhead signage, and the design of the first advanced traffic management system (ATMS) along I-95 in Pennsylvania—which will include lane control signals, DMS signs, variable speed limit signs, video, and queue detection.
A traffic model comprised of 92 intersections was developed for assessment of both future and temporary traffic conditions associated with staged construction and detours, and a comprehensive traffic management plan (TMP) is being prepared to minimize impacts.
Pennoni is also using Unreal Engine for other endeavors such as their DRBA Dolphin Protection System project. Technologies like Unreal Engine enable them to forecast precise updates, design adaptations, and illustrate critical construction stages for the Delaware Memorial Bridge.
We spoke to Spadea to find out more about Pennoni’s use of Unreal Engine with I-95 CAP and other projects.
Unreal Engine has become invaluable for PFX as it has allowed us to move beyond more outdated rendering tools which were cumbersome and lacked the breadth of customization that the engine has to offer.
A traffic model comprised of 92 intersections was developed for assessment of both future and temporary traffic conditions associated with staged construction and detours, and a comprehensive traffic management plan (TMP) is being prepared to minimize impacts.
Pennoni is also using Unreal Engine for other endeavors such as their DRBA Dolphin Protection System project. Technologies like Unreal Engine enable them to forecast precise updates, design adaptations, and illustrate critical construction stages for the Delaware Memorial Bridge.
We spoke to Spadea to find out more about Pennoni’s use of Unreal Engine with I-95 CAP and other projects.
How are you using Unreal Engine at Pennoni?
S: Our team uses Unreal Engine to produce rendered still imagery, animations, and interactive executables. Our projects vary from public outreach key visuals, proposal assistance, as well as direct site planning with clients who can see their designs evolve in real time.Unreal Engine has become invaluable for PFX as it has allowed us to move beyond more outdated rendering tools which were cumbersome and lacked the breadth of customization that the engine has to offer.
Images courtesy of Pennoni Associates
Tell us how you came to use Unreal Engine for the I-95 CAP project.
Spadea: I-95 CAP is a massive undertaking and we’ve visualized countless areas, with said areas being revised more times than we can count. Before we began using Unreal, our old software would literally take hours just to get the CAP scene open, and navigating the space once it did was a slog. Now that we’ve transitioned the whole project into Unreal, the performance is exponentially better, and we can easily take our client through the entire scene. That alone has been an incredible time-saver for us!We think this is a great case study of how, using Unreal Engine and Cesium, seeing is believing. The quality of renders, and having a super-customizable tool like Unreal helps us develop the big picture that can strengthen and transform a community around a project like I-95, and turns vision into reality.
Images courtesy of Pennoni Associates
What problems is Unreal Engine solving for your company?
S: The two biggest issues that Unreal has solved for us are efficiency and collaboration. We can render elaborate shots in a fraction of the time that it would take in our previous software, while staying lightweight in file size and computing performance. With built-in version control, we can also have multiple people working within one project without stepping on each other’s toes or overwriting progress.How does Unreal Engine help you win work?
S: Anytime we meet with a new client, we always take them right in engine. We’ll show a project that has relevance to what they need, and let them see for themselves how we can show final-pixel quality visuals in literal fractions of a second. Clients are often surprised that we are even using this technology for AEC work. They think Unreal is only used for large-scale game development, but by showing them our capabilities with the engine, they can see how we leverage Unreal to give them a high-end final product without the need for a massive budget.How does the use of Unreal Engine benefit your customers?
S: Our customers benefit from the heightened level of detail and accuracy that we can efficiently provide them. We can adjust elements such as global lighting position and even stream in an entire scan of the earth to place our proposed work into the exact geolocated area for clients to get a precise look and feel for what their finished project would look like. Previously, these lifts would take days if not weeks to accomplish, but now within Unreal, we can accomplish this with a few clicks.Do you think Unreal Engine gives you a competitive advantage?
S: Absolutely! Not only has our adoption of Unreal given us an edge on other competitors in the AEC viz space, we have also even been contacted by other firms to train them on Unreal after seeing our work.Images courtesy of Pennoni Associates
What is your personal favorite Unreal Engine tool?
S: Ever since Unreal Engine 5 came out, I’ve consistently been blown away by Lumen. It makes lighting so intuitive, and seeing the quality of lighting that it can render out at over 60 fps is just incredible!How does the use of Unreal Engine translate to benefits for taxpayers?
S: Unreal Engine plays a vital role for taxpayers because it helps government entities like DoTs make faster and more informed decisions on designs since they can understand the engineering plans more easily when it’s brought to life. This is also true on the side of the public. When we do public outreach for approval, we want to make sure the renders we create give them a concrete understanding of how whatever bridge, road, facility, etc. will be implemented within their community.What is your vision for the future?
S: Ideally, our goal is to continue pushing the boundaries of what we as a team can accomplish. PFX is a relatively small group, but we’ve always said that our goal is to stay right behind film/TV, but ahead of our in-industry competitors in terms of project quality and detail. We all love checking in every few weeks to see what new features Epic has developed, and we can’t wait to see what they have in store next!How to install Unreal Engine
Download the launcher
Before you can install and run Unreal Editor, you’ll need to download and install the Epic Games launcher.
Install Epic Games launcher
Once downloaded and installed, open the launcher and create or log in to your Epic Games account.
Get support, or restart your Epic Games launcher download in Step 1.
Install Unreal Engine
Once logged in, navigate to the Unreal Engine tab and click the Install button to download the most recent version.
Watch how to install