How We Utilize Unreal Engine to Create Architectural Visualizations for Real Estate

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Introduction

Until now, Unreal Engine is most commonly associated with game development. While it’s an excellent engine with which developers build games, it also has lesser-known applications in many key industries. Used by 3D artists, filmmakers, designers, architects, and VR developers, Unreal Engine has opened up many opportunities for us.

We want to broaden the perception of this software. Using our solution – Vinode – as an example, we explain how, thanks to Unreal Engine, it’s possible to create hyper realistic architectural visualizations, even those representations of not-yet-built projects.

As a 3D visualization company, we develop and deliver fully functional and high-quality 3D websites for the real estate industry. Many functionalities and features of Unreal Engine 5 help us prepare lifelike 3D models of buildings, and our clients succeed in the real estate field. Today, we dive into these possibilities.

Unreal Engine in a nutshell

Simply put, Unreal Engine is a powerful tool with multiple features leading to the creation of unique 3D models, visuals, and interactive elements. It allows importing 3D models, special materials, specific lighting, etc., prepared in other programs. 

Thanks to this software, it’s also possible to prepare virtual 3D house tour, flythrough, and even VR experiences. 

Features of Unreal Engine 5 supporting Archviz projects

Unreal Engine’s advanced methods, like ray tracing, ensure the possibility of creating outstanding photorealistic visuals mirroring real-world light behaviors.

Especially in architectural visualization, the precise representation of lighting scenarios is crucial, and the Unreal Engine’s ability to effectively simulate them becomes a fundamental element in accurately reflecting the core aspects of a design. Moreover, photorealistic architectural rendering not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of the design but also aids us in troubleshooting potential issues and testing the most eye-catching lighting schemes.

Below, we highlight these features of UE 5 that significantly influence the ArchViz development process.

• Materials & textures

The aesthetic communication in architecture is strongly dependent on its materials. The Unreal Engine meets this demand by offering an extensive collection of superior-quality materials and textures.

From the lustrous glare of glass to the intricate textures of wood and concrete, we can use such assets to amplify the authenticity of representative models and bring out their key features.

• Lumen

The light plays a pivotal role in architectural visualizations. Lumen is a new feature in UE 5 that acts like a dynamic global illumination and reflection system. It helps us achieve photorealistic lighting in a faster way than it was possible before the enhancements of the engine.

Thanks to indirect lighting, which simultaneously reacts to the direct light or geometry changes (such as an angle at which the sun sheds its rays, unveiling of the curtains, etc.), realism of the scene in real time is achievable.

• Real-time interactions

The real-time functionality of Unreal Engine leads to enormous benefits for both sides, 3D designers and customers. Thanks to this feature, we can make immediate modifications during our discussions with clients and analyze current projects. 

This live engagement enables a better understanding of customers’ needs. Thanks to this feature, we can prepare your best, client-focused final product.

• Path Tracer

Path tracer is a feature allowing for casting multiple rays into the scene to get information about colors and light to shade a given pixel. This feature boosts performance. One of the key points here is a support for tinted thick glass with absorption, which is crucial in architectural projects. Another one is the path-traced depth of field – essential for creating renders with translucent materials.

The valuable function is also path-traced eye shaders and hair – although directly needless for architectural projects, however, when we consider creating luxurious or highly-detailed rugs or throws, this feature is a game-changer.

• VR & AR integration

Using Unreal Engine, potential property buyers can delve into immersive virtual tours and augmented reality interactions. This solution gives them a genuine feel of a building’s layout and improves their spatial awareness.

Additionally, such virtual experiences can be enriched with real-time data, allowing users to customize and interact with the design in unique ways, like deploying the property and taking tours with their phone’s webcam – AR.

Utilizing Unreal Engine for real estate business helps in sales

Nowadays, property marketing is thriving, so standing out from the competition is quickly becoming more important to improve brand recognition and quality of services. Many potential buyers will give up on searching your page if it’s not engaging or functional enough or doesn’t guide through each step of the user experience.

Creating visuals in Unreal Engine lets prepare the best customer experience for potential buyers. According to a study by HubSpot, businesses that engage in lead nurturing through interactive channels experience a 45% higher conversion rate than those that don’t. Your real estate website can represent all desirable features and more. Beyond the basic interactive 3D web page, with our functionalities, your clients can take 3D house tours, customize interiors and render each view without any delays, deploy a particular investment on their plot (AR apps), watch properties via the Sales Office App, and more. These features lead to the best user experience and guarantee higher ROI.

Immersive 3D real estate web apps

Unreal Engine disposes of Pixel Streaming technology that enables rendering graphics in real-time. Nevertheless, it’s not enough when you want to create a 3D web app that works smoothly without any delays. This is why we went a step further and enhanced this technology. It includes some technical optimizations, thanks to which we can run pages with interactive content at the highest possible speed.

Allowing to stream immersive, top notch Unreal Engine applications results in many benefits for real estate agents and clients:

• A loading time of around 1 second ensures the best performance and user experience. 
• Our apps run on each device with internet access – there is no need to have unique device parameters or download anything to use the page. 
• Key features of your properties can be adequately web-presented from the best perspective. 

Conclusions

All of the features mentioned above significantly impact how your real estate business can succeed by enabling a 3D web page available to customers.

Thanks to Unreal Engine’s features, you can get high-quality web apps with photorealistic 3D representations of exteriors and interiors and realistic environments surrounding properties. With our help, you can create a strong recognition of services and streamline sales processes because we also provide CRM/CMS integration for the best management effects.

With Vinode, our all-in-one visual marketing solution for real estate businesses, you can bring your work to the next level. Learn more by reading about all the benefits of investing in our solution, and contact us to schedule a meeting to discuss your individual marketing needs.

Visit our knowledge base by entering latest blog posts:

• The Importance of Spatial Awareness in Real Estate – Using 3D Rendering to Showcase Not-Yet-Built Properties
• Best Rendering Engine for Architects and ArchViz Artists
• How We Utilize Unreal Engine to Create Architectural Visualizations for Real Estate
• Real Estate Website Design Practices
• Technical Vinode Updates for Better Performance