An HBIM-to-XR Workflow for the Dissemination, Sustainable Management, and Preventive Conservation of Twentieth-Century Architectural Heritage: The Real Club Náutico de Donostia-San Sebastián as a Case Study

Abstract

Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM) models enable architectural heritage to be documented, analysed, and managed through the integration of graphical and semantic information, thereby supporting preventive conservation, documentary traceability, and decision-making in heritage sustainability strategies. However, access to these models is often restricted to specialised technical environments. This study develops an HBIM-to-XR (Extended Reality) workflow for transforming an HBIM model into an immersive, interactive, multitemporal digital twin accessible through a web browser. The case study is the Real Club Náutico de Donostia-San Sebastián (RCNSS), a protected work of the Spanish Modern Movement that remains in active use and includes restricted-access areas. The methodology, based on Design Science Research (DSR), integrates the transfer of the model from Revit to Unreal Engine and incorporates Physically Based Rendering (PBR) materials, navigation between historical construction phases, and access to technical and heritage metadata. Remote access via Pixel Streaming and Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC) enables users to interact with the digital twin without requiring specific software, advanced graphics hardware, or model simplification. The results indicate that the XR environment preserves the semantic continuity of the HBIM model, facilitates the interpretation of the building’s evolution without interfering with its ongoing use, and enhances the non-invasive dissemination of modern architectural heritage. The findings also suggest that the XR environment could contribute to sustainable management and preventive conservation, although further professional and institutional validation is required to confirm this potential.