Design and Evaluation of a Virtual Reality Property Business Simulation with an Embedded Building Cost Estimation Module

Abstract

This study designs and evaluates a virtual reality property business simulation, SmartRoom, whose central feature is an embedded building cost estimation module. Existing virtual reality applications for the property sector stop at visualisation and do not produce a validated cost figure while a design is being explored, so learners of construction cost estimation cannot observe the spatial consequences of their decisions. Following a design science research framework, the artefact was evaluated on three dimensions: cost estimation accuracy, technical performance, and usability. Accuracy was measured against conventional bill-of-quantity calculations on ten building scenarios using mean absolute percentage error. Technical performance was recorded through in-application telemetry at up to eight concurrent users. Usability was measured on thirty participants using the System Usability Scale and the User Experience Questionnaire, with discomfort measured using the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire. The parametric mode obtained a mean absolute percentage error of 7.02 percent and the quantity-based mode 2.14 percent, both within the tolerance of their respective estimate classes. All performance parameters met their thresholds, the System Usability Scale score was 82.00, and all user experience scales were positive. Simulator sickness rose markedly after use and is reported as the principal limitation. Learning effectiveness was not tested.