AI+AEC in News · AEC Magazine

AI makes scanned buildings searchable

Excerpt from AEC Magazine

qentin helps facility managers find assets, check safety features and explore “digital twins“ using natural language. Finding all the fire extinguishers, checking for damage or locating a piece of equipment by its asset tag in a large building could become considerably easier with qentin, an AI agent that lets facility managers search laser-scanned “digital twins” using natural language. Currently in early access, the software is developed by Austrian startup qapture, which has spent the past six years laser scanning buildings across Austria, Switzerland and Germany. Its projects include 38 Ikea sites covering more than 2 million square metres. Once a building has been scanned and georeferenced, qentin uses AI to automatically detect, label and locate objects. It can also read labels and asset tags directly from the scans using text recognition.

Published by AEC Magazine · 13 Nov 2026

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Key terms in this story

AI agent: An AI agent is software that uses an AI model to carry out a multi-step task towards a goal — reading inputs, deciding next steps and using tools — usually with a person approving key actions.
Digital twin: A digital twin is a connected digital model of a physical building, site or portfolio that combines design, construction and operating data and is kept up to date over time.

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CloudBrain helps architecture, engineering and construction firms in India turn developments like this into working tools. Related service:

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