Google Earth 3D modeling: providing business benefits.

• Author: Orr, Vanessa
• Position: Special section: ENGINEERING & ARCHITECTURE

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As new technologies evolve, so do opportunities for businesses to find innovative ways to reach more customers. A number of companies within Alaska are now using 3D modeling on Google Earth to not only target their locations for prospective users, but to provide a visible representation of their buildings.

"I call this 'navigational hospitality,' which is especially important for businesses in Alaska," explained Katya E. Kean, owner of Stray Kat Studio and a 3D modeler. "Most of my clients thus far have been in the tourist industry, and they are using this technology to help their clients find them more easily."

While many buildings in states across the Lower 48 and across the world are already "modeled" on Google Earth, the technology is just gaining ground on the Last Frontier. In fact, many of the modelers who create Alaska buildings simply do it as a hobby. "As far as I know, mine is the only business which has made models for Alaska," Kean said. "But 3D is an emerging field, so I anticipate an increase in demand for these skills." Kean was recently hired to travel to Arizona to teach a classroom of college professors, city planners and economic developers about 3D modeling.

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ALASKA'S SELF-TAUGHT MODELERS

In order to create 3D models, photos must first be taken of the building that will be created, which are then loaded into Google's SketchUp program. Kean, who taught herself to create models using free online tutorials and the advice of other modelers, usually takes a minimum of 30 photos of a building, which she then puts together using the software.

"The amount of time it takes really depends on what you're modeling," Kean said. "My first model of a bookstore took about two months because I was still learning; a recent model of the Yuma International Airport took about three weeks, and a model of a parking shade in Arizona took me a day. It depends on the complexity of the building."

Much like the construction of a building in Alaska, 3D models can also be dependent on the weather. "You really need good photos to do a good model, so you have to wait until spring or fall for the best shots to avoid tree cover and snow," Kean said.

Jeff Harrist, an engineer in Anchorage who has received recognition as one of Google's "Featured Modelers," began making 3D models as a hobby. "I work in midtown Anchorage in the ASRC office building, and when I came across Google Earth in 2009, I thought it would...