A LiDAR-to-VR Pipeline for Environmental Simulation

We present an in-progress LiDAR-to-Virtual Reality (VR) pipeline that leverages immersive technology to educate users about the environmental role of rain gardens in urban planning. Our workflow begins with 3D scans captured via drone-based LiDAR and 2D image capture, which are processed using photogrammetry to generate a 3D mesh and GIS tools to extract building footprints and topography. These datasets are refined and optimized with low-polygon meshes suitable for real-time rendering and VR.The VR environment immerses users in an interactive raingarden simulation that dynamically visualizes water flow, retention volume, and ecological benefits. This pipeline is designed with performance constraints in mind reducing mesh complexity while maintaining architectural fidelity to ensure compatibility with commercial head-mounted displays. This paper discusses the feasibility of the pipeline and its potential to support interactive environmental education. Future work includes simulating watershed-scale drainage networks and conducting usability evaluations focused on technology acceptance and interaction design.