New Approaches towards Disasters in the Built Environment. Risk Communication and Training through Virtual Reality

Enhancing built environment resilience to disasters is achievable through a strategic focus on community preparedness and awareness. Recent studies have explored innovative methods to educate individuals on safe behaviours during and after disasters. The SENDAI framework emphasizes the use of Information Systems for effective risk communication, ensuring that residents and visitors understand vulnerabilities, potential hazards, and exposure risks within the built environment. The presented research discusses a comprehensive approach combining different typologies of Virtual Environments (VEs), leveraging advanced computer-aided modelling tools like Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Building Information Modelling (BIM), 360° photography and a Virtual Reality-Serious Game (VR-SG), in immersive and non-immersive modes. A web platform (WP) conveys critical information for risk communication about the built environment, including overall risk levels, through automated risk assessments, based on parametric models (GIS and BIM). The VR-SG is exploited to enhance user knowledge about safe behaviours in multi-hazard scenarios, including slow-onset (e.g. air pollution and heatwaves) and sudden-onset events (e.g. earthquakes), where SG engages users in crisis simulations, enabling them to practise and internalize effective response strategies. By integrating virtual modelling and gaming tools, the approach offers a forward-looking strategy to strengthen resilience, equipping communities with both knowledge and practical tools.