Parkhill’s 3D Scan for Texas School for the Deaf Wins Gold from Texas Engineering Council

Parkhill’s innovative 3D scan survey of the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) campus has been awarded the Gold Medal by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Texas (ACEC Texas) in the 2017 Engineering Excellence Awards, under the Surveying and Mapping category.

As a state-level Gold Medal recipient, the project advanced to the national competition, where it was considered for recognition by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) in spring 2017.

A Landmark in Surveying Innovation

This cutting-edge 3D scan—one of the largest ever completed in Texas—captured a remarkable 3.76 billion data points across the more than 60-acre TSD campus. For comparison, a traditional survey of a similar campus would yield around 130 points per acre. In contrast, Parkhill’s 3D scan delivered an average of nearly 56 million points per acre.

The data was enriched with fisheye-lens photography to create a highly detailed, navigable digital twin of the campus. This virtual model allows for precise measurements and spatial analysis to be performed remotely at any time—enhancing long-term planning, maintenance, and design capabilities for the school.

Celebrating Engineering Excellence

Since 1975, the Engineering Excellence Awards have honored outstanding engineering achievements across Texas. For the 2017 competition, a distinguished panel of judges evaluated projects based on uniqueness, technical innovation, value to the engineering profession, complexity, and client satisfaction. Ten gold medals and nine silver medals were awarded statewide.