In 2018, the DCT – Abu Dhabi initiated the Historic Environment Documentation Initiative (HEDI) to develop Policies, Standards and Guidelines to homogenize the processes of documentation and recording when identifying, protecting, and managing the historic environment of the emirate of Abu Dhabi.


The resulting guidelines have

3 Standards

Metric Surveys for Landscapes, Buildings and Structures

Documentation Records

Data Management and Activity Workflows

To outline, explain and present:

8 Illustrated examples

  • An overview of the activity, its relationship to the governing documents, and a description of the site and its heritage values
  • The documentation methodology
  • Samples of the final deliverables

Using digital workflows and technologies. Click on each image to know more about them.

4 Phases

Planning (Pl)
Acquisition (Ac)
Processing (Pr)
Dissemination (Di)

Multidisciplinary collaboration needed to define the professional requirements of the project team, prior to the commencement of the initiative.

Recording actions conducted to obtain the required survey data as determined in the Pl Phase, by means of the following equipment and its uses:

Manipulation of the raw data recorded during the Acquisition Phase.

Development of

comprehensive deliverables from the models derived in the Pr phase.

Conduct meetings between project professionals to discuss the scope and methodology for the document processing project — and to address any concerns.

Conduct meetings between project professionals to discuss the scope

and methodology for the document processing project —

and to address any concerns.

To measure control points for photogrammetric and 3-D scanned data.

To measure control points for photogrammetric and 3-D scanned data.

Creation of a 3-D point cloud to model the surface of objects by merging scanned data and linking it to control points.

Creation of a 3-D point cloud to model the surface of objects by merging scanned data and linking it to control points.

Creation of a metrically accurate representation of a surface in three dimensions.

Creation of a metrically accurate representation of a surface in three dimensions.

Define the spatial level to be outlined based on the three different typologies of the historic environment:

(1) landscapes,

(2) buildings and structures, and

(3) site elements.

Define the spatial level to be outlined based on the three different typologies of the historic environment:

(1) landscapes,

(2) buildings and structures, and

(3) site elements.

To capture 3-D point clouds

(in the creation of 3-D models).

To capture 3-D point clouds

(in the creation of 3-D models).

Enhancement of overall colour of the light of the recorded photographs.

Enhancement of overall colour of the light of the recorded photographs.

Metrically accurate and highly detailed images developed from the photogrammetric model.

Metrically accurate and highly detailed images developed from the photogrammetric model.

Define the levels of detail (LoD) related to the spatial level of recording. There are three levels of detail identified for documentation processing:

Level 1: basic,

Level 2: intermediate,

Level 3: detailed.

Define the levels of detail (LoD) related to the spatial level of recording. There are three levels of detail identified for documentation processing:

Level 1: basic,

Level 2: intermediate,

Level 3: detailed.

To capture photographs for aerial or terrestrial photogrammetry and photographic portfolios.

To capture photographs for aerial or terrestrial photogrammetry and photographic portfolios.

Creation of a 3-D model by merging photographs in photogrammetric software and linking them to the

control points captured by a total station and/or 3-D scanner.

Creation of a 3-D model by merging photographs in photogrammetric software and linking them to the control points captured by a total station and/or 3-D scanner.

Metric drawings developed by

tracing 2-D planar sections, orthophotos or DEMs derived

from the 3-D models.

Metric drawings developed by

tracing 2-D planar sections, orthophotos or DEMs derived

from the 3-D models.

To capture aerial photographs

for aerial photogrammetry.

To capture aerial photographs for aerial photogrammetry.