The Future of Reality Capture: AI, LiDAR & Digital Twins | Jeremy Pilgrim

What happens when you spend nearly 30 years mapping thousands of schools—and watch reality capture evolve from paper drawings and early CAD to LiDAR, digital twins, AI, and Gaussian splats? In this episode of the Matthew Byrd Podcast, Matthew sits down with Jeremy Pilgrim, Managing Director of Building Spatial Intelligence Limited, to explore the evolution of spatial data and where the industry could be headed next. Jeremy has worked on more than 5,000 schools across the UK, building an incredibly unique perspective on how buildings are documented, managed, maintained, and ultimately understood. The conversation dives into why collecting data is only the beginning. The real opportunity is connecting that information so buildings can become living spatial databases—linking assets, maintenance records, environmental information, safety data, and institutional knowledge together. Jeremy and Matthew also explore the rapidly changing technology behind reality capture, including SLAM, LiDAR, photogrammetry, Gaussian splats, AI, and the possibility that cameras could eventually replace LiDAR for many applications. They also discuss one of the industry's biggest challenges: we already have much of the technology needed to transform how buildings are managed. The harder problem may simply be getting people to use it. KEY TAKEAWAYS: • Why Jeremy built an entire career around mapping schools • How reality capture evolved from paper drawings and 2D CAD into connected 3D data • Why spatial data should be treated as a corporate asset rather than a project cost • The importance of connecting building data instead of simply collecting it • Why geospatial referencing can bridge information silos • How digital models can preserve institutional knowledge when experienced employees leave • Why AI could fundamentally change how we interact with building information • The growing role of photogrammetry, Gaussian splats, and camera-based capture • Whether cameras could eventually replace LiDAR for certain applications • Why the required level of accuracy should be driven by the use case • How capturing buildings throughout construction could create a true operational record • Jeremy’s vision for giving people “X-ray vision” into buildings • Why problem-solving may become more important than memorizing information in an AI-driven world • Jeremy’s advice for younger professionals: believe in yourself, take chances, and just do it CHAPTERS: 00:00 – Coming Up 01:29 – Meet Jeremy Pilgrim 03:37 – From Pipe Fitter to Computers and CAD 13:13 – Taking the Leap and Starting a Company 16:48 – Why Jeremy Focused on Schools 26:27 – From Floor Plans to Connected Spatial Data 37:09 – Why Schools Need Better Building Data 44:05 – UK vs. US Technology Adoption 54:08 – Bridging Data Silos with Geospatial Information 1:01:04 – Bringing AI Into Building Management 1:08:55 – Why Spatial Data Is an Asset, Not a Cost 1:10:10 – The Biggest Reality Capture Technology Challenges 1:13:10 – Will Cameras Eventually Replace LiDAR? 1:20:41 – The Missing Link Between BIM and Operations 1:22:05 – The Future: Giving Buildings “X-Ray Vision” 2:10:20 – Reality Capture Network and the Value of Industry Collaboration 2:17:14 – Jeremy’s Advice to His Younger Self Subscribe for more conversations with the innovators shaping the future of reality capture, digital twins, geospatial technology, and the built environment.