About Us
MyVirtualHome is an Australian company dedicated to bringing efficiency to home development, renovation and maintenance through revolutionary design software and a comprehensive set of web resources for home owners, manufacturers, suppliers, trades people and consultants.
Each year millions of new dwellings are built, millions of homes undergo a renovation, and millions move to another address. Millions purchase furniture, electronic or decorator items and most households will require some maintenance or upkeep via contractors.
This translates into millions of transactions, thousands of hours of research, product and supplier decisions, design selections and many other areas of activity in a segment which is rapidly increasing in complexity. Today there are more product, design and supplier choices than ever. Levels of compliance are increasing and there is a growing awareness of how our individual choices are impacting on the environment. We need help.
A Bright Vision
MyVirtualHome developed from a desire to improve the efficiencies and outcomes for all of the parties involved in home renovation, development and maintenance. The business founders saw the impact 3D visualisation made when used to show and explain concepts, designs or the contextual use of products or finishes. Six years ago the embryonic design for an evolutionary universal 3D communication and marketing system specifically designed for this industry was conceived, and has been growing ever since.
Outside The Square Development
In the home design market 3D was being used but was usually associated with expensive projects or experienced computer users at the consumer level. For MyVirtualHome to be universal, everyone had to be able to use it and to afford it. This meant a very low entry price for the software and a software program that was very easy to use. In the absence of an available suitable product, MyVirtualHome was developed from the ground up using a computer games software platform. The software design criteria concentrated on ease of use, colour and lighting accuracy calculation of both internal and external light sources, texture replication and dimensional accuracy. This has enabled us to achieve the required ease of use level and visualisation that is approaching photo realism.
The software, although central and critical to MyVirtualHome, was only part of the picture. The MyVirtualHome vision is that everyone will be able to design their existing or new home, try any product contextually, find suppliers, trades or services for building or maintenance then communicate with them effectively.
To achieve the vision we needed to develop a huge array of support and communication systems. Once installed, the software is kept up to date with the latest functionality and products via automatic online download. Plans are shared between friends and businesses through the online HomeShare facility. We have created functionality on our website enabling businesses to join MyVirtualHome, manage their website listings and add 3D communication to their own website for consumers to incorporate products and designs directly into their own virtual homes.
Our aim is to establish a set of resources, simply called MyVirtualHome, that improve the many decision and communication activities involved for businesses, homeowners and developers, and establish MyVirtualHome as the logical place to find the right information more efficiently.
Environment
The environment is a huge topic and is becoming even more topical as we realise the gravity of the impact we are having on our world. Our focus at MVH is around one aspect, one word, ‘WASTE’ - the elimination of waste. Not to be confused simply with the normal meaning, but rather focusing on our actions, processes, purchases, designs and how we can limit our actions or consumption to what is necessary. MyVirtualHome has been developed as a result of a critical review of how many of the activities within the industry segment are conducted and we have started to build the MVH system as a platform to eliminate ‘WASTE’ in many processes, making them more efficient as well as effective. We know that we are just at the start of this process and we are establishing areas within the website enabling us to gather and share ideas that will help us all eliminate waste. MyVirtualHome is being designed as a totally integrated system that simultaneously assists and improves product and design selections, decreases waste in processes and delivers the best environmental outcomes as a by-product of the process.
A Collaboration Of Ideas
Since the inception of the company, the collaboration of ideas from manufactures, consumers, developers, builders, designers, media, advertising organisations and our own development team, has been the core driving force for changes and developments to the product. We would like to thank everyone for their contributions so far. The development of the software, website and all of the associated systems is ongoing. The collaborative development of MyVirtualHome will continue. We hope that through the interaction with our members either directly or via the website we will continue with our goal to find more efficient methods to eliminate waste and provide better services.
Who Benefits?
For consumers MVH is a service providing a rich and individually relevant environment for them to look after the development and maintenance of their homes. MVH has been designed to grow to enable consumers to consider every facet possible before making design, product and supplier decisions.
For product manufacturers MVH provides a platform for consumers and businesses to access, preview, assess and specify their products in their projects. It also enables them to upgrade their websites to be 3D capable, enabling them to download products or homes in 3D to any visitor with MVH.
For suppliers, trades and consultants MVH enables them to target and attract the most suitable customers and service them efficiently. Qualifying themselves by business category, location, product and brand associations and informative websites, they receive more qualified enquiries from better informed potential customers who use the MVH software and communication capabilities to effectively convey their requirements.