AR/VR in Construction – 10 Use Cases of How Augmented and Virtual Reality is Shaping the Industry

The use of extended reality technologies is one of the growing trends in the expanding domain of construction technology. As the sector gradually adopts more sophisticated practices, virtual and augmented reality in construction have emerged as revolutionary solutions. With compelling advantages like planning, marketing, and training, AR/VR technologies are transforming the face of construction.

Prescient & Strategic Intelligence Market research further backs this growth, as the report forecasts that the global AR/VR market size is set to escalate at an annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.7% from 2024 to 2030.

Provided data insights highlight why this is the right time for businesses to understand the features of AR/VR in the construction sector and integrate them into their workflow. From tasks like safety training and streamlined project workflows to project planning and remote maintenance, AR/VR for construction has limitless potential!

So, let us explore how you can leverage the power of AR/VR in construction by navigating the top use cases of augmented and virtual reality in the construction domain.

Top 10 Use Cases of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in Construction

To understand the impact of AR/VR on the construction industry, we must first learn more about the active implementation of AR and VR across its various segments. Let’s take a look at some prominent use cases of augmented and virtual reality in construction for better comprehension.

Real-time Data Monitoring

AR and VR in the construction industry enable companies to manage their projects better by connecting all digital information to the project’s physical location. With AR technology, users can view and visualize data relevant to building additions, styles, and locations. A few clicks are all you need to display and retrieve information – from MEP components like ducts and pipes to architectural features such as doors and windows.

Safety Training

Safety has to come first in a field like construction, where manual labor is risky, and there is very little room for error. One leading impact of AR/VR on the construction industry is the improvement of worker security and safety training.

Workers can access virtual safety situations, instruction, and drills with the use of an AR or VR headset. In addition, the use of computer prototypes can enable staff members to detect possible dangers before the commencement of a project via virtual training sessions, evading potential risks.

Construction company Bechtel leverages VR simulations, providing workers with training on high-risk activities such as scaffolding and crane operations.

Project Planning

The core implementation of AR/VR for construction initiates at the initial planning and preparatory stage of a project. When combined with BIM (Building Information Modeling) and a 3D modeling program, these two technological advancements enable construction companies to produce intricate, interactive representations of their projects.

One commendable example of this implementation was done by Layton Construction – an American commercial contractor that made significant investments in BIM and VR to plan their project. The company used virtual reality in construction to develop a 485,000-square-foot, 280-bed medical center in Florence, allowing owners and end-users to experience the design without creating 20 physical mock-ups, which would have cost over $250,000.

Streamlined Project Workflows

Construction agencies can cultivate coordination and collaboration among teams, regardless of their geographical locations, by easily sharing AR and VR models. The result? Potentially reduced amount of time spent correcting both little and large errors by comparing details to those of the building plan.

Equipment Monitoring

AR tools assist workers in monitoring and evaluating the health of equipment being used on the construction site. In addition, virtual reality in construction lowers the cost of potential rework since it grants a detailed visualization of projects, helping avoid any potential errors or changes.

AR/VR tools offer construction professionals a detailed simulation or real-time report of equipment health. This can help avoid potential downtimes by making early detections and addressing concerns, saving time and additional costs.

Progress Capture

Project progress can be tracked and documented with AR and VR technologies. While the market promises several technologies that enable construction industry professionals to track project progress, AR/VR implementation takes it to a different level. Harnessing these two lets members consistently capture data from the same location over time, significantly improving the accuracy and efficiency of progress tracking.

Getting a Clear Picture

With the use of VR and sophisticated BIM drawings, experts can produce 3D models of projects, enabling clients to visit their new facility even before any ground is broken. It enables project managers to see how everything fits together, both on the job site and at scale, before placing material orders or estimating the amount of labor needed for construction.

Meta’s Quest Pro is a premium virtual reality headset used by many construction companies to accurately determine the project’s dimensions and get a sneak peek at how it will look when it’s finished. By using Quest Pro’s high-resolution extended reality passthrough, construction enterprises can explore the interior of a building before it is constructed.

Remote Maintenance

In many instances, employees are capable of resolving problems on their own, but they may want assistance pinpointing the precise location where the fix is needed. No matter where a project is located in the real world, AR/VR guarantees that a more experienced specialist will always be available. All of this is possible without a site visit these days – thanks to advancements in technology.

Through the real-time collaborative benefits of AR/VR in construction, the gap between field workers and remote specialists can be bridged, promising a better, more prompt experience to customers.

Easier Project Modifications

Users can now easily modify construction models for the field site – a significant advancement made possible by AR/VR in construction. In terms of project modifications, AR/VR allows any operator to quickly visualize the inside and outside structure of a construction project using digital devices. This virtual representation before the project’s actual implementation can help save countless hours on creating mock-ups or reworking concerned areas without sacrificing the original idea.

Boosting Sales Cycle

Buildings can be tested before they are built – thanks to virtual and augmented reality in construction. This becomes even more beneficial when you are working on a $100 million construction project, and your client wants to see how it will work. AR/VR technologies can also shorten the sales cycle and reduce costs and time spent creating mock-ups.

In addition, if you’re working as a sales staff member in the construction business, your prospective tenants can reap the value of AR/VR, helping them visualize what their property will look like once development is finished.

Benefits of AR/VR in Construction Realm

Now that you have some knowledge about the impact of AR/VR on the construction industry, it’s time to look at the various advantages of virtual and augmented reality in construction. Without further delay, let’s begin.

Improved Safety Standards

A report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that 1,069 construction industry workers lost their lives while on the job in 2022 alone. The number of such casualties can be significantly lowered by using AR/VR technology in construction as it can determine the precise locations of potentially dangerous equipment around the construction site.

AR/VR can also be used to deliver training, removing any potential risks to employees’ bodies. Virtual reality safety training programs have been implemented by some corporations to improve employee safety and educate proper procedures.

Immersive Experience

Companies can use virtual reality in construction to produce 3D models of properties and AR in construction to overlay furniture for prospective buyers. The virtual image of a furnished apartment can then be used to create a full tour in virtual reality, providing a clear picture of how the finished residence will look.

Improved Team Collaboration

By enabling teams to exchange 3D photos and videos with members who are not on-site, virtual reality in the construction industry simplifies communication in remote areas. Augmented reality tools additionally provide a more transparent project development process with increased productivity and cooperation, leading to more successful partnerships.

Keeps Projects on Schedule

AR/VR technology in construction enables businesses to show clients 3D models and outcomes before any work is done. To prevent further delays, disputes, and losses, any necessary adjustments, or changes, could be recognized and made on time. Improved communication between teams and clients improves teamwork, project management, and the caliber of the finished product.

Effective Planning

To finish construction projects on time, prompt and effective communication is essential. With the use of AR in construction, engineers or supervisors can send site data to the design team for problem-solving. AR aids in lowering errors, time, and expenses by directing workers toward appropriate material alignment.

Streamline Projects

Through the use of realistic, risk-free environments created by AR and VR training solutions, real-life events may be recreated, giving employees and workers a glimpse of the possible risks and dangers present on construction sites. Before a person or team interacts with the actual machinery or equipment, their operational expertise can be tested or evaluated using AR’s heavy machinery simulations.

Lower Development Costs

Reduced design errors and rework, enhanced client communication through virtual walkthroughs, and more effective training are some of the cost benefits of AR/VR in the construction industry. Additionally, by streamlining the construction process and facilitating remote collaboration, these technologies reduce travel expenses and project costs.

Enriched Client Communication

Clients can use virtual reality in construction to see their projects in a virtual setting and gain a better understanding of the design and construction process. As a result, project outcomes may be enhanced, and trust between construction experts and their clients may grow.

Challenges that AR/VR Resolve in Construction

AR/VR for construction helps tackle a lot of challenges faced by construction companies. This technology aids construction workers in boosting their workflow and streamlining projects. Let’s glance through the challenges that can be tackled by leveraging virtual and augmented reality in construction.

Challenge 1: Boost Employee Engagement

Problem: Without a doubt, motivation plays a crucial role in the area of construction workers’ efficiency and production. Although a skilled crew leader can keep his/her team focused and disciplined, employees who feel their needs aren’t met will perform worse and produce lower-quality work.

Solution: Virtual reality in construction goes beyond skill enhancement by providing immersive and interactive training sessions that instill in workers a sense of their crucial role in completing a project. Their sense of accountability may be heightened by this knowledge, which could result in improved performance.

Challenge 2: Cut down time spent on revisions

Problem: Creating complicated three-dimensional models for a building or complex is usually a difficult and time-consuming task. To guarantee the correct level of accuracy and depth in their conceptual model, designers and architects frequently spend several weeks perfecting, rewriting, and visiting the actual site.

Solution: Designed specifically for virtual reality and enhanced with interactive features, a 3D model provides much more flexibility to both designers and architects. By using AR/VR in construction, they can quickly assess changes without having to reconstruct large portions of the model. Additionally, it reduces their need for frequent site visits because they may use an accurate simulation in its place.

Challenge 3: Reduce expenses and waste of supplies

Problem: In any construction project, waste and redundancy must be minimized. This is especially true for companies that want to be profitable, pay their employees on time, and complete projects on schedule. When project activities and material utilization are not carefully planned, it is witnessed that supplies are being thrown away or being underutilized frequently.

Solution: By providing accurate planning and prediction using AR in construction, the best possible use of workers and materials can be ensured. Virtual reality in construction can not only help visualize the end product but can also make the project’s step-by-step execution easier. This can reduce material waste significantly, maximize the use of skilled labor, and, on a larger scale, improve the construction industry’s overall efficiency.

Challenge 4: Make content reusable

Problem: It can be difficult to establish a smooth working relationship between architects and the team in charge of project implementation after the completion of the 3D design. This intricacy results from the fact that 3D designs are usually made with a specific goal in mind, like testing or presentation. As a result, it frequently takes a large amount of extra time to modify these drawings for the real construction process.

Solution: Models that are integrated into extended reality software provide a much wider range of uses, and their usefulness goes well beyond the initial stages of project design. The program can be repurposed for the benefit of engineers, construction workers, and other project stakeholders with only minor modifications.

Challenge 5: Make your presentations impactful

Problem: It is important to take the presentation phase seriously since it is a crucial step in getting project approval and funding. Even with a fantastic project concept and design, its chances of success might soon evaporate if it isn’t presented in a way that is both realistic and visually appealing. Investors and stakeholders are keen to learn all the ins and outs.

Solution: By utilizing virtual and augmented reality in construction, you can provide stakeholders with an immersive, in-depth tour of the planned structure, enabling them to virtually walk around the project and experience it as though it has already been built. Augmented reality can provide a level of detail and immersion that is not possible with standard presenting techniques.

Future of AR/VR in the Construction Industry

The number of worldwide AR and VR market users is projected to reach 3,728 million by 2029. Even if VR and AR have various useful applications in the construction sector, there are still more possibilities to investigate. Among these is the potential for field-based design visualization through VR and BIM integration. Since the industry is still in its infancy, significant advancements are anticipated as adoption and simplicity of use increase.

Below mentioned are some of the primary trends that can be seen in the future of AR/VR in the construction industry:

Use of AR in construction for simulation

Construction workers will be able to rehearse activities and methods in a safe and controlled environment by using extended reality (XR) to generate realistic simulations of construction projects.

Employees will be able to learn new skills in a safe environment as VR and AR are used more often to transform training, simulation, and on-site safety. It might expand training programs for construction companies at an enterprise level.

Developing mixed reality for complex project visualizations

The global mixed reality (MR) market size is projected to grow at more than 40.7% CAGR between 2023 and 2036, with construction being a major part. Users will be able to engage with digital things in the real world through the combination of AR and VR features in MR.

This will be especially helpful for improving stakeholder participation in complex construction projects and visualizing them. AR/VR for construction has great promise for bringing rich information that is usually kept in offices to the field.

Design and preconstruction

In the early project phases for design and constructability evaluations, AR/VR is expected to play an even larger role in the construction industry. The technology’s immersive quality allows teams to evaluate and approve designs long before anything is actually built.

Augmented reality is being used by construction companies mainly for pre-construction design reviews, constructability evaluations, and on-site design. In the end, this leads to the cost benefits of AR/VR in the construction industry.

[Also Read: AR/VR Trends and Predictions For The Upcoming Years]

Strengthen Your Construction Endeavors with Appinventiv’s AR/VR Expertise

This concludes our analysis of virtual and augmented reality in construction and its various applications. We hope our detailed assessment of extended reality will encourage you to find out more about its features and eventually leverage it to scale your business.

To ensure the emergence of AR/VR breakthroughs in the industry, partner with a competent construction software development company like Appinventiv that boasts a solid grasp of AR/VR in construction! With a strong clientele, including Pizza Hut, Adidas, and KFC, Appinventiv has the expertise of handling AR/VR projects of all complexity and scales.

Our experts with a comprehensive suite of AR/VR development services can help you navigate the vast opportunities for growth in this market while closely monitoring the unique requirements of your project.

Reach out to us and be prepared to step into a world of uncharted possibilities with Appinventiv.

FAQs

Q. How is  virtual and augmented reality in construction transforming the industry?

A. With AR and VR, construction professionals may examine various material possibilities, simulate construction processes, and enjoy immersive walkthroughs of project ideas. This allows them to comprehend spatial linkages and potential problems within a project more intuitively.

Q. What challenges can AR/VR solve in the construction sector?

A. Some of the prominent challenges that AR/VR can solve in the construction industry are as follows:

• Making content reusable
• Boosting employee engagement
• Decreasing cost and supply waste
• Making impactful presentations
• Reducing time spent on potential errors

Q. How does AR work in the construction industry?

A. From design visualization and teamwork to on-site construction support and better long-term maintenance, VR and AR technology has the potential to completely transform the way construction teams operate. Companies may more effectively and efficiently design the world of tomorrow by using different features of AR/VR in the construction sector, promising diverse benefits.

Q. What is the work of extended reality in the construction industry?

A. Construction workers can participate in realistic safety training exercises in virtual environments that mimic dangerous events and emergency procedures – thanks to simulations based on virtual and augmented reality. By doing this, dangers to workers are decreased, accidents on building sites are decreased, and safety awareness is increased.

THE AUTHOR

Amardeep Rawat

ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT