How does augmented reality impact the construction sector?

Augmented reality (AR) combines gaming technology with wearable technologies like smart glasses and headsets. What is the impact of augmented reality on the construction industry and how is the technology reshaping design visualisation and on-site processes?

Digital technologies and innovations transform how construction projects are planned, designed and executed. A 2024 survey of over three million startups and scaleups in the construction industry highlighted how companies are gearing towards a collaborative approach to bring more transparency to the construction life cycle. Digital solutions that have helped advance the sector include advanced BIM software, cloud-based management tools and robots to help reduce construction time and boost accuracy.

More construction companies are also relying on gaming technology, such as gaming engines, to create immersive experiences. Using gaming engines, companies can render designs in real time and incorporate different models, making gaming engines a new priority over traditional visualisation tools. By creating a virtual environment to simulate construction operations, companies can get valuable feedback from end users to help manage client expectations, aspirations and potential changes.

Design and visualisation

AR technology allows for the creation of 3D models and visualisations that can be overlaid with a physical environment. This is an integral part of the design process, as designers can view and manipulate these models in real time to assess how a proposed structure fits into an existing landscape. This can also help designers identify potential design flaws, clashes or discrepancies early in the planning stage to reduce costly revisions later.

Software companies, such as Autodesk, have integrated AR features into their products, including AutoCAD and BIM 360, to enable architects, engineers and construction professionals to view 3D models and design plans in a real-world context. This virtual view can also help designers visualise the environmental impact of their designs by assessing factors such as solar exposure, wind patterns and energy efficiency.

Real-time collaboration and communication

Construction professionals also rely on smart glasses with built-in AR features, such as the Microsoft HoloLens, to facilitate seamless communication between onsite and remote team members. This form of real-time and hands-free visual communication and information sharing is also used in other fields where coordination and communication are crucial, such as distributed medical and care teams. As the hardware can be costly for wider use in a company, smaller startups can begin with more commercial smart glasses, such as Ray-Ban Stories, which allow users to easily take hands-free photos and videos. This media can be used to help communicate site concerns, questions or issues with clients and remote team members.

While smart glasses are lightweight and offer hands-free mobility and functions, they may lack certain AR features. Companies also use AR headsets, such as RealWear's Mace, for site inspections, allowing minimal on-site presence while others virtually and remotely view the site from their own location, via a live stream feed. This allows for real-time communication without risking crowding a construction site – a feature well sought-after during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Safety training

AR can also be used in the construction sector to provide immersive and interactive training experiences for safety education and awareness. Using AR technology, companies can create realistic simulations of construction sites and hazardous scenarios, allowing workers to experience potentially dangerous situations without putting themselves at any real risk. AR can also overlay digital indicators onto sites in the real world, highlighting potential hazards and safety protocols, such as unstable structures and heavy machinery.

A study on the use of AR technology in architectural and construction education highlights how AR can also provide an effective environment for learning about complex spatial concepts, astronomical events and abstract subjects that may impact a construction process. Simulating construction and job sites using AR can also help improve workers' cognitive skills, by reinforcing and highlighting key techniques and constructability-based concepts.

Site analysis

Finally, AR technology can significantly impact site analysis, changing how professionals assess and plan construction projects. Much like design and visualisation, a site analysis is the crucial first step in any construction work. Professionals need to conduct a thorough site analysis to understand the topography, soil conditions, drainage patterns, vegetation and other environmental factors in the area.

Using software such as Trimble SiteVision, construction teams can overlay real-time data onto the physical site through AR, eliminating the need for hard-copy documents and other devices. Site analysts can thereby view all the necessary information through AR devices, such as smart glasses or headsets, to understand a site's characteristics and constraints. Companies can also create a more realistic budget and timeline for the construction process by creating a virtual, visualised presentation for all the relevant information.