This article is part of a blog series on the Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) world and what we can expect it to bring to the construction industry

Firms in the construction industry that want to stay competitive, in a rapidly changing environment, need to be aware of how immersive technologies are changing the way we do business, so their employees are more efficient and effective.

Immersive technologies help identify and resolve potential design issues, pinpoint risks, and visualize not-yet-built assets from a 3D drawing before, during, and after the construction phase, saving time and money.

Up until now, hardware was limiting the use of immersive technologies in the construction industry. Apple Vision Pro will launch soon, it will seamlessly blend digital content with the physical space, opening up a lot of opportunities, as described below. Apple Vision Pro will be released in the US in Q1 of 2024 and is expected to arrive in other countries soon after.

Immersive technologies, combined with BIM software, are able to simulate or supplement the physical world in a virtual environment. The technologies are:

• virtual reality (VR)
• augmented reality (AR)
• mixed reality (MR).

We are used to blueprints, 2D renderings, and scale models to visualize a design but they cannot give the same experience provided by immersive technologies.

Virtual Reality

VR is mainly used in the design and construction phases by architects to intuitively replicate the experience of a building design, for all stakeholders on a construction project, including the clients.

You can see what a building will look like and how it would feel to be in it.

Augmented Reality

AR is finding a role in construction as it allows you to map digital construction and superimpose it onto the physical world.

Mixed Reality

MR is in its infancy but will develop quickly once the Apple hardware is available. MR is very similar to AR, but is aware of the physical surroundings of the user.

Immersive Technology

In AEC, the technology is still in its infancy. It allows professionals to:

• make presentations to clients
• review the projects' progress with clients, allowing them to move around the building
• reflect on the changes they would want to implement
• watch the results of the required changes in real-time
• make sure they match their requirements
• collaborate with all stakeholders to detect defaults before the construction even starts and avoid unnecessary costly reworks
• speed up the design and construction processes to deliver the project on time
• make the best decisions during the design process
• reduce travel time.

The improvement in the accessibility of VR tools and applications integrated into BIM has a lot of potential but its adoption is slow.

A few barriers have to be removed from both the technology and management perspectives. The main hurdles are communication and collaboration at an early stage of a construction project between the various teams:

• design
• construction
• operation
• maintenance.

VR and AR can provide additional capabilities for Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) to improve and streamline processes using:

• automation
• smart technologies
• modern communications
• the internet of Things (IoT)
• artificial intelligence
• big data

Extended reality (XR) can provide an immersive and interactive experience with a new and different kind of visualization.

Various immersive technologies have:

• different specificities and interactions
• advantages and limitations.

Immersive Technology uses

AR streamlines the construction processes

With AR apps you can visualize and describe the outside world:

• projecting, in real-time, images onto the real world
• detecting errors at an early stage of the design process
• avoiding waste and errors in the construction process, reducing costs
• by collaborating to help project teams to troubleshoot problem areas
• helping your team to understand where everything should be built.

You can then easily make changes before, during, and after the project. For example, floor plans designed in BIM and interfacing with AR applications have been in use since 2016.

VR Changes Construction Processes

Increased demand for building efficiency, and pressure on architects and designers to identify issues early, justify the use of VR to review your designs.

A BIM model uploaded in immersive VR headsets, helps architects and designers to get a sense of space before the building physically exists, helping them to spot errors early and construct better quality buildings.

VR also allows you to make a more compelling case when bidding for a new project, taking all stakeholders on a virtual tour of the future space.

Key Use Cases

Project Planning and Preparation

BIM combined with immersive technology can help you to have an interactive model of a construction project to show to clients from the outset so you will be in alignment with your client's requirements.

Understanding Data

Immersive technology helps users to access and visualize. For example, you can increase your productivity with HoloLens by displaying the physical dimensions of space, including them in BIM for accurate visualization, and improving the quality by reducing the cost of the construction process.

Streamlining Processes

AR/VR technology can streamline efficiency and improve team collaboration during a project. AR and VR models can now be rapidly and easily shared across the team, regardless of location.

For instance, you can view 3D models of physical environments on your smartphone or tablet and optimize BIM models by getting data from IoT sensors in real time.

Touring Pre-Built Facilities

BIM drawings associated with immersive technologies allow users to tour their new facility even before the ground has been broken, seeing how they can fit on the construction site.

It allows project managers to visualize how everything fits together, on-site, and to scale before they order materials or calculate the work required for installation.

On-site revision allows architectural discrepancies to be detected. High costs and delays can be avoided by promptly adapting to the changes.

Training

Staff can familiarize themselves with the controls and operations of heavy machinery in a safe environment.

Luffing Tower Crane created a training simulator for crane operators. This method of direct learning:

• raises safety awareness
• improves safety
• delivers intuitive training
• lowers training expenses and downtime.

Remote Maintenance

Immersive technology helps:

• staff to identify where to dig to fix a pipe
• having an experienced technician on call, no matter where in the physical world they are.

Real-time collaboration between field workers and remote experts without a site visit will:

• save you time
• lower the risk of errors.

Collaboration

Immersive technology allows you to:

• inspect the job site as if remote workers were there in person
• capture notes, images, or videos of problems to be reviewed by remote specialists.

For instance, you can provide design reviews and create markups more efficiently with professionals working on projects remotely.

Change Building Models Quickly

Using immersive technology for project modifications, any operator can display the interior and exterior views of a structure and make modifications to the virtual plans without modifying the original drawing.

This is very valuable for engineers to:

• troubleshoot any errors in a virtual view before applying changes to the physical structure
• continuously update data in the BIM model
• remove the guesswork from project changes
• improve workflow
• prevent wastage of materials and labor.

Speed Up Sales

Using immersive technology with your client to experience buildings before construction, will ensure that you are meeting the client's requirements. During the construction, the work process can be reviewed and correct error will speed up the sales process.

For example, attract future prospects by showing them the property in VR, so they can get a feel for it before the construction is done.

#### Prevent Labor Shortage

Incorporating immersive technologies into training and real-world construction work will give a techy image to the construction industry and attract young people you would normally find in high-tech fields.

Improve Safety

A VR simulation can reduce the number of accidents by demonstrating dangerous circumstances in a safe environment. By raising employee awareness, and giving them the opportunity to learn how to act safely and confidently, lives can be saved.

Augmented and mixed reality can help avoid human errors that cost money. Low-qualified staff can, in the virtual environment, rehearse how to perform any task, safely and in the correct way, reducing the number of potential mistakes in real-world situations.

Design With Immersive Tech

A digital model of a building design is made of:

• pipes
• electrics
• texture data.

Navigating and visualizing these structures on a computer, even in 3D, does not allow construction professionals to appreciate the spatial environment. With AR applications you can superimpose images from CAD or BIM programs onto the existing environment, creating a blended augmented image. You can then:

• overlay the BIM model on constructed structures
• take photos or videos and send them to the project team via the internet
• check how newly built underground pipes, cable lines, or ducts align with the design.

Using VR and AR you can walk your clients around the neighborhood and see what the construction looks like before it is built, so they can tell you if they would want something to be changed before you start building, avoiding unnecessary waste and costly reworks.

Some company owners still hesitate to implement immersive technologies despite the fact that the newest AR/VR technologies can cut building costs by up to 90% and save the construction industry up to $15.8 billion through preventing mistakes caused by insufficient or inaccurate data.

The Pros and Cons of AR/VR in Construction

Immersive technologies have a lot of potential but are not widely adopted yet. Let's see what their benefits and challenges are.

Benefits

Introducing immersive technology takes BIM to the next level. People can walk around a building that has yet to be built. It provides:

• lower development costs by avoiding waste and costly reworks by depicting design errors before it is constructed
• time reductions to plan your project by showing all stakeholders the virtual building
• streamlined processes mainly during the design reviews
• more clarity by displaying the virtual building to all stakeholders, improving communication, and avoiding errors during the construction
• greater design understanding to clients, helping them to visualize and appreciate the space of the not-yet-built construction as well as its surroundings.
• collaboration
• safe training environments
• enhanced communication by sharing a global virtual experience to speed up the project development process and allowing the virtual representation of a project
• clients the ability to avoid misconceptions early so they won’t pay twice for mistakes in the future.
  

Challenges

As in all business situations, benefits are associated with some limitations. In the case of immersive technologies, you should consider the following challenges:

• equipment is weather-sensitive and performs best when the environment is stable
• strong internet connections are required to collaborate, despite the fact that augmented reality apps can work offline
• training is essential to use immersive technologies well.

These pitfalls may prevent you from investing in the technology. Fortunately, the open-source mobile toolkit cost is decreasing, allowing small-to-medium businesses to get a reasonable Return on Investment (ROI).

In Conclusion

Immersive technology is still not well spread in the construction industry but is seen as having a lot of potential to:

• improve accuracy in planning and design
• increase safety
• reduce costly mistakes
• shorten construction timelines
• boost collaboration
• enhance training and education
• produce better quality construction.

Driving Vision's technology diagnostic looks at the best way to incorporate new technology into your workflows and how to move your organization to the use of immersive technology so you can open up new possibilities for your daily planning tasks.

The technology appraisal report will help you to explore what investment is required to improve your projects’ productivity and collaboration as well as the ROI you can expect.

Implementing BIM can be daunting, but Driving Vision is here to help you at the pace you are comfortable with. Get started by getting in touch now