Augmented and Virtual Reality in Architecture, Engineering and Construction.
Augmented reality is a way we overlay the digital world with the physical world.Virtual reality is similar but different in that it uses a digital world of which can be interacted with physically, by means of the user’s position or body movements. Both of these digital realities can allow for us to understand digital creations in more comprehensive ways. With either technology, you have the ability to walk around digital objects, position them in space, interact with them, or use them to understand real-world information.
These technologies are quickly becoming adopted in the U.S. According to Zippia, currently about 15% of our population uses VR technology; the amount of users tripling in the past 5 years1. The ability to immerse yourself in a digital world can often seem like it would be useful for entertainment purposes only. However, we are finding that using these modes in the Architecture and Engineering professions greatly increases project efficiency and comprehension. 75% of companies that have implemented large scale VR and AR technologies saw a 10% increase in their operation capacity1.
There are several applications for these technologies in the AEC fields. In our practice, we use Augmented reality to portray initial Schematic Design concepts for new-build construction projects. During the early design phase of the project, we can use an iPad to place the building mass on the job site. This allows the client to more fully understand the project orientation, size and overall form or shape.
While our firm does not actively utilize VR and AR in other ways, we have been involved in other projects that have used these technologies. One of these effective uses is to explore the virtual version of the building prior to beginning construction. This allowes the Owner, Architect and Contractor to “walk” the job before construction began and to address any items ahead-of-time. We have also seen augmented reality for mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems comprehension. In this scenario the systems were augmented over the constructed walls and ceilings to convey to contractors where to put their runs. This greatly reduces conflict on the job site between various building systems, thus saving time.
Progressive Architecture firms use Building Information Modeling (BIM) to produce drawings which provides a 3D model of the project. This same BIM can be used for most AR and VR softwares. That said, there is already a good starting point to provide a virtual 3D model for walkthrough or augment. For augmenting the building on-site with an iPad, the additional fee is nominal from our firm. However, all of the projects we have experienced that utilized walkthroughs and MEP locates with augmented and virtual reality have been high-budget projects. The MEP industries have not caught up to using BIM as their primary means of producing drawings at the same rate that the Architecture industry has. This added step of these industries learning BIM, and needing to teach the construction team how to navigate the technology increases cost. There are, however, teams that are proficient in BIM, and as a result they can readily implement VR or AR.
We expect that as the cost to enter VR and AR is reduced, and BIM implementation becomes more common across multiple professions, the implementation in the AEC fields will greatly increase. There is evidence that this technology can improve design and construction efficiency. If you are interested in implementing AR or VR in your next home construction project, or have questions about how we implement AR, let us know!
Citation:
1. Kolmar, Chris. 2023. “VR and AR Statistic Resource.” 25+ AMAZING VIRTUAL REALITY STATISTICS [2023]: THE FUTURE OF VR + AR. Zippier. February 27, 2023. http://www.ncbarch.org/applications/.
