SMART TECHNOLOGY
THE NEARLY REAL THING
Technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are becoming common tools in the built environment and bring a new dimension to the construction sector. But are they really being adopted at meaningful levels?
1 Giving construction workers access to technology such as AR will not only combat soaring resource costs but will help attract young people to construction roles noted GlobalData – a leading data and analytics company – recently. But while AR could give the industry a much-needed reinvigoration, many executives are seemingly not planning to invest.
According to GlobalData’s report, ‘Augmented Reality (AR) in Construction’, around 55% of construction industry executives they surveyed in late 2021 intend to invest in AR within the next two years. However, the same survey reveals one third have no plans to buy into the technology.
“Getting people in the right place at the right time is a constant problem in construction,” says Robert Penman, Analyst for the Thematic Research team at GlobalData. “Technology adoption will help attract the talent needed to invigorate the industry. Those that are not looking to invest will miss out on the many benefits that AR can bring, including increasing project accuracy, supporting collaborative design, and enabling stakeholder engagement. If these are to be achieved, money must be put in the hands of contractors, so they can determine the technology necessary to improve efficiency.” Exciting breakthroughs in AR and VR can allow construction teams to visualise many aspects of a building before its creation using a special helmet – who has not seen or worn the ubiquitous Oculus headset? Innovative visualisation tools allow architects to drop in various interior
MACHINE LEARNING AND BUILDING Getting your head around the latest digital technology can be a tough ask but AI/AR/VR platforms are making many aspects of the construction industry more efficient, saving money and revolutionising how the construction industry operates and importantly how it is perceived by a new generation of workers. • AI can prevent cost overruns by comparing project costs and predicting where future cost overruns may occur. Predictive models can show where potential errors may happen so resources can ne planned more efficiently • BIM and 3D modelling need AI for better design of buildings and take into consideration architecture, engineering, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) and how they are sequenced • AI can reduce risk and automatically assign priority to project stages for core teams and sub-contractors • Robots and AI could stop late and over budget construction projects. An AI technique called ‘reinforcement learning’ allows algorithms to learn and assess endless combinations and alternatives based on similar projects • Construction companies are using AI to plan for distribution of labour and machinery across projects – construction firms could boost productivity by as much as 50% through real-time analysis of data • Construction is awash with data. AI systems can analyse endless amount of data to learn and improve project and process flow constantly. Big Data generated from mobile devices, drone videos, smart sensors, BIM) create a huge pool of information • Building managers can employ AI in post-construction and occupancy assessments. AI can be used to monitor developing problems and offer potential solutions to prevent problems.
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WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | MAY/JUNE 2022
