Construction industry slow to adopt AR and VR
Technology

Construction industry slow to adopt AR and VR

Alternative Reality (AR) is being used more often and purposely within the construction industry, but not all businesses are quick to adopt, as per data and analytics company GlobalData. The more conventional industries such as construction have been among them.

However, according to the report, the construction industry is gradually shifting from a stance of wait-and-watch to adopting digital technologies to improving the overall lifecycle of the project from conceptual design to construction.

Such developments indicate that Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are part of technologies that are more frequently finding their use case in improving efficiency, accuracy and the safety of the construction projects, the analysts at GlobalData state.

GlobalData says that while the entertainment and gaming industries have been using alternative reality for years now, the construction industry is also witnessing such technologies make waves by merging the physical and digital view of job sites, to address several bottlenecks. The demand to complete projects within budget on schedule has led the construction companies to utilise VR and AR technologies to reduce errors, save time, prevent rework and create a long-term ROI.

However, barriers to entry still exist, and companies in the construction industry are still not quick to adopt and invest in developing technologies. The Digital Solutions Map in Construction of GlobalData's Disruptor Intelligence Center reveals several use cases of AR and VR across the value chain of the construction industry. It includes specific examples from all over the world.

  • Virtual collaboration design and engineering: Boston-based Suffolk Construction, has partnered with New York's InsiteVR, a VR-startup, to help its engineering teams coordinate, meet, plan and resolve issues virtually.      
  • Users can join the forum via their desktops and a VR headset and spot issues, review project designs and make changes virtually.

  • Project planning design and engineering: XYZ Reality, a London-based startup, has developed helmet-mounted equipment that combines AR with Building Information Modeling (BIM) so that contractors can visualise the structures, removing the need for physical floor plans.
  • It helps the BIM be more precise and allows engineers to spot errors and check if the ongoing construction project follows the original model.

  • Visualisation design, 4D Modeling and engineering: Bentley Systems, Pennsylvania, launched a mixed reality solution for 4D modelling and visualisation of construction projects- SYNCHRO XR.
  • Microsoft HoloLens allows engineers and contractors to interact with digital models via intuitive gestures.

    Contractors can visualise the construction schedule and flag potential errors in project designs through the models.

  • Smart Glasses: Balfour Beatty, a British multinational infrastructure group, utilised Vuzix Blade smart AR glasses at one of its US construction sites, assisting a request for information from project stakeholders, as they can't visit the site due to the pandemic.
  • Site managers wear smart glasses and walk through the project site, and clients can remotely view project-progress.

  • Virtual guidance construction: Fologram, an Aussie tech startup, released an app to merge physical job sites with digital construction models, to make it easier to lay bricks in complex patterns.
  • The app gets data from Computer-Aided-Design (CAD) software, like Rhino and translates it into digital directions, projecting them onto the Microsoft HoloLens heads-up display. Masons can virtually see where to lay bricks with more precision when they are wearing the headsets.

Alternative Reality (AR) is being used more often and purposely within the construction industry, but not all businesses are quick to adopt, as per data and analytics company GlobalData. The more conventional industries such as construction have been among them.However, according to the report, the construction industry is gradually shifting from a stance of wait-and-watch to adopting digital technologies to improving the overall lifecycle of the project from conceptual design to construction. Such developments indicate that Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are part of technologies that are more frequently finding their use case in improving efficiency, accuracy and the safety of the construction projects, the analysts at GlobalData state. GlobalData says that while the entertainment and gaming industries have been using alternative reality for years now, the construction industry is also witnessing such technologies make waves by merging the physical and digital view of job sites, to address several bottlenecks. The demand to complete projects within budget on schedule has led the construction companies to utilise VR and AR technologies to reduce errors, save time, prevent rework and create a long-term ROI. However, barriers to entry still exist, and companies in the construction industry are still not quick to adopt and invest in developing technologies. The Digital Solutions Map in Construction of GlobalData's Disruptor Intelligence Center reveals several use cases of AR and VR across the value chain of the construction industry. It includes specific examples from all over the world. Virtual collaboration design and engineering: Boston-based Suffolk Construction, has partnered with New York's InsiteVR, a VR-startup, to help its engineering teams coordinate, meet, plan and resolve issues virtually.      Users can join the forum via their desktops and a VR headset and spot issues, review project designs and make changes virtually. Project planning design and engineering: XYZ Reality, a London-based startup, has developed helmet-mounted equipment that combines AR with Building Information Modeling (BIM) so that contractors can visualise the structures, removing the need for physical floor plans.It helps the BIM be more precise and allows engineers to spot errors and check if the ongoing construction project follows the original model. Visualisation design, 4D Modeling and engineering: Bentley Systems, Pennsylvania, launched a mixed reality solution for 4D modelling and visualisation of construction projects- SYNCHRO XR.Microsoft HoloLens allows engineers and contractors to interact with digital models via intuitive gestures.Contractors can visualise the construction schedule and flag potential errors in project designs through the models. Smart Glasses: Balfour Beatty, a British multinational infrastructure group, utilised Vuzix Blade smart AR glasses at one of its US construction sites, assisting a request for information from project stakeholders, as they can't visit the site due to the pandemic. Site managers wear smart glasses and walk through the project site, and clients can remotely view project-progress. Virtual guidance construction: Fologram, an Aussie tech startup, released an app to merge physical job sites with digital construction models, to make it easier to lay bricks in complex patterns. The app gets data from Computer-Aided-Design (CAD) software, like Rhino and translates it into digital directions, projecting them onto the Microsoft HoloLens heads-up display. Masons can virtually see where to lay bricks with more precision when they are wearing the headsets.

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Jyoti Structures FY26 profit rises 56.5%

Jyoti Structures (JSL) recently reported strong financial results for the quarter and year ended 31 March 2026, driven by disciplined execution, cost management and steady progress across its order book.For Q4 FY2025-26, total income rose 44.2 per cent to Rs 2.41 billion from Rs 1.67 billion in Q4 FY2024-25. EBITDA increased 58.6 per cent to Rs 237 million, while EBITDA margin improved by 89 basis points to 9.84 per cent. Profit before tax grew 53.3 per cent to Rs 188.5 million, and net profit rose 51.9 per cent to Rs 181.4 million.For FY2025-26, total income grew 53.1 per cent to Rs 7.72 bill..

Next Story
Infrastructure Energy

Cat BEPU to Power Doppstadt Separator at IFAT 2026

Caterpillar’s Cat Battery Electric Power Unit (BEPU) has been selected by Doppstadt to power its SWS 6 Spiral Shaft Separator, which will be showcased for the first time at IFAT 2026 in Munich, Germany, from 4–7 May.The compact plug-and-play BEPU is designed to replace a diesel engine within the same space, using the same mounting locations and relative machine position. It integrates the battery, motor, inverter, onboard charging, cooling and controls, enabling OEMs to electrify existing chassis platforms without extensive redesign.Caterpillar and Cat dealer Zeppelin Power Systems have be..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

VECV sales rise 6.9% in April 2026

VE Commercial Vehicles, a joint venture between Volvo Group and Eicher Motors, recorded sales of 7,318 units in April 2026, compared to 6,846 units in April 2025, registering 6.9 per cent growth. The total included 7,159 units under the Eicher brand and 159 units under the Volvo brand.Eicher branded trucks and buses reported sales of 7,159 units during the month, up 6.6 per cent from 6,717 units in April 2025. In the domestic commercial vehicle market, Eicher sales rose 8.6 per cent to 6,797 units from 6,257 units a year earlier.Exports declined 21.3 per cent, with VECV recording 362 units in ..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement