More and more of the world’s leading construction companies are catching on to the potential of VR technology. In this article, we explore its applications in a construction context, and how VR can reduce costs, promote collaborative cohesion, and make building projects faster and safer.

What Is VR?

VR is a simulated experience that provides a representation of a real-world environment. Used within the context of construction, VR brings together project data to create an immersive experience for collaborators without the need for them to visit the site in person.

VR is essentially next level 3D modelling, with one exception. It creates 3D models of the site, but in the case of VR, the user can immerse themselves in the virtual space.

What Are the Benefits of VR?

VR enables project managers to scale up quickly.

Every building is unique and every site is different. As a result, construction projects have traditionally been difficult to scale. The implementation of VR technology has had a revolutionary effect in this respect, enabling fast and efficient sharing of data throughout teams to promote cohesive thinking and problem solving.

Traditionally, construction projects were planned using 3D models, which required significant amounts of time and effort to create. These miniature models may have been helpful in project orientation but were incredibly basic and often contained inaccuracies.

3D technologies today make it possible to create detailed, accurate models quickly and cheaply. These can be shared across teams and, through VR technologies, collaborators can immerse themselves in the construction project, experiencing it as if they were actually there.

VR technologies enable designers, planners, constructors and investors to ‘walk through’ the site in real time, even if they are on opposite sides of the world. These walk throughs can be hugely beneficial, enabling collaborators to spot potential problems and work together to achieve swift resolution.

By enabling teams to ‘see’ a project without physically visiting it, communication is vastly improved. From a collaboration perspective, VR holds huge potential, enabling stakeholders to better understand project needs throughout the planning phase and constructors to better understand their clients’ needs.

As Chairman and CEO of the Mid Group, the UK’s premier construction company, Sahel Majali understands the potential VR technology holds. Visit the Sahel Majali Twitter page or Sahel Majali blog to find out more about the implementation of digital technologies by the UK’s fastest-growing construction company.