Exploring the Current and Future States of Augmented Reality in the Construction Industry

In construction, adoption of advanced technologies has the potential to significantly improve the performance of projects. The construction industry has experienced a radical evolution as it entered the era of digital documentation and information exchange. Construction design began with drafting boards, then moved to Computer-Aided-Design, and finally to Building Information Modeling. At each stop along that journey, gains were made in information density and exchange. However, for all the progress made thus far, the paradox of designing the 3D in 2D space remains. As Industry 4.0 continues to evolve, it is imperative that construction firms seek, find, and adopt new technologies—both to remain competitive and to grow in the industry. Augmented reality (AR), a pillar of Industry 4.0, has the potential to transform the construction industry. This paper explores the current and potential future states of AR in construction. Might this technology gain momentum and take hold in construction, as it has done in other industries? To investigate this question, industry practitioners were surveyed. 128 responses were collected and analyzed to provide insight into the current and potential future states of AR in construction.