Is Construction AR Really Useful? 5 On-site Uses That Deliver Results

Table of Contents

• 1st: On-site visualization and verification of design drawings

• 2nd: Safety management during construction and worker location awareness

• 3rd: Progress management of construction plans and visualization of the construction schedule

• 4th: Verification of installation locations for equipment piping and wiring

• 5th: Consideration of renovation and extension plans for existing buildings

• Environmental factors that enhance the practicality of AR

• Accurate on-site positioning enhances AR utilization

In the construction industry, the adoption of augmented reality (AR) technology is advancing rapidly. However, when attempting to use it on actual sites, many construction professionals and general contractor representatives have doubts such as "Is it really useful?" and "Is it worth implementing?" Indeed, AR may appear to be cutting‑edge technology, but when practical usability on site is taken into account, the reality is that it is difficult to determine in which situations it should be utilized.

In this article, we explain 5 AR use cases that have proven effective on construction sites. Rather than merely describing the technology, we present only applications that lead to concrete operational improvements, so this should serve as a reference when considering adoption at your own construction sites.

First: On-site visualization and verification of design drawings

On construction sites, it is common to carry out work while referring to drawings on paper or on-screen. However, there can be differences between the dimensions and layouts shown on the plans and the actual space. If these discrepancies can be detected in advance, rework and corrective work after construction can be greatly reduced.

By using AR, you can overlay a three-dimensional representation of the building shown in the drawings onto the site's three-dimensional space. For example, you can verify in real time on the actual site the positions of walls, the arrangement of columns, the sizes of windows, and so on. This method reduces misunderstandings caused by interpreting drawings and makes it possible to accurately grasp the design intent on site.

In actual implementation cases, on large-scale construction projects AR is used during the foundation work stage to perform checks against the design drawings and detect placement errors in advance. Reports indicate that this process prevents major rework in later construction stages and avoids overall schedule delays. Visualizing design drawings can be regarded as the most practical application and the first step in introducing AR.

2nd: Safety management during construction and worker location awareness

Safety management at construction sites is an area that constantly presents challenges. There are many hazardous factors, such as scaffolding installation, work at height, and the operation of heavy machinery, and understanding workers' positions and movements contributes to ensuring safety.

By leveraging AR, you can display real-time hazard zones for each area on-site. For example, image recognition technology automatically detects the upper boundary of scaffolding, the operating range of cranes, excavation areas, and so on, and displays them as warnings on devices worn by workers. This process can prevent workers from unintentionally entering hazardous areas, thereby reducing the risk of accidents.

Furthermore, when multiple workers are performing tasks simultaneously, using AR makes it possible to monitor each person’s location in real time. This can prevent collisions between workers and also produces the secondary benefit of enabling simultaneous tracking of work progress. From a safety management perspective, the introduction of AR is an area where one can expect a direct effect on reducing workplace accidents.

Third: Progress Management of Construction Plans and Visualization of the Schedule

Progress management for construction projects is an extremely important task because such projects involve many complex processes and delays can have significant impacts. Traditionally, schedules have been managed in Excel or with project management tools, but when sharing this information with on-site workers, misunderstandings can occur.

By leveraging AR, information from the construction schedule can be displayed on-site in three dimensions. For example, visually presenting with AR where work should be carried out this week and what next week’s tasks are can align workers’ understanding. This process reduces construction delays and rework, improving overall site efficiency.

Furthermore, it is possible to detect discrepancies between actual progress and planned progress at an early stage. If any tasks are behind schedule, visualizing that information with AR enables managers and workers to jointly consider countermeasures, which is a practical benefit. By bringing process management to the field, more flexible and more effective construction operations can be realized.

4th: Verification of installation locations for equipment piping and wiring

On construction sites, the installation of equipment piping and electrical wiring is extremely important. If these locations are incorrect, major problems can arise in later stages of construction, and corrective work can require enormous expense and time. Furthermore, piping and wiring may be installed in places not visible on the design drawings, and when multiple contractors are involved, coordination becomes complicated.

By using AR, the positions of piping and wiring on design drawings can be overlaid onto the actual building space. Based on this AR display, installers can install pipes and wiring at the correct locations, greatly reducing the need for corrections caused by misalignment or interference.

In particular, in locations where multiple building systems intersect or where there is a risk of interference with the structural frame, the value of verifying in advance with AR becomes extremely high. By simulating before construction, problems can be prevented beforehand, reducing unexpected on-site responses and corrective work. Such effects constitute an important improvement that leads to overall quality enhancement of construction work and shorter construction schedules.

5th: Consideration of renovation and expansion plans for existing buildings

When planning renovations or additions to an existing building, it is extremely important to accurately assess the current condition and to confirm in advance how the new design will be realized. In particular, when renovating while preserving the existing structure and appearance, it can be difficult to determine whether the new design will harmonize with the existing parts.

By leveraging AR, you can scan the current condition of an existing building to create a three-dimensional (3D) model and overlay the post-renovation design drawings on top of it. This makes it possible to visually confirm in advance what the renovated building will look like and whether newly added elements will blend seamlessly with the existing parts.

This process also offers significant benefits for consultations with clients and stakeholders. By using AR, renovation concepts that cannot be conveyed by traditional drawings and models can be presented in a three-dimensional, intuitive way, preventing later problems caused by differences in understanding. In projects involving existing buildings, the use of AR contributes to overall efficiency from the planning stage through to the construction stage.

Environmental factors that enhance the practicality of AR

For AR to be truly useful on construction sites, it is necessary not only to introduce the technology but also to properly prepare the site environment and operational methods. For example, on outdoor sites reflections from sunlight can make screens hard to see, so device selection requires careful consideration; additionally, on indoor or underground floors where GPS signals are weak, accurate positioning can be difficult.

Furthermore, education and training for workers using AR are also important. Because adapting to new technology takes time, a phased introduction and an approach that integrates it into actual operations while making improvements is effective. In the initial phase, it is advisable to pilot it in the tasks where the greatest benefits are expected, and by accumulating success stories, promote its adoption across the entire workplace.

Accurate on-site positioning enhances AR utilization

Accurate positional information is essential for successful operational improvements at construction sites using AR. Construction sites are susceptible to complex terrain and surrounding environmental influences, and conventional smartphone GPS alone may not provide sufficient accuracy. In particular, during work in urban areas with multi-story buildings or in the canyons between buildings, satellite signal reception can be unstable, causing the positions of design drawings displayed in AR to shift.

To address these challenges, introducing high-precision GNSS positioning devices is effective. An iPhone-mounted high-precision GNSS positioning device can simultaneously receive signals from multiple satellite systems and determine the current position with an accuracy on the order of a few cm (a few in). By combining this device with AR applications, design information can be accurately overlaid at any location on site, enabling even greater effectiveness across all five uses introduced at the beginning. In particular, because accurate position recognition greatly affects the usefulness of AR for verification of equipment and piping installation and for examining renovation plans of existing buildings, we strongly recommend the use of high-precision positioning devices.