Associations
VIRTUAL TECHNOLOGY EXPANDS THE FRONTIERS OF CONSTRUCTION
By Bongani Dladla , chief executive officer of the cidb
Technology is changing the shape of the global construction industry and some of the most exciting trends have already taken root in South Africa .
At the cutting edge of development is the utilisation of virtual reality and augmented reality to reduce the costs of projects , enhance the quality of delivery and raise productivity levels .
The application of 4th Industrial Revolution ( 4IR ) technologies is no longer on the fringes of the construction sector . Many companies are utilising laser scanning , 3D printing , on-site robots and small drones to deliver more cost-effective projects . Big data is transforming the industry by reducing costs and increasing access to information .
The sector becomes more productive and efficient with each advance . Virtual reality and augmented reality take these evolving technologies a few steps further .
Both technologies are already extensively used in the entertainment and gaming industries , in aerospace and defence , and in medicine and healthcare sectors . It also has the potential to transform the construction and engineering fields and expand the edges of possibilities .
Virtual reality uses computer technology to create a simulated environment . It enables users to relate both physically and virtually with this environment .
Augmented reality builds on this technology by overlaying information as visual content into a real-time experience . The user may survey the physical environment through smartphones or tablets while computer-generated simulations offer views of what a future structure could and should look like . Potential flaws and challenges are identified on the spot .
The immense opportunities which these technologies offer to the construction sector are obvious . It enables owners and contractors to visualise what a building will look like before construction starts , and subsequently tracks the building processes through all their stages to the point of final delivery .
Construction is , by definition , a highly collaborative sector which requires high levels of teamwork between contractors from various disciplines . On-site meetings consume costly time and resources , and often contribute to failure of meeting deadlines and late delivery of projects .
Many of these processes can now be streamlined through the application of new technology . These factors alone will prompt many construction companies to invest in virtual and augmented reality applications which are still very expensive .
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RACA Journal I February 2023 www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za