TECHNOLOGY
The construction industry made slow digital progress before COVID-19 – but the pandemic has accelerated adoption and prompted renewed focus on AR , which provides opportunity to bridge BIM models and GIS reality
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Back in June 2016 , McKinsey released a paper Imagining construction ’ s digital future , citing how large projects across asset classes typically take 20 percent longer to finish than scheduled and are up to 80 percent over budget . It didn ’ t make pretty reading – the industry was blighted by uncoordinated project planning , inadequate performance management and unsophisticated supply chain practices . In short , digital technology investment had not been embraced .
What ’ s more , a year later the consultancy ’ s Global Institute ranked construction as ‘ the least-digitised industry in Europe ’ on its MGI digitisation index .
Disruption was long overdue . McKinsey foresaw 5-D BIM technology will be enhanced “ through AR technology via wearable devices ” and a mixed reality environment where users can pin holograms to physical objects and interact with data using gesture , gaze and voice commands ; the big question was when ?
AUTUMN / WINTER 2020