Is your customer tired of seeing blueprints and 3D prototype models of your construction portfolio? Worry no more; metaverse is here to give your customers an immersive experience in exploring their dream houses, office spaces, and many more. Metaverse has recently been entering each industry and making its mark. Even though the construction industry hasn’t fully adopted this technology yet, it has started to show a promising future when you look at the existing metaverse in construction projects such as the Singapore business center, hospital nova, etc.

Let’s understand how the metaverse and related technologies have the potential to revolutionize the construction sector.

• How does metaverse in construction work?
• Role of the metaverse in construction industry
• Benefits of using metaverse for construction projects
• Metaverse construction projects

How does metaverse in construction work?

A recent study from ARC Document Solutions discovered that professionals in the construction industry identified virtual reality as one of the most emerging technology within the industry. 

Some of the reasons include the following: 

• Error reduction
• Increase in client satisfaction
• Improved safety among workers 

Since metaverse offers an immersive environment, it allows contractors to perform certain activities like spot errors, troubleshooting, tweak designs, etc. Metaverse space streamlines the build design process and cuts off “scope creep” before it occurs. 

Role of the metaverse in construction industry

The idea of implementing the metaverse in the construction sector has been magnified extensively since the advent of Meta. People are willing to pay a lot for land in the metaverse. Metaverse in construction unlocks modern ways of digitally modeling building projects through game mechanics.

Metaverse is a 3D evolution of the internet. There is still a lot that has to be defined in this VR world, but it has major implications for how we collaborate and work together in the construction industry.

Below are some major futuristic benefits of implementing metaverse in the construction industry:

Instant Remote Actions

Construction teams and clients can communicate regardless of where they are or what time of day they are working. As a result, travel time will be reduced, approvals will be expedited, and fewer meetings will be held. This will speed up and improve the efficiency of the process.

Framework

By making necessary changes, architectural variants and site planning that improve material efficiency can be personally experienced. This will make final versions easier to create.

Better Presentation

Architects won’t have to prepare a physical prototype model and carry it everywhere for client presentation. The clients will have a better view of how their buildings will look down the line. For example: If an architect plans to build a railroad or roadways in traditional methods, they will create a blueprint on a sheet or create a physical prototype and present it to the clients. At most, architects can create a video presentation on how the construction will be after it’s finished. With VR technology, they can immerse themselves into the experience of how it looks from beginning to end using a VR headset. If the client wants to give feedback about a particular place, he can easily pinpoint and add their comments. 

Coordination of BIM Projects

BIM coordination offers more modular construction options. It shortens the time it takes to complete a project by monitoring issues and providing greater transparency. Metaverse offers an option to view the BIM models more immersively than the old computerized version.

Showcase of Projects

A fully immersive virtual presentation engages the viewers from beginning to end. You can showcase your projects in a metaverse exchange using a virtual reality headset more efficiently. Clients can find your portfolio and other project-related details immersively, and showcasing your technological advancements can place you in a strong business network.

Benefits of using metaverse for construction projects

Using the metaverse in the construction industry will greatly assist designers and architects in creating spaces increasingly efficiently by allowing them to experience the space as it is being built.

• Unmatched Collaboration: Virtual reality enables AEC teams and clients to collaborate from anywhere in the world, resulting in fewer meetings, less business travel, and faster approvals.
• Design Development & Prototyping: Working through the design process of a new product, building or bridge becomes much easier when there is a physical presence, as opposed to spending time, money, or materials on building a physical mockup.
• Enhance Visualisation: It is possible to collaborate on the design and shorten the design cycle. In Metaverse, you can use augmented reality to examine site facades or change materials for clients. It can put every option to the test in a realistic setting.
• Improved BIM (Building Information Modelling): Building information modeling (BIM) is an evolution of traditional Computer Aided Design (CAD) techniques. Virtual reality takes it a step further with robust digital twins that replicate a physical asset and can add incredible detail. This is possibly the most active area of the VR world for the engineering and construction industries. Digital twins are the logical next step in the evolution of CAD/plans, creating a more complete picture of existing bridges, buildings, and even cityscapes.
• Marketing: A virtual reality presentation outperforms two-dimensional models. A fully immersive virtual presentation immerses viewers in the project from beginning to end. Virtual reality is an excellent way to keep an audience’s attention during a presentation.

Metaverse construction projects

Below are some of the key developments with metaverse in the construction industry. 

• DAQRI Smart Helmet: This augmented reality helmet can visualize projects and 3D models in an immersive and large-scale 3D environment.
• Dalux: Offers three different augmented reality civil construction solutions. The Dalux Viewer is a free iOS and Android app that allows users to create a 3D model and digital drawings on the job site.
• RPG Enterprises: Is working on three metaverse projects. The first project entails creating a virtual RPG Campus, which the group hopes will become the “first platform where B-schools will come together for a purpose, such as working on a live project.” The second metaverse is KEC City. KEC International is the RPG Group’s flagship and leading engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) company. CEAT Shopping, the third metaverse project, marks the tire manufacturer’s first foray into the metaverse.
•  Singapore business center: This facility was designed 3D using the Program “BIM Ace’s Visualization App.” It includes views of the exterior, interior structure, floor plan, electromechanical assets, and a walkthrough on the ground floor of a large multi-story building.
• New Rochelle downtown improvements: New Rochelle, a mid-sized city in New York, wanted to revitalize and revitalize its downtown area. They chose to do it in virtual reality, developing a platform that displayed approximately 3 million square feet of improvements and renovations in a 360-degree view. The city planners gathered feedback about the many planned changes by making the experience available to residents (via headsets and mobile devices).
• Hospital Nova: Nova is a large hospital in Finland that is nearing completion. The company behind the project developed a BIM-based VR experience that significantly impacted their project work. For example, the experience was made available to hospital staff, who provided feedback and design suggestions.
• Downtown resort: Program-Ace created this pathfinding project. It demonstrates the viability of constructing a large resort in their downtown area. Making a realistic site with a variety of buildings and amenities. To enhance the experience, walkthroughs and limited interactive options were also implemented.

Closing Thoughts

Metaverse in construction is no longer a minor add-on in the industry. It has the potential to become the industry standard, especially in light of external shocks like COVID-19, demonstrating the importance of incorporating digital solutions and operating remotely. However, the path to metaverse advancements in construction necessitates an excellent partner, a team with a thorough understanding of these technologies.

Tech giants have ambitious plans to bring metaverse apps and other concepts to life. The biggest concern is that as it grows, it will pose a data security risk and raise ethical concerns. The Metaverse concept has the potential to revolutionize almost every industry. If all of the challenges are met, it will be a more refined version of the current internet and can herald the start of a new era.