An Investigation of Visualization Technologies for Remote Work in The Architectural, Engineering and Construction Industry

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the way everyday professional work is being performed. Organizations have devised innovative ways to work remotely, staying home, or in secluded offices. One of the technologies that many industries are relying on is visualization for remote work. Professionals in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry are applying technology solutions to facilitate remote work, making the work site less crowded. Visualization technologies (VT)—extended Reality and Unmanned Aerial vehicles' ability to monitor construction activities—can help the AEC industry remotely work. It is unknown that, after the beginning of the pandemic, the use of visualization technologies has increased or not in the AEC sector and what tools and technologies are proving helpful. To understand this, the author designed and implemented an industry-wide survey and interviewed industry professionals to analyze the state of VT use, barriers to their implementation, and factors influencing these barriers. The study found out that although remote work had increased significantly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate at which people utilized VT for remote work had not increased at the same pace. The study also proposed a few strategies for implementing the use of visualization technology within the AEC.