Across the world, we have entered a golden age of infrastructure investment.

From the bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill introduced by Joe Biden, to the estimated €6 trillion it will cost Germany to meet its 2045 Net Zero goals, to the eternal investment of China and the Middle East in both public infrastructure and natural resources – infrastructure has become the 21st century's greatest outlay.  

We are spending more than ever before, yet construction productivity has generally flatlined. According to McKinsey and Co, one of the driving reasons behind this has been the slow uptake of technology in the sector. And, when adopted, the primary focus of this technology has been on control rather than productivity.  

So, with these goals rapidly approaching, the architecture, engineering, construction, and operations (AECO) sectors are increasingly turning to cutting-edge technologies to deliver innovative solutions.   

Among these innovations, shared immersive technology has empowered companies to break new ground and rethink the way that operations are conducted. Shared immersive technology has been able to save companies millions in training and operations costs, reduce carbon dioxide emissions by thousands of tonnes, and allow for remote operating and digital rehearsals that were not before possible.   

At Igloo, we have worked with some of the largest AECO companies in the world and seen our technology used to provide countless ingenious solutions – in ways that we could never have envisioned.   

Companies like AtkinsRéalis, AECOM, Lendlease, and Skanska have all used variations of Igloo tech to both match and exceed ambitious targets. And, whilst they have used the same technology, they have been able to implement and leverage it in different ways; there is no ‘typical’ implementation of our technology, it is infinitely flexible.  

So, let's take a look at how companies can leverage shared immersive technology, to achieve tangible results:

AtkinsRéalis celebrates its winning solution, photograph courtesy of the Digital Construction Awards

Tangible Results

By incorporating shared immersive technology into your solutions, you are able to achieve stunning results.

Recently, our long-standing client AtkinsRéalis was awarded ‘Best Application of Technology’ at the Digital Construction Awards for its Virtual Site Access solution.  

Virtual Site Access is a combination of many technologies, including a custom software dashboard, Boston Dynamics quadrupedal robot dogs, Igloo Vision shared immersive spaces, Microsoft HoloLens 2, and GoPro, amongst others.  

This solution came off the back of the UK's ambitious, and legally binding, targets to reach net zero by 2050 and fully decarbonise the UK's energy system by 2035. A target that AtkinsRéalis recognised would require a shift to digital.   

Darren Grears, Head of Digital, Nuclear, and Power at AtkinsRéalis, said:  

“Many industries continue to operate in the same ways, with onsite uncertainty, bottlenecks, and a lack of early warnings for potential issues, while hoping for better outcomes.  

“Taking a digital approach creates a single source of truth with a 360‑degree view of the project and gives clients peace of mind and reputational security that their projects can be delivered on time and on budget.”  

The Virtual Site Access technology has been a resounding success for AtkinsRéalis. Data published by the company showed that the technology had led to:  

• 20,000 hours of travel saved  

• £1.2 million reduction in costs  

• 300,000kg of CO2 saved  

• Substantial reduction in personnel radiation exposure  

Use cases across the entire sector

As AECO companies strive to meet increasingly demanding targets for efficiency, safety, and sustainability, shared immersive technology is proving to be an indispensable tool. By facilitating better collaboration, decision-making, and visualisation, this technology is not just meeting current industry needs—it's shaping the future of how we design, build, and operate our built environment.  

Shared immersive spaces allow multiple stakeholders to collaborate in a single environment, fostering better communication and decision-making. This technology is proving invaluable for AECO companies in several key areas:  

Enhanced Collaboration  

Shared immersive spaces enable teams to visualise and interact with 3D models together, regardless of their physical location. This leads to more efficient design reviews, faster problem-solving, and improved project coordination.  

Improved Client Engagement  

By immersing clients in photorealistic environments of their future projects, AECO firms can secure buy-in more effectively and reduce costly changes later in the process.  

Safety Training  

These spaces provide risk-free environments for training workers on potentially hazardous procedures, improving safety outcomes without compromising productivity.  

Streamlined Planning and Design  

The ability to manipulate and assess designs in real-time within a shared space accelerates the iterative process, leading to optimised solutions and reduced time-to-market.  

Cost Reduction  

By identifying and resolving issues early in the virtual environment, companies can significantly reduce expensive on-site modifications and delays.  

Sustainability Goals  

Shared immersive technology supports sustainable practices by enabling virtual site visits and reducing the need for travel, aligning with the industry's growing focus on environmental responsibility.

The Igloo opinion  

Shared immersive technology has a proven track record of providing value, cutting costs, and providing ingenious solutions to modern-day problems. However, it is of no use if it doesn’t integrate directly into your existing workflows and harmonise with the specialist software you already use.   

One of the main reasons why energy sector clients choose to work with us is that they can use all their digital tools and content in an Igloo immersive space. This means that what would otherwise be a complex and time-consuming setup, can be done seamlessly without specialist help.  

Many of these tools work out-of-the-box, including VISCO, Avatour, Atom, Siemens Walkinside, Omniverse, EVXR, and ArchGis – plus the full Microsoft 360 suite, the Google suite, and a wide range of other web-based applications.  

For clients whose tools weren’t already compatible with Igloo Core Engine, we have worked with the vendors to develop deep integrations including XVR, Haliburton Landmark, Aveva, Revizto, Vrex, Baselinez, Karios, Honeywell, Yokogawa, and Matterport.  

For others, we have developed plugins and viewers, including GLTF, OBJ, and FBX file types, as well as Navisworks Manage, Revit Snapshot Viewers, Ceesium, ArchGis, Unity, and Unreal.  

This content-agnostic approach means that Igloo Core Engine is the perfect platform for implementing your solution to achieve your targets. Be it for training, collaboration, engagement, visualisation or design, Igloo shared immersive technology can provide value in all areas of AECO operations and fits seamlessly into your existing workflows. 

If you want to learn more about how Igloo immersive technology can help your company break new ground, save money, and increase productivity, get in touch here.

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