Virtual reality (and shared immersive spaces) have many uses that are being explored further as they are developed over time. It has seen a significant increase in utilisation over recent years, as it has become accessible in ways like never before. Through its many capabilities, it is helping not only individuals,  but entire companies, to reduce their carbon footprint and environmental impact. 

Whether incorporated into workplaces and education or used to recreate simulations in a real-life projection, its various applications allow you to gain everything you need and more. Our immersive spaces, ranging from small cubes to entire room custom-built spaces, are one of the initial steps you can take to join the movement towards a cleaner, more conscious lifestyle through virtual reality content. 

Climate change is one of the most concerning issues that threatens to jeopardise the future of the world in which we live. No longer a topic reserved for environmental activists, concern for our planet has rightfully become a mainstream conversation. The question is no longer ‘When should I help?’ but rather ‘How can I help?’. 

One of the biggest challenges is the misconception that your individual efforts will fall short of combatting this issue. However, every attempt taken to lessen the impact of human existence on the environment will help to tackle this issue. This, in turn, can lead to larger changes over time such as how businesses operate and how transportation is used.

Air pollution is one of the largest environmental problems today, according to Earth.org, who identified that it is being caused by industrial sources and motor vehicles. It may be hard to immediately see the direct link between Virtual Reality and reducing air pollution, but you do not need to look far to see how VR can help to battle this. 

Recently, our long-standing client AtkinsRéalis used Igloo shared immersive spaces as part of its Virtual Site Access solution, which combines a number of technologies to allow for the remote operation of nuclear sites. Data collected by the company show that it has led to 20,000 hours of travel saved, a £1.2 million reduction in costs, and 300,000kg of CO2 saved - showing that environmental measures are not necessarily costly and can actually lead to a reduction in expenditure as well as helping the planet.

The implementation of VR in the workplace has facilitated remote working in ways like never before. The popularity of working from home has continued since the pandemic, thanks to the flexibility it offers and the short commute. This has hugely reduced the emissions that would have been produced from commuting to and from work, going on work trips and travelling to meetings. You no longer need to leave the comfort of your home or office to collaborate with others on a global scale, as virtual reality poses no limits. Virtual reality allows for online meetings to take place, with no detriment to the quality of the communication or connection, as you will feel like you are in the room together, with everyone.

Virtual reality has opened the door to so many new possibilities, particularly when it comes to education. With the ability to provide totally immersive experiences, learning has become effortless with VR, as people are curiously engaged and simultaneously absorbing new information. This can be used to teach people about the current climate crisis by safely replicating climate disasters in the simulation to educate people on the potential future if action is not taken. 

The simulation of shared immersive spaces enables multiple people to participate at the same time. Furthermore, using virtual reality to replicate environmental disasters can be used to train crisis teams. By putting them into a high-pressure environment, it more accurately portrays how it would be in a real-life emergency situation. This is vital, as staff can be trained to a higher level, meaning that their crisis responses will be faster, safer and more certain.

Shared VR spaces can also be conducive to holding events, seminars or educational talks, as the interactivity of the sessions proves effective in maintaining people’s concentration. Discussing climate change is often ignored due to the willingness to be ignorant or the perception that it is boring. 

Therefore, using an interactive cylinder or state-of-the-art CAVE is an enticing way to encourage people to participate in your events regardless of the topic. It is actually a more effective way of learning, as the simulated environment depicts a full situation meaning that your brain doesn’t have to attempt to fill in any gaps and you experience the full sequence of events virtually. Consequently, learners can just focus on the new information, so they learn faster than without VR, where their brain has to attempt to predict what would be happening around them.

When you combine this with Igloo Core Engine, our software platform for immersive spaces, which works with almost any type on content you already have, it has never been easier to leverage the benefits of immersive content in the fight against climate change. You can learn more about our software and its many benefits here. 

If you have any questions about how you can incorporate virtual reality and shared immersive spaces into your life, especially through the lens of benefitting the environment, then don’t hesitate to contact us. 

Feeling ready to take the first step towards a more sustainable future? Browse our range of Igloo products online today to find the one that meets your requirements. 

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