BAM has carried out the first test of the Microsoft HoloLens at PingProperties’ Trappenburch sustainable redevelopment site in Utrecht, The Netherlands.

BAM had previously tested Google Glass on a construction site, but the HoloLens takes this technology a step further enabling users to see holograms within the existing environment and providing them with the right information at the right time.

The introduction of BIM has changed the nature of construction. Processes are becoming more automated and the demand for information from clients and site teams has increased. The use of wearables is helping to drive these changes, digitising traditional 2D drawings and providing assembly instructions, which show individuals how to carry out each task, step by step. HoloLens also enables us to improve health and safety and training. It ensures that users have two free hands to perform actions and allows others to see the same view as the wearer, so that help and advice can be given; reducing the risk of errors and failure costs.

While we don’t expect to see HoloLensess on every site tomorrow, we recognise the importance of testing them now, to explore their future possibilities and understand how wearables and increased automation will affect workers on site.


Further information:

- BAM Consulting & Engineering: Huib Tieleman, Head of BIM Center (06) 51 49 64 90;

Robin van Esch, Project VR / AR, (06) 22 99 35 11;

- BAM Construction and Engineering: Robin Wollenberg, Social Media Manager, (06) 52 75 09 89