Hospitals and medical facilities have embraced augmented reality more than any other type of property. According to the report “2021 State of Augmented Reality in Facilities Management,” 30 percent of healthcare buildings are using augmented reality. The next closest facility types are manufacturing at 26 percent, education at 25 percent and corporate offices at 23 percent.  

The most common uses of augmented reality among facilities managers in all building types are marketing applications such as tours and virtual demonstrations. This is followed by industrial manufacturing applications, smart maintenance and repairs, tenant and visitor services, and training/tutorials.

Cost is the biggest obstacle preventing more facility managers from incorporating augmented reality into their facilities. Managers certainly see benefits of the technology, including automation of maintenance processes, prevention of maintenance issues, reduction of physical contact during the COVID-19 pandemic, and more. Because of these benefits, nearly 75 percent of facilities managers who don’t currently use augmented reality expect to implement the technology within the next 24 months.

The report was conducted by Resonai and is based on a digital survey delivered to a curated audience of senior facility management directors and executives throughout the United States and Europe. Participants represented a cross-section of building types, including corporate offices, manufacturing facilities, retail/apparel, residential, hospitals and medical, shopping centers, education, entertainment, and food and grocery. Data was gathered from November 2020 to January 2021.