ABSTRACT
Since the 'birth' of virtual reality (VR) systems in the last century, their reach and use in the built environment has grown significantly. Computational capabilities have become widely accessible through the pervasive use of multifunctional, inexpensive, portable computers. The use of VR and augmented reality (AR) as a user interface increasingly draws on data from a range of supporting applications used to capture, analyse and synthesize data before the VR model is developed. Professionals that are starting to use VR in teams and for wider engagement need to consider the security requirements associated with the different kinds of digital information involved in the built environment applications on which they work. Factors such as available budget, existing devices, task and peripherals influence the choice of VR or AR hardware and software. The exponential growth in computing power means that VR headsets now have a market of millions of units rather than a few prototypes.
