Through the use of augmented reality (AR) for infrastructure management, building maintenance and repairs can be quickly revolutionized. For example, by mapping out what is behind each wall in a building, this data can be integrated into applications for a number of uses. Building maintenance and repairs can be monitored and carried out on a more efficient basis. Through the collection and organization of mapped data (and integration into GIS), municipalities can quickly tell where damage is located or originating from. This can expedite repair time, as well as save tremendous costs and damage.
For example, if a water pipe is found to be leaking from a collection of buildings but the exact location of the leak is unknown, this will typically require an excavation. Excavation is not only timely, but also costly, as large areas of damage are usually required to locate the source of a leak. With mapped and GIS integrated data, augmented reality can eliminate the burden of excavation to locate the source, and therefore, dramatically cut down on time, money, and overall damage.