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A new school for computer science at the University of Washington‘s Seattle campus won’t open its doors for classes for at least another 18 months. But students and faculty already have a sense of what it will feel like to sit in its classrooms and walk its halls.

When completed in January 2019, the CSE2 Building, the second part of a two-phase project, will provide much-needed space to serve one of the most popular majors at the university. In the meantime, getting a sneak peek of the building is as easy as downloading an augmented reality app created by Mortenson Construction, the general contractor for the project.

As technology takes an increasingly larger role in how construction projects are designed and built, Mortenson has established itself as a leader in finding ways to incorporate it into its projects. But the company’s interest in tapping technologies like virtual and augmented reality isn’t about the 鈥渃ool鈥� factor, according to Marc Kinsman, Mortenson’s director of immersive technology.

鈥淎 lot of times people want to jump on the bandwagon because (a certain technology) is new and exciting,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e’re always looking at what we can do to best meet our clients’ needs.鈥�

For a new baseball stadium for the Atlanta Braves, for example, Mortenson turned to virtual reality to trim more than $1 million from construction costs. Technology also provided a solution when Mortenson need to find a way to track design changes related to an ice arena project at Penn State University.

At the University of Washington, school administrators were concerned they might face challenges drumming up on-campus support for the computer science building project. The new building is situated in an area that used to be a popular walkway, so some students felt frustrated their favorite route was being altered. Others were concerned the new structure would block favorite views of a nearby water feature.

While the school planned to use traditional steps 鈥� signs, public notices and even a website 鈥� to ease student and faculty concerns, administrators felt something more might be warranted.

鈥淭he question was, 鈥楬ow can we make sure people know what’s happening and are excited about the building?’鈥� Kinsman said. 鈥淲e wanted to get students on our side and get their support in the building.鈥�

The augmented reality app, available in iOS and Android versions, relies on models used for construction that have been adjusted to run on phones and hand-held devices. Users have the option of pointing their phones at the construction site or at a printed handout to access the augmented reality feature of the app 鈥� a digital image of the building situated 鈥渙n鈥� the actual campus. A virtual reality component of the app also allows users to travel 鈥渋nside鈥� the building to visit the future 250-seat lecture hall, classrooms, and lab and workspaces.

While the app, which took three months to develop, solved a main problem for the university, it temporarily created another. The new building is near a road, and there were concerns that students and faculty using the app might be so focused on their phones or other devices that they might wander into the construction area or dangerously near vehicular traffic.

The Mortenson immersive technology team 鈥� comprised of Kinsman and another employee who works out of Seattle 鈥� turned their sights above the ground, settling on several points on the upper floors of a nearby building that have been identified as official viewing spots for users of the app.

The app is still being rolled out, but it’s already gaining attention. Project supervisors throughout Mortenson have expressed interest in it, and one of the company’s corporate clients is considering using it for a project in Portland, Kinsman said.

Meanwhile, at the University of Washington, at least one group has found an unexpected benefit of the app. The construction management department is using it as a way to educate 鈥� and even recruit 鈥� students for its program, according to Bill Bender, department chairman of the university’s College of Built Environments. During orientation, for example, Bender had students and their parents coming up to ask him what people using the app were looking at on their phones. He took them on a virtual tour of the new building, using the opportunity to introduce them to a major of study that many hadn’t considered previously.

鈥淭hey know engineering, but they’ve often never heard of construction management,鈥� Bender said. 鈥�(Showing the building via the app) is a really cool way to get them interested in our field.鈥�

Mortenson has been a longtime supporter of the university’s construction management program, Bender said. The company sends employees to speak with students in Bender’s classes and often hires the university’s graduates. Mortenson also is helping the school purchase some virtual reality gear and headsets.

鈥淲e’re going to get set up in the student union and let students try them out,鈥� Bender said. 鈥淚t’s another way to get them interested in our major.鈥�