Practical Applications of Augmented Reality in Sustainability

Abstract

Addressing the growing challenges of climate change, environmental degradation and resource scarcity requires innovative and accessible approaches to sustainability. Augmented Reality (AR), a technology that overlays digital content onto the physical environment, offers new possibilities for engaging with complex environmental systems through interactive and location-specific experiences. While AR has been widely adopted in cultural heritage settings to enrich museum exhibitions and enhance visitor engagement, its potential is now being explored in response to environmental and sustainability concerns. This paper examines AR use cases across three key domains: renewable energy, green technology and the circular economy. These examples show how AR supports data visualisation, system monitoring and real-time guidance to enable more sustainable practices. Applications include energy system planning, environmental awareness, sustainable mobility and waste reduction through recycling, repair and creative reuse. Through these applications, AR translates abstract sustainability concepts into accessible and actionable experiences that enhance understanding, foster behavioural change and support informed decision making. In addition, the paper considers AR’s broader capacity to connect knowledge, place and emotion, making it a valuable tool for public education, technical training and community engagement. By extending immersive technologies beyond entertainment and traditional learning contexts, AR presents a promising contribution to the design and delivery of sustainability strategies. This paper supports the wider integration of digital innovation into sustainability efforts and positions AR as a meaningful enabler of environmental awareness and practical action.