ATLANTA, JANUARY 21, 2013 – OxBlue, a leader in the construction camera industry, has published two case studies illustrating the wide spectrum of benefits of using its construction cameras on large educational construction projects.
Two public universities, the University of Arkansas and the University of Iowa, initially chose to use construction webcams on their projects for public relations reasons. In each case, investors and other key stakeholders, including the public, were given access so that they could watch the progress of the projects they had invested in. As the projects progressed, project managers came to see the benefits the webcams offered them in terms of more efficient project management.
At the University of Arkansas, eight OxBlue construction cameras give anyone with access to the university’s website 24/7 access to six projects. The first camera installed was on a brick walkway and gateway project commemorating the sorority’s 100th anniversary at the University of Arkansas.
“It was originally installed for public relations purposes and was never intended as a tool for construction management,” said Jay Huneycutt, director of the University campus planning office. However, as various stakeholders accessed the project, each took away a benefit from being able to see the job site remotely.
Similarly, the University of Iowa – where healthcare projects include a new Children’s Hospital, an off-campus clinic, and a state-of-the-art data center – initially installed the construction webcams to showcase the school’s growth to internal and external stakeholders, as well as archive the construction process for marketing and PR purposes.
At both schools, those overseeing construction soon discovered that the cameras were a valuable tool for documenting workflow and monitoring daily activity without physically having to be on the actual construction sites.
“It’s helpful to follow the progression of the project 24/7 without actually being on the job site,” said D. Rublaitus, the University’s infrastructure engineer, whose office is eight miles from the job site.
At both schools, the construction cameras, especially because of their time-lapse movie feature, became not only useful tools for PR and marketing but also powerful tools for project management.
Project managers use the cameras to monitor progress and workflow, verify weather conditions at any given time, reach out to contractors when necessary and maintain complete documentation of their projects from start to finish.
OxBlue construction camera technology offers each institution a complete end-to-end solution, with everything – including camera hardware, cellular data connections, servers, software, and professional time-lapse movie production expertise – all in one complete package.
At each school, unlimited 24/7 remote access using a range of computer and mobile devices allows all the stakeholders – from investors and university personnel to project managers and contractors – to view and monitor their progress and worksite compliance remotely and effectively from wherever they are.
Read the full text of the case studies.