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The Benefits of Visual Construction Monitoring Technologies
Construction sites continue to be vibrant and dynamic throughout. New teams arrive, materials are delivered, and one subcontractor replaces another. By the end of the week, the site may look very different from what it was on Monday morning.
This is why-
• monitoring of development,
• verification of completed work,
• prevention of problems,
become major and necessary parts of the process.
Visual construction monitoring is intended to bridge that gap. It eliminates the confusion in monitoring progress. And replaces it with very clear visual proof of activities taking place on site.
Most of construction companies struggle with-
→ strict timeline
→ shortage of workforce
→ rising cost of materials
That’s the reason transparency is becoming more important than ever.
This blog will cover visual monitoring and the practical situations where it helps. Not only in concepts, but also in the daily challenge of construction projects.
What is Visual Construction Monitoring
Construction monitoring is quite a broad term. It consists of different ways to visually capture the jobsite.
So that these visuals can be-
saved,
compared,
shared,
and referenced later.
Different tools are used. But all of them have the same function: replacing assumptions with the visual truth.
Common tools are:
Drones
Drones are an excellent tool. Why? They give the crew a view of the site from angles that are otherwise impossible. They can be used right away and the existing working crew is not disturbed at all.
Areas where drones are of help:
→ Monitoring the development of huge sites or sites that are far apart
→ Providing clear visuals of roofs, facades, towers or places which are unsafe
→ Producing accurate maps of the site through aerial photographs
360-degree Cameras
360-degree cameras capture entire rooms, corridors, and interior areas in a single go. And it lets people “tour” the site afterwards on their computers.
Reasons why teams depend on 360° takes:
→ Team members get to see the project remotely
→ Fast and uniform documentation of daily or weekly progress made
→ Outstanding closeout package supported by a complete visual history
→ Disputes are less frequent as everyone knows when the installation was done
→ A good closeout package supported by the complete visual history
Laser Scanners/ LiDAR
Laser scanners are the tools to use whenever precision is needed. Wondering how they work? It emits extremely short light pulses and records the time taken for each pulse to return. Then move on to produce a very precise 3D representation of the location.
The major contributions of laser scanning are as follows:
→ Finding out clashes of MEP, structural, and architectural systems
→ Continuing to monitor deviations at an early stage rather than during handover
→ Rework caused by guesswork or visual assumptions is eliminated.
Crane Cameras
These are cameras mounted on cranes that go along with the operator. It gives an unfiltered natural view from the top of the site. They are operating all the time, with no one having to bother who schedules or operates them.
In busy jobs with continuous movement, this constant overhead view turns out to be priceless.
Crane Cameras as support for project team:
→ Visually logging daily material movements and site activities, by the way of automation
→ Getting instant access to the areas where work is going on and is crowded
→ Identifying clearly the safety issues around the way of the crane
These tools are not as complicated as they sound. For example, a drone flight takes less than fifteen minutes and can map the entire site.
Thermal imaging
Thermal Imaging cameras are quite effective. They detect heat differences and identify problems that are hard to find with the human eye.
The main uses of thermal imaging during construction :
→ Determining air leakage problems
→ Detecting leaks of water inside the walls or roofs
→ Localizing hot spots in electric circuitry which are caused by overloaded wires
Key Benefits of Visual Construction Monitoring Tech
Comprehensive Visibility all over the jobsite
No more verbal updates or memory for teams. They simply open a visual report and it is possible to see the exact state of affairs on a specific day.
Improved Communication
Photographic proofs of progress make coordination much smoother. The number of misunderstandings decreases.
Unbiased documentation for the owners and the inspectors
Owners are always informed while not being bothered at the same time. Inspectors have no headaches with transparent records of the work done.
Rework and disputes are less frequent and not as severe
Arguing over the completion of the task? Not anymore. All teams need is to just watch the footage and doubts will be immediately answered.
Quicker Decision Making
Project managers do not have to wait to visit each site to approve changes or releases.
Improved Safety
Drones provide a live feed of the whole site without putting anyone in danger. It also includes unsafe places, blocked paths, and risky activities.
More precise tracking of the schedule
Progress is now visible and not left to guesswork. This makes weekly planning sessions more robust.
Challenges These Tools Solve
Everybody working on a jobsite is well aware of this feeling…
When information gets lost and you’re wondering what to do next.
For instance, the drywall crew wanted to close the wall. But the mechanical team said they had already finished the installation. The inspector, however, claims he never saw it. The owner demands confirmation. The wall is to be closed today, but it is still not clear to anyone if it is safe to go ahead.
Previously, this scenario would have meant-
– reopening the wall,
– calling the inspector again
This means other trades getting delayed, and all the costs of extra labor being incurred.
However, if the team had a 360-degree walkthrough from that previous week, things would be different. How? They could simply check the scan and see whether everything was finished.
These moments are very common. And they continuously exert pressure on project schedules and budgets. On the other hand, visual monitoring does not eliminate every single problem. But it will avoid a good number of the mysteries that lead to project slowdowns.
How to Integrate Visual Monitoring Without Disruption
The transition to visual monitoring can indeed be an overwhelming change. Though it is possible not to feel so. How? Normally, the teams go for a small start which is very much in line with the idea of a weekly 360-degree walkthrough. This can be incorporated into the daily routine of a site walk, yet the outcome is much more beneficial.
The project team is not left with random photos anymore. They have a full visual record available for them to reference any time. Sometimes this very simple step serves as the turning point.
For instance, a superintendent shows the video during the morning meeting to verify what was done the day before. A project engineer would rather do that in an update meeting than running around looking for pictures.
Trade partners can even watch it beforehand so that they know exactly what is going on when they get there.
A drone might be operated for the view from outside of the building. A laser scan might be used for precise measurement during the installation of critical areas.
All of this does not interrupt the workflow. Why so? These devices do not require the team to change their way of working.
That is how the process of adoption really works. It is not via extensive rollouts. But rather by means of small routines that each day gradually make the work a little easier.
Reasons Why the Construction Teams Prefer Visual Monitoring
Construction teams are sometimes forced to use new technologies. That too without their daily challenges being considered.
What makes visual monitoring different? It comes with the solution to a problem that nearly everyone experiences: uncertainty.
A superintendent will not need to spend his morning moving from floor to floor confirming status. A project engineer could provide an owner with progress information confidently. A subcontractor could plead for his work. Because there is photo evidence that shows exactly what he did and when.
It reduces tension and eliminates conflict. And fosters trust between people and the information that they are receiving. The most significant thing is that it lets the whole project narrative remain intact.
Final Thoughts
Construction monitoring has transformed. It’s no more a mere documentation process with notes, spreadsheets and snapshots. Rather, it’s now a full-scale visual monitoring of the site.
And because of this, the entire process of decision-making has become easier. How?
- The teams are able to see the actual progress instead of making assumptions.
- They will be able to share information better.
- This helps in avoiding misunderstandings that will cost them money.
- The outcome is timely, according to the project schedule.
This is why visual monitoring is an indispensable tool in the construction industry, where time and clarity are the most important factors.
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