A few weeks ago, I asked readers to let me know of technological innovations in the construction industry. I was quickly informed of the trend towards monitoring construction projects with digital cameras (AKA "Webcams").

So what's new about webcams? They have been around since the beginning of the Internet boom. However, with improved digital technology and bandwidth, deployments of these cameras are becoming more practical and construction firms are using them to achieve greater project efficiency and control. For example, executives from Clayco have been able to monitor the progress of the St. Louis University Research Building (shown above) during hours when they need to be in the office.

Consider the typical delays involved with large construction projects: change-order approvals, back-office decisions, client/contractor communication…the list goes on. By implementing webcams, companies can reduce delays by bridging the gaps between executives, field staff, and clients. Combined with the power of communicating across the web, this innovation results in cost savings for both the contractor and the client.

Recently, we were able to talk with Chandler McCormack, CEO of OxBlue, to learn more about the development of construction webcam technology and its acceptance in the industry. In addition to his company, other significant players in the construction webcam market include EarthCam, iBeam and StarDot.

According to Chandler, "Some contractors begin with one webcam for one of their projects. After recognizing the tremendous benefits by the end of the project, most employ them company-wide. Other firms are quick to recognize the advantages they provide, use them for all of their projects, and have been quietly reaping the benefits."

OxBlue provides contractors with a turnkey product that works right out of the box. A 3.0 megapixel camera keeps 24/7 watch on the job site, and wireless transmission capabilities allow images to be relayed to multiple users around the globe. Furthermore, OxBlue provides an image hosting service that allows companies to collaborate on progress analysis and quality control without leaving the office. Managers can zoom in on high-resolution images, select and sort them by date and time, and email them to colleagues.

Cool stuff!

See any more examples of technology shaping the construction industry? Let me know at don@riverguideinc.com.

April 11, 2007

Rick, the requested contact information for OxBlue can be found at www.oxblue.com.

More specifically, for clients in the Americas:

OxBlue Corporation
644 Antone Street NW
Suite 2
Atlanta, GA 30318
(888) 849-2583

For projects in Europe, Middle East, Asia contact the OxBlue office in Bonn, Germany at:

OxBlue EU
+49 173 287 1887 (GMT/UTC +1)

Chandler McCormack

February 20, 2007

There are also a few other companies like Siteisight, Digitaljobsite which do a similar type of thing. You can just type construction cameras in google.

John

January 17, 2007

I think you've concentrated on US companies, but here in the UK we've used the RemoteManager tool which Network Webcams provided to us. It was easy to use and, most importantly for us, reliable.

Their website is http://www.networkwebcams.co.uk

Kevin Egan

January 12, 2007

Please send me more info on your webcam for construction.

Rick Ziehl

Rick, These aren't ENR webcams. Don mentions four webcam vendors in the fourth paragraph. We've hotlinked them for your convenience. Here they are again: OxBlue, EarthCam, iBeam and StarDot. Click on each name and you'll be redirected to their respective websites. Each has contact information.

Andrew G. Wright
Managing Senior Editor
enr.com