What is video documentation? On construction sites, this growing component of visual documentation takes on many forms, including owner training videos, webcam videos, and UAV flyovers.
Keep reading to learn how video documentation is helping construction pros reduce risk, improve cross-team workflows, and even increase the value of their projects.
Owner Training Videos
Owner training videos (OTVs), also called construction training videos, are video versions of facilities training manuals. Contractors and subcontractors are sometimes required by owners to create these videos documenting the appropriate use of certain systems, like elevators, fire suppression, alarms, and plumbing.
For owners, OTVs have a couple major advantages over traditional written documentation:
- Reduced long-term cost: Knowledge is preserved in an accessible format, so owners don’t need to hire personnel to retrain their staff.
- Improved safety: Operations staff will understand how to stay out of danger while maintaining or operating building systems.
In addition to meeting owner requirements, contractors sometimes choose to take on the responsibility of creating OTVs on their own. Delivering OTVs to facility operations teams helps contractors ensure that their systems stay up and running long after handover, protecting their reputations for quality work.
As the construction industry continues to consolidate and lean and just-in-time construction practices become more mainstream, owners, developers, and contractors will need to find ways to optimize handoff between different project teams. Creating OTVs and making them available via a shared cloud-based platform is one of the best ways to achieve this objective.
Live Webcam Feeds
Video construction documentation isn’t limited to what you might think of as traditional video shoots. 24/7 live webcams are becoming an increasingly important part of many construction projects, delivering real-time updates to stakeholders all over the world.
Construction webcams enable owners, developers, and construction managers to check in on a project, even if they’re not physically on site. By logging into a cloud-based platform and viewing the video feed remotely, these stakeholders can gain a sense of current activity, weather, and project progress.
Webcams come with different levels of interactivity. While some webcams remain in a fixed position, others can be controlled by authorized users online to adjust pan, tilt, and zoom to focus on different areas of a site.
Time-lapse Videos
Webcams, like those offered by Multivista, can also be used to capture and archive photographs which are stitched together into time-lapse videos.
These videos can be used to demonstrate project progress in a compelling way. Large-scale construction projects can take years to complete, and work might appear to move slowly. But with a time-lapse, you can watch the whole thing come together in under a minute.
Time-lapse videos can be used to enhance reporting (showing project progress to investors and other stakeholders) as well as for marketing purposes. On large civil engineering projects, for example, time-lapse videos can be shared with the public on social media to increase goodwill and show citizens exactly how their tax dollars are being used.
UAV Flyover Videos
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are rapidly becoming a staple on modern job sites. In fact, construction is the #1 fastest-growing vertical for commercial drones.
While camera-equipped UAVs on construction sites can be used for orthomosaic mapping, 3D modeling, and a range of other high-tech functions, standard aerial videography must not be overlooked.
UAV flyover videos can be used to gain a new angle on a project, enabling construction pros to visually inspect roofs and other structures that would normally be hidden. In addition, these impressive shots can be used to show off a project to stakeholders and even future tenants. UAV video that simulates the view from an as-yet-incomplete penthouse, for example, could be used in marketing materials to attract residential and commercial customers.
In summary…
Video documentation is already helping construction professionals reduce legal liability and other risks, improve handoff between teams, and gain new perspectives on their projects. Four popular types of video documentation for construction include:
- Owner training videos
- Live webcam feeds
- Time-lapse videos
- UAV flyover videos
As technology improves and large video files become even easier to store and access in the cloud, you can expect video documentation to play an even larger role in modern construction.
Get Multivista video documentation for your next project. Request a Demo today!
