Neither we nor our customers are immune to the shortage of skilled workers. The idea of spending five days a week on a construction site miles from home is almost unimaginable for young people these days. Furthermore, on-site work is often not 100% efficient and involves blind spots. In construction meetings, references are often made from memory (the mountings for the ventilation ducts on the first floor were not installed yet this morning, were they? Or was it the second floor? Did I take photos?, etc.) and some details get lost in the hustle and bustle of daily work.

AI-supported image capture from all angles can help. By using 360° cameras, our experts record the construction progress from every conceivable angle. The cameras capture a panoramic image of the surrounding area, allowing site managers, architects and other stakeholders to virtually navigate through the as if they were there. Regularly taken shots can be used to compare images from different points in time in order to check the progress of construction or to inspect details that are no longer accessible. If a BIM model is in place, the images can be compared with it directly so that deviations from the planning are quickly detected. Integration into commonly used BIM platforms such as BIM 360 means defects can be immediately assigned to the responsible companies.

Not only efficiency, but also transparency is significantly increased. All the project stakeholders are on the same page and receive a quick and simple overview of the progress of construction. Clients are able to easily follow their project as it takes shape. This builds trust, the basis for successful cooperation.

The benefits of 360° image capture go beyond classic monitoring of construction progress. The flexible nature of the platforms means they are suited to a wide range of projects. Inventories in particular, e.g. for energy consulting or technical due diligence (TDD), are made much easier. To this day, photos and notes have to be taken, sorted and evaluated on-site in order to record all the important information. Some details only become important as the project progresses. That makes further viewing appointments necessary. 360° imaging greatly simplifies this process. Everything is captured in one image. In addition, photos of important details such as type plates and control cabinets can be integrated into the image and viewed in context.

Since late 2023, we have been using the solution from the London-based company Oculo for 360° imaging. It has been our standard solution for construction site recording since February 2024.

Oculo is a valuable and reliable partner for M&P and its customers because the company is highly cooperative. Together with Oculo, we are opening up further fields of application and leveraging additional potential on digital construction sites.