Walk around any large city, and you’ll see an endless array of construction sites in various states of completion. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither are buildings. In fact, they can take months or even years to finish, and overseeing a construction site is a herculean task. A given project can be impacted by various factors, from weather, to security issues.
On top of that, a project’s progress must be continually monitored in order to ensure it is proceeding on schedule. Time lapse cameras do an excellent job of capturing the evolution of a build, and more and more construction sites are turning to solar time lapse cameras to do the job. But are they worth it? Here are the pros and cons of using solar-powered cameras on your project.
Pros
Remote Monitoring
Solar-powered time lapse cameras allow you to monitor a project, no matter how off-the-grid it is. Because they draw fuel from the sun, solar-powered cameras eliminate the need for excessive extra power supply. You’ll also save money on installation costs, since solar-powered surveillance doesn’t require a technician. Additionally, most solar-powered camera packages come with a multi-day battery backup to so your solar camera could function 24/7 if required. These off-the-grid systems harness the sun’s power and store it in batteries, where it is connected to the camera and controller.
Ease of Installation
Traditional surveillance cameras have power cables, or power over ethernet. Solar time lapse cameras, by contrast, have no such constraints. Simply locate the desired location, mount the hardware, and then affix the cameras for optimum construction time lapse of your site. Once installed, solar-powered cameras require next to no maintenance.
Easy On The Environment
Because they draw their power from the sun, solar-powered cameras don’t cause waste in the form of disposable batteries. And because they require no infrastructure, they are kinder to the environment on sites that are in more remote locations.
Construction-Site Friendly
Solar time lapse enclosures are manufactured to stand up to harsh weather conditions, including rain and extreme hot/cold. These prove especially useful when capturing construction time lapse on sites with limited sunlight due to shading from adjacent buildings. They’re also ideal for job sites that are especially remote.
Cost-Effective
The wireless capabilities of solar-powered cameras like thesolar-powered GoPro eliminates the need for extra infrastructure. This means you cut down on power requirements, along with crew costs, because you’ll need fewer workers to supervise the site. Cameras also eliminate waste and improve margins. Additionally, remote time lapse will help you:
- Guard against insurance claims by collecting 24/7 footage of the site
- Manage project progress
- Better understand productivity issues and stay on top of materials, equipment, and time theft.
Security Monitoring
Construction zones are highly vulnerable areas, prone to theft and property damage, along with environmental hazards like fire. Solar-powered cameras can also monitor for any suspicious activity on the site. Solar time-lapse cameras also provide proof of compliance and boost jobsite safety incidents, while reducing injuries.
Site monitoring is an added benefit of installing solar time lapse cameras, in that it affords ‘remote’ live-access by way of an online viewer. This means a site manager can stay on top of multiple projects at the same time, remotely.
An Effective Marketing Tool
In order to attract new business, constructions companies need to provide engaging and impressive content that showcases their abilities. In our digital landscape, emails with photo attachments no longer cut it. The challenge is in making your construction site stand out. Time lapse footage of the evolution of a site can be a dynamic and exciting way to promote your firm.
Cons
Honestly, when it comes to investing in solar powered cameras for your construction site, the pros outweigh the cons. However, there’s one thing to consider:
Weather Can Be A Factor
When using a solar-powered camera for construction time lapse, you are somewhat at the mercy of the weather. And while they’re fully functioning in cloudy skies—the batteries get their charge during sunny conditions—sunlight still produces optimal results.
When it comes to monitoring the project management of a construction site, and chronicling the progression of a build, asolar-powered camera ticks all the boxes with little downside—and leaves a low carbon footprint to boot.
Ready to start your own time lapse project?
