Case Study
COMPANY SNAPSHOT:
A private, global research university with the world's most renowned educational institutions
FOUNDED:
1900
LOCATION:
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Benefits
Remote monitoring and progress tracking
Enhanced safety and security
Improved project communication and documentation
Enhance public engagement and transparency
The Challenge
Connecting More than Half-a-Million Square Feet of Construction
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), a leading academic and research institution, is renowned for its commitment to innovation and creativity. Always striving to connect science, art, and the heart of Pittsburgh, the announcement of two major new facilities came with great excitement.
The Richard King Mellon Hall of Sciences and the Highmark Center for Health, Wellness & Athletics represent more than half a million square feet of new construction. Each project has unique, distinct requirements aimed at creating stunning, community-centric spaces. For the Campus Design and Facility Development (CDFD) team, this meant overseeing complex design details, strict planning to minimize public disturbances, and coordinating with multiple construction partners.
The Solution
Shared jobsite visibility for the public and dedicated construction teams
With such transformative projects, major donors and the community were eager to watch the progress unfold. OxBlue construction cameras initially appealed to the CDFD team as an easy way to connect the public with construction progress. OxBlue’s integration made it possible to stream progress through CMU’s website, and even allowed the public to generate their own time-lapses of the projects. However, the live visibility from the cameras proved even more beneficial to the project management team.
Working with two general contractors, one for each project, the cameras became a straightforward way to keep everyone aligned. CMU officials could review the status in real-time, regardless of the contractor, while the contractors could monitor their teams to oversee safety and progress. Using the cameras made communicating with all interested parties simple.
The Implementation
Unbiased and timely documentation for incident resolutions
OxBlue’s Sapphire pan-tilt-zoom camera provided CMU with a 360-degree view of each project from a single dashboard. This easy access became critical during a dumpster fire, where the footage allowed the team to determine the start of the fire, the response time, and the sequence of events for post-incident analysis. And when the site was vandalized, the team reviewed footage, pinpointed the timing and sent the evidence to campus police.
With OxBlue, being able to see the past and monitor the present became a way to manage the unexpected.
Having a camera as a source of truth helped CMU address issues quickly; from verifying change orders to resolving vandalism, the documentation made all the difference. Whenever questions were asked or changes needed to be discussed; the CDFD team was ready with the camera’s view. Being able to mark up things like architectural details, or flip-through a 30-second history of the day’s events, became powerfully convenient for the team.
The Results
Streamlined communication, dedicated support
CMU has partnered with OxBlue for years, spanning multiple projects for the university. Each time, the visuals have made a lasting impact, during and after construction. For CMU, having a dedicated support representative to manage the camera's logistics helps ensure a seamless experience. The cameras are relocated whenever a new project kicks off so CMU always captures critical photos at groundbreak.
With the included professionally edited video footage after each project, CMU has a stunning history of their monumental achievement; one that will wow the public for years to come.
