We’ve recently started using a 360 camera and corresponding HoloBuilder software on some of our projects, and it’s been a gamechanger for several reasons. The premise is simple. A member of our team uses the camera to capture images throughout the project–inside and outside–at established points on an architectural sheet floorplan. These are taken from the exact same spot at regular intervals. For us, that’s once a week. The captures are uploaded into an app and can be utilized as a reference for the future as-builts, in-wall piping and overhead work. It can also be useful for scheduling referencing capturing exactly when a component was introduced in the building. Users can “walk the job” at any time.

In the image above, the same location is captured two months apart, and it’s easy to see the progress. Many of our projects are out of state, so having the visual reference simplifies communication between our office management and our field team. The program increases communication with the owner and facilitates our conversations with the architect, engineers and subcontractors. Finally, we have a visual record of the project in its different stages from dry-in all the way to punch-out. The images can be marked up and stored to perpetuity, making it a usefully resource throughout the lifecycle of a building.