Security cameras record footage that someone has to watch, usually after something has gone wrong. A construction site intelligence platform such as SmartSites uses cameras as one input among several (worker cards, door nodes and 360 captures) and turns them into structured records: PPE checks, attendance, progress against the BIM model and evidence for payment claims.
| Criterion | Security cameras (CCTV) | SmartSites |
|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Deter theft and review incidents | Run the project on measured site data |
| Output | Hours of video | PPE checks, alerts, attendance, progress and cost records |
| Who is on site | Only if someone watches the footage | Recorded automatically from worker cards |
| Progress | Not measured | 360 captures compared with the IFC model, element by element |
| Existing cameras | Already installed | Connected through a small on-site box; nothing has to be replaced |
| Privacy | Continuous footage of people | Productivity analysis is anonymous and zone-level; safety footage deleted after 30 days by default |
Cameras are one input, not the product
SmartSites can analyse one existing camera four ways: PPE, productivity, people counting and stockpile volumes. A small on-site box connects to your IP cameras or recorders and sends clips over an outbound encrypted connection.
What cameras cannot tell you
A camera does not know who a worker is, how long each trade spent in each room, or whether a wall matches the model. Those answers come from worker cards, door nodes and 360 captures processed against the BIM model.
When security cameras are enough
If the only goal is perimeter security out of hours, a conventional CCTV system is the right tool. Site intelligence is for teams that want attendance, safety, progress and commercial records from the same site data.
