Intelligent Video Protects School Construction Site

ioimage recently announced its video analytics solution was recently installed at the construction site of a new, $104.5 million high school for the Poway Unified School District in Southern California to protect the site and construction materials from theft and vandalism.

Systems integrator HowTec Video Security Systems of Vista, Calif., incorporated ioimage’s video appliances into a Mobile Surveillance Trailer equipped with a DVR, Pelco Spectra IV camera system, cellular router, back-up battery and GPS system. With the addition of video analytics from ioimage, the unit provides around-the-clock intelligent video surveillance of the entire construction site with proactive video alerts monitored by a remote video monitoring station.

The system was purchased by Barnhart Inc., the fourth largest educational builder in the nation, when combined with their parent company, Heery International. Barnhart is the contractor for PUSD’s new high school in Northern San Diego County.

“I wanted to look at a different means of monitoring my site,” said Mike Derouin, senior project manager for Barnhart. “We found that the security guards we used in the past were not effective because they were not always alert.”

Three Mobile Surveillance Trailers monitor the 64-acre site. Together, they are expected to save the construction company $100,000 in security guard expenses and will be deployed at other construction sites once this project is completed in the spring of 2009.

The third unit, delivered in July, was upgraded with ioimage’s video analytics, replacing a sensor-based technology that caused a large number of false alarms.

Greg Howard, owner of HowTec Video Security Systems, decided to incorporate ioimage intelligent video appliances into the Mobile Surveillance Trailer because he recognized the advantages ioimage’s technology provided to his customer.

“We are always looking for ways to improve our products and want an edge over our competitors with the technology we offer and at the right price,” Howard said. “We achieved all of these objectives by upgrading our Mobile Surveillance Trailers with video analytics from ioimage.”

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