Driving Savings with Remote Construction Audits
Case Study | Energy, Construction & Remote Inspection
Overview
Like many companies during the COVID-19 pandemic, CH Four Biogas® had to rethink how critical work was performed when travel restrictions made on-site visits difficult or impossible.
CH Four Biogas is a leading producer of anaerobic digestion and renewable energy installations across North America. As the company scaled its operations, frequent, time-intensive field inspections became a major constraint—both in cost and in the number of projects the company could support simultaneously.
To overcome these challenges, CH Four Biogas deployed Vuzix M400 smart glasses to conduct remote construction audits and inspections, significantly reducing travel, saving time, and improving operational efficiency.
The Challenge
CH Four Biogas’ plant construction operations depend on frequent on-site inspections to:
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Ensure contractual obligations are met
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Verify construction milestones
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Track progress across multiple job sites
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Respond quickly to unforeseen issues
Before the pandemic, engineers traveled to project sites four to five times per quarter, often crossing the U.S.–Canada border. A single trip to a rural job site could take 3–5 days, consuming valuable engineering resources and limiting the number of projects the company could take on.
Travel restrictions in 2020 made this approach unsustainable.
The Solution: Remote Construction Audits with Smart Glasses
CH Four Biogas turned to Vuzix M400 smart glasses to enable remote, “see-what-I-see” inspections using augmented reality.
How It Works
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On-site personnel wear Vuzix M400 smart glasses
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Remote engineers connect via a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot
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Engineers see exactly what’s happening on site in real time
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Remote experts guide inspections, commissioning, and troubleshooting
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Issues are identified and addressed immediately
This approach allows precise, efficient inspections without requiring engineers to travel.
As CH Four Biogas explains:
“Describing something on a call or email can only go so far. Our engineers need to see what’s going on in real time. The see-what-I-see capability of the glasses meant we had eyes on the ground.”
Time- and Labor-Intensive Inspections, Reimagined
A typical installation project can span 2–3 years, with active construction lasting 6–12 months. Traditionally, an engineer would need to be on site multiple times during this period.
With Vuzix smart glasses:
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Critical payment milestones can still be verified
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Security oversight is maintained even during restricted periods
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Engineers can remotely inspect, commission, and troubleshoot
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Multiple projects can be monitored simultaneously
Remote engineers can virtually “walk” sites across North America in a single day.
Measurable Cost Savings
The financial impact was immediate.
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$70,000 USD saved in travel costs during pandemic restrictions alone
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Significant reductions in time spent per inspection
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Better utilization of senior engineering staff
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Increased project capacity without increasing headcount
Keeping a pair of Vuzix M400 smart glasses at remote sites allowed a single senior engineer to support multiple installations at once.
Operational & Client Benefits
Beyond internal savings, the solution delivered additional advantages:
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Faster response to construction issues
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Improved project timelines
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Reduced carbon emissions from travel
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Clients benefit from lower inspection costs
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Greater flexibility during highly restrictive periods
As Lapointe of CH Four Biogas notes:
“We’re able to be in multiple places at once and vastly extend the power of our limited staff.”
Forward-Looking Strategy
Remote inspections are now central to CH Four Biogas’ growth strategy.
By eliminating the need to send inspectors to every installation, the company can:
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Scale operations across North America
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Support more projects simultaneously
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Reduce overall carbon emissions
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Maintain high inspection quality
Smart glasses have become a foundational tool—not a temporary workaround.
Conclusion
CH Four Biogas’ adoption of Vuzix M400 smart glasses demonstrates how remote inspection technology can unlock major efficiencies in construction and energy infrastructure projects. By replacing travel-heavy audits with real-time remote collaboration, the company reduced costs, improved scalability, and strengthened its ability to deliver renewable energy installations on schedule.
This case study shows that remote construction audits are not just a pandemic solution—they’re a smarter way to operate.