Mutec offers customers security with sensors and real-time measurement data
Mutec in Waregem specializes in insulating and sealing industrial flat roofs, both for new construction and renovation projects. To offer customers more insight and assurance about the high quality roofing the company installs, they recently invested in some pilot projects with Inscio Roofs' sensors and real-time measurement data. Here, company manager Gilles Adams recounts the measurement experiences and insights gained.
Growing in renovation market
Mutec specializes in industrial flat roofs, using widely proven materials such as EPDM, TPO, PVC and traditional bitumen. Since its inception in 2009, the company has already sealed nearly 4.5 million m2 of roofs in some 1,350 customer projects. Some examples include Agristo in Wielsbeke, Euroports and Gosseling in Antwerp and Van den Dorpe in Oudenaarde. Since 2013, Mutec has been part of the Willy Naessens Group. "Within our successfully growing company, commitment, quality, service and safety are the most important core values and principles for every project, says Adams. "Furthermore, we invest heavily in materials knowledge and new technical developments in order to continue to distinguish ourselves from competitors in the market. Partly because of this, we have already become the pioneer and market leader in the Benelux for TPO (Thermoplastic Polyolefin) roofs. For the coming years, we especially have ambitious growth plans for the extensive renovation and preservation market. In order to offer customers more insight and certainty about the quality of their roof, we were increasingly in need of objective measurement data about the behavior of the possible roof coverings."
To measure is to know
Although much information about the quality and application of all types of roofing materials is already available through their manufacturers, self-measured data provides more current and objective insight. "At the Daken & Zaken trade show, I met Jeroen van de Laar of Inscio Roofs, who provides exactly the solution we were looking for," Adams continues. "Namely special sensors that measure temperature, humidity and pressure in different layers of a roof package in real time. Combined with an online dashboard that clearly visualizes all measurement data. So you get insight on a computer screen or smartphone into the current condition of a roof and notifications in case of abnormal readings. Because Inscio Roofs was interested in working with a specialist in industrial flat roofs in Belgium, we invested in installing a number of sensors in an old and new section of our current company roof. With the aim of being able to use all measurement data both for our advice to customers, and for the choice of roof for our new office from 2024.
"Using all the data we collect through Inscio Roofs' sensors, we can provide more informed advice to customers and optimize the maintenance of their roofs throughout their lifespan."
Adding value for customers
Flat roofs today are used for more applications than just sealing a building. Some examples include green and water retentive roofs, adding solar panels and constructing rooftop terraces and even swimming pools. Therefore, flat roofs are more likely to have water staying on them, dirt accumulating, or sudden loads causing damage to the top layer. "Using all the data we collect through Inscio Roofs' sensors, we can provide more informed advice to customers and optimize the maintenance of their roofs throughout their lifespan," Adams concludes. "In other words, adding significant value for our end customers by giving them more insight and certainty. Also for the already mentioned extensive renovation market where there are regular changes in roof usage. The data measured so far in different roof packages on our own premises are so valuable that we will soon expand the number of sensors. Given the experiences in the current pilot projects and thinking along about other applications, we are going to flesh this out together with Inscio Roofs."
Large temperature differences
During the tropical summer weeks of 2023, Inscio and Mutec measured remarkably large differences in the temperatures of many applied roofing materials. On top of traditional black bitumen, measured temperatures ranged from 50 to 70-degrees, with white bitumen temperatures rose to about 50-degrees, while on a TPO roof and a green sedum roof only about 35 degrees were measured. "The measurements confirm that the TPO roofs we have been installing for many years contribute to a more comfortable indoor environment and energy cost savings for our customers because they need less air conditioning, Adams said. "Because we can also measure humidity and pressure in real time with Inscio Roofs' sensors, this solution also helps preventively prevent leaks and possible consequential damage from them. Or, if necessary, find the exact location and cause of a (potential) leak faster to preventively maintain the roof or repair it without consequential damage."
