Category: <span>RT3</span>

Category: RT3

High-rise reroof project finds success with technology

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By Karen L. Edwards.

Technology ensured the tapered polyiso system was accurate, kept the project on budget and provided daily progress photos for the owner.

The Regatta at Vanderbilt Beach provides a carefree lifestyle to the owners and residents of the luxury condominium community located in Naples, Florida. Just 700-feet from the white sands of the Gulf Coast, the units offer beautiful views of Vanderbilt Bay and are ideally situated for taking in breathtaking sunsets.

Owners want to enjoy the warm weather of southwest Florida as well as the amenities offered by the community. They don’t want to have to worry about whether the roof will protect their homes and what system is the best solution for the building.

That condo association turned to RT3 member Target Roofing & Sheet Metal for help. One of the Regatta’s high-rise condominiums needed it’s 15,000-square-foot roof replaced. Rast Bryant, sales manager at Target Roofing & Sheet Metal explained that they decided to install a complete GAF roofing system using GAF EnergyGuard PolyISO, Liberty SBS Base Ply, GAF Ruberoid Mid Ply and Ruberoid HW Plus Granule Fire Rated Cap Sheet.

The project had some unique challenges. The flashing on the existing roof extended 34 inches up the wall and the entire old system needed to be torn off, including nearly two feet of lightweight insulating concrete that would be replaced with an insulation system that provided better R-value and drained correctly.

Once they reached the deck, it was time for the EnergyGuard PolyISO to be installed. Rast said that putting together the layers of insulation was similar to putting a puzzle together since the pieces had to be tapered to the existing drainage system to ensure it is promoting positive drainage. “Technology wise, we used a computer software called The Edge Estimating Software to help us design a taper package that is not only the most cost effective but was designed to create the proper flow to the drainage systems,” Rast explained.

Once insulation was adhered to one another and to the deck, crews installed the first ply of the modified bitumen sheet. Once the cap sheet was torched down, granules were placed over the areas of bleed out to ensure optimal performance.

Target Roofing & Sheet Metal used technology to assist throughout the project. “We used our project management software to track the project as it progressed. This platform created daily progress photo reports for us to send to our customers, tracked our materials and labor to ensure we stayed on budget, and helped us determine what percentage of completion we were at in order to adjust our overall company project schedules accordingly,” said Rast. “This platform also tracks product and labor warranties, annual maintenance scheduling and more for post-job follow up.”

Watch a video recap of the project from start to finish.

RT3 plans activities around the 2020 International Roofing Expo

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Activities include a rooftop technology tour and a contractor technology educational panel.

Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3), a group of progressive roofing professionals focused on technology solutions for the roofing industry, announced activities scheduled for the International Roofing Expo (IRE) 2020.

Dallas, Texas-based RT3 member KPost Roofing & Waterproofing will host members of RT3 at their corporate headquarters. The meetup will allow members to tour the facility of the official roofing partner of the Dallas Cowboys where they will learn about the types of technology that KPost uses in their operations.

RT3 will also host an educational panel on Tuesday, February 4 at 7:45 a.m. The session is titled Contractor to Contractor: Technology Innovation Panel and features five contractors sharing their successes and challenges with implementing technology into sales and marketing, operations, back office, health and safety and recruiting.

The panel will be moderated by RT3 member Heidi Ellsworth, Partner at RoofersCoffeeShop® and attendees will be able to:

  • Evaluate what technologies progressive contractors are using to help their business.
  • Identify what challenges came with implementation of technology and how they overcame it.
  • Evaluate how technology can make their business more efficient, streamlined and more profitable.
  • Meet other contractors who you can reach out to after the presentation for support and guidance in selecting technologies to implement in your business.

The panel participants include RT3 contractor members Steve Little, President of KPOST Roofing and Waterproofing; Ken Kelly, President of Kelly Roofing; Gregg Wallick, Best Roofing; Michelle Boykin, COO of Rackley Roofing; and Josey Parks, CEO of J Wales Enterprises.

“The contractors on the panel are completely honest and open about how technology has impacted their businesses and what it took to get where they are today,” stated Karen Edwards, RT3 Director. “They are leading the way in using technology and want to educate and encourage other contractors to join them for the overall advancement of the roofing industry. They will discuss augmented reality, robotics, artificial intelligence, software stacks and more – all technologies that they are using daily in their own businesses.”

Stay up to date with all RT3 news and events by signing up for the RT3 SmartBrief Newsletter at www.rt3thinktank.com.

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About Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3)
Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) strives to find innovative technology solutions to be used within the roofing industry.  RT3 provides insights from progressive thought leaders both inside and outside the roofing industry along with practical resources for implementing potential solutions successfully. The organization will encourage and enable contractors to embrace technology as they seek to grow their businesses.  With a commitment to disseminate technology advancement information, RT3 will help build the professionalism and appeal of the roofing industry. Learn more at www.rt3thinktank.com.

Roofing Technology Think Tank announces new board member Ryan Groth

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The board supports the RT3 mission working to successfully accomplish its objectives to educate and advance the adoption of technology within the roofing industry. 

Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3), a group of progressive roofing professionals focused on technology solutions for the roofing industry, announced the addition of Ryan Groth to its board of directors.

“Ryan was one of the original members of RT3 and brings a passion for helping to advance the roofing industry,” said RT3 Director Karen Edwards. “When a board seat became available and Ryan was nominated to fill the seat, it was an easy decision for the rest of the board to approve.”

RT3 Board Member Tom Whitaker agreed saying, “Ryan is a passionate roofing industry member.  His communication skills and knowledge of how to build a high performing sales team are without question.”

Ryan worked for a leading roofing contractor in Florida and was key to implementing a sales software that the contractor created to contractors nationwide. His passion continued to grow, and he founded Sales Transformation Group to share his vision, strategy, structure, systems, and processes that help contractors succeed.

In addition to his service on the RT3 Board of Directors, Ryan chairs the RT3 Communications Task Team and is in the process of launching a technology focused RT3 podcast that is expected to go live in Q1 of 2020.

Ryan joins current board members Tom Whitaker, President of Harness Software, Anna Anderson, CEO of Art Unlimited, Heidi J. Ellsworth, Partner, RoofersCoffeeShop®, Steve Little, Head Coach at KPost Roofing & Waterproofing and Ken Kelly, President of Kelly Roofing.

Stay up to date with all RT3 news and events by signing up for the RT3 SmartBrief Newsletter at www.rt3thinktank.com.

About Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3)
Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) strives to find innovative technology solutions to be used within the roofing industry.  RT3 provides insights from progressive thought leaders both inside and outside the roofing industry along with practical resources for implementing potential solutions successfully. The organization will encourage and enable contractors to embrace technology as they seek to grow their businesses.  With a commitment to disseminate technology advancement information, RT3 will help build the professionalism and appeal of the roofing industry. Learn more at www.rt3thinktank.com.

RT3 Member Acculynx named in Capterra’s Top 20 Most Popular for Construction Management Software

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RT 3 Member AccuLynx announced that it has been named a Top 20 Construction Management software product by Capterra, a free online service that helps organizations find the right software. This year, the company’s roofing contractor software is ranked #5 on Capterra’s list of the most popular construction project management applications based on verified ratings from users.

“AccuLynx is proud to have been selected as one of the top 20 construction management software providers for the third year in a row, and we are even prouder to have moved into the top five,” said Katie Badeusz, Director of Marketing at AccuLynx. “This recognition is a reflection of our status as a top tier software application for roofing companies and our continued focus on customer satisfaction.”

Top 20 Most Popular Construction Management Software is an independent assessment that evaluates user reviews and online search activity to generate a list of market leaders in the construction management space that offer the most popular solutions. The Top 20 Construction Management report is available at https://www.capterra.com/construction-management-software/#top-20.

About AccuLynx 

AccuLynx is the leading cloud-based software application for roofing contractors. Since 2008, AccuLynx has helped thousands of contractors—from rapidly-growing start-ups to multi-location operations—streamline their processes and grow their businesses. AccuLynx’s all-in-one solution includes easy-to-use business management tools, such as estimating, production management, aerial measurements, material ordering, photo sharing, custom reporting, unlimited document storage, field applications, and more. AccuLynx is a preferred vendor of CertainTeed, GAF and Owens Corning, and has direct integrations with QuickBooks, ABC Supply, EagleView Technologies, SkyMeasure by CoreLogic and others. For more information, visit acculynx.com.

Source: Acculynx. 

RT3 Members Explore the Innovative World of 3M

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By Karen L. Edwards, RT3.

Words aren’t going to do this event justice. There were so many incredible things we learned about 3M while touring their World of Innovation Center and hearing presentations from Maureen Kavanagh, Laboratory Manager and Josh Orman, Strategy and Marketing Manager, both from the Industrial and Mineral Products Division.

From a roofing industry perspective, most of the RT3 members knew that 3M makes the granules that are used in asphalt roofing products. We were also aware that 3M had created some pretty cool granule technologies including algae-resistant and smog-reducing granules (recognized by Time Magazine in 2018 as a Best Invention). What we didn’t realize was how 3M innovations are everywhere. There is a saying that wherever you are, there is probably a 3M product within 10 feet of you.

The World of Innovation was where RT3 members learned about the many innovations and provided a hands-on experience to see many of the technologies and experience how the products worked. We learned a little bit about William L. McKnight, 3M president from 1929 – 1949 and Chairman of the Board from 1949-1966. He was known for the saying “hire good people and leave them alone.” McKnight created a culture of inclusiveness, diversity and innovation.

To this day, 3M employees are encouraged to spend 15 percent of their working hours developing new ideas and solutions. Our host, Maureen, explained in her overview of the company that 3M sees itself as a company that develops solutions to its customers problems. That got the attention of RT3 Members as they headed into breakout sessions to discuss some of the roofing industry issues that 3M might be able to help us solve. There were some creative ideas that came from the session that if possible, could really impact our industry.

The ideas included:

  • Robotic tearoffs
  • 3D manufacturing
  • Tarps that are like Post-it® notes

    Creating safer safety harnesses that predict energy absorption
  • Fastening applications using their adhesives
  • Safety strips for steep-slope roofs
  • Scaffolding in truck to eliminate ladders
  • Sensors in the roof system to eliminate need for core samples
  • Carfax for roof history to see past damage
  • Emergency temporary spray for repairs
  • Insulation that bleeds through membrane if there is a leak for easy identification
  • Pressure seals between layers of insulation to detect leaks
  • Storm kits
  • Full head gear systems for silica safety, fan-force air out and create cool air inside
  • Clothing that prevents heat exhaustion
  • Smog reduction into more materials than granules, i.e. tile
  • Carbon capture technology
  • Printed single ply to resemble shingles, shakes, etc. to increase SRI
  • Retractable lifelines that elevate above the roof
  • Leak detectors under the roof to alert before significant damage occurs
  • Solar integrated roofing systems
  • Ergonomic tape for tools
  • Non-stick, gripping material for work boot soles and roofing materials
  • Granules in spray format to extend roof life and reduce smog for existing roofs
  • Water recapture systems with sanitization
  • Film for over skylights that can support body weight
  • Safety gear that alerts employers if it is removed

After RT3 members shared their ideas for the 15-percent time, the group discussed ideas for future meetup locations and other initiatives, such as the development of a technology-focused podcast. The day concluded with a visit to the 3M Roofing Innovation Center with a tour of how color blends are created and how samples are run to visualize what the new blend would look like on a roof.

It is our hope that by learning about innovations in other industries, it might be possible to adapt those solutions for use in the roofing industry. By meeting with innovators and problem solvers like 3M, we provide insight into the challenges being faced in the roofing industry with the goal of developing new technology solutions that can change the industry and improve health, safety and material performance.

Stay up to date on the latest roofing technology news and happenings when you sign up for the RT3 SmartBrief e-newsletter.

RT3 Member Kelly Roofing Featured for Use of Microsoft PowerApps

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By Karen L. Edwards, RT3.

Microsoft recently shared in a blog post how RT3 member and recent recipient of Roofing Contractor’s Residential Roofing Contractor of the Year Kelly Roofing found success with a task-focused field application that keeps everyone update in real-time using PowerApps on Microsoft’s Power Platform Solution.

Kelly Roofing partnered with PowerObjects, an HCL Technologies company, to implement Microsoft Dynamics CRM in 2012, Field Service in 2015 and Dynamics 365 in 2016. Dynamics 365 allowed them to manage all of their customer and work order information for each roof repair and installation project. They had success managing the complex details and information needed for communications, dispatching, driving directions and status updates.

Their challenge came in needing a solution that would allow crew members in the field to provide status updates while on a job site. Not every job site has great cell service meaning they would need a solution that would allow updates and photos to be stored on the smartphone or tablet with the ability to sync later, when service was available.

Their existing process before Power Platform was inefficient and causing their teams to spend their days on the rooftops and their evenings on the computer, trying to find, organize and upload the day’s photos. Ken Kelly, president of Kelly Roofing, wanted to find a solution that would ensure the “team is spending time bringing value to our customers, while improving the time we spend with our own family.”

Kelly evaluated software programs designed for capturing job photos but found them to be costly and would result in creating additional data silos, something they wanted to avoid. He turned to partner PowerObjects to help create a PowerApps mobile app that would simplify the process of job photos and status updates while in the field.

PowerApps was deployed to all 120+ crew members who have been using it since spring 2019 with much success. Crews take photos, before, during and after a job. They are stored offline and upload to SharePoint Online when the device has a connection. Photos are automatically named and include the status and location of the job.

In addition to photo organization, the PowerApps has allowed them to do even more:

Scheduling: Crew leaders no longer have to come to the office in the morning to pick up job tickets. The information is provided directly though the app and includes client information, job information, directions and details. They have realized a 25.8 percent reduction in trip time.

Reporting: Customers receive a Daily Job Site Report that let’s them know the status of the job and any notes from the crew. Before the app, crew leaders would need to find a WiFi connection and log into a laptop to provide status reports and customer communications. Kelly Roofing has seen a 36% drop in customer call backs since job information is available to everyone in real time.

Documentation: All documents related to a job are available to everyone from the contract to the purchase order and the entire job history is available.

Since implementing the Power Platform solution, Kelly Roofing has realized a 91% decrease in processing time because of the photo reconciliation time savings. Employees are pleased with the app as well. Frank Viera, project supervisor at Kelly Roofing, said, “I used to spend extra time in my home from 5 – 10 pm looking for pictures. I even had my son help me. Now I don’t have to do that!”

Read the complete case study and see screenshots of the application on the Microsoft blog.

Stay up-to-date with the latest roofing industry technology news when you sign up for the RT3 SmartBrief e-newsletter.

Roofing Technology Think Tank Announces Innovator of the Year

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Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3), a group of progressive roofing professionals focused on technology solutions for the roofing industry, awarded the Innovator of the Year award to Curtis Sutton of Carthage, Tennessee-based Rackley Roofing. The award was presented at the 2019 Best of Success Conference in Miami.

“We had many great nominations and it was very hard to narrow the field down to just one,” stated Anna Anderson, Award Task Team Leader and RT3 Board Member. “We selected Rackley Roofing because they embrace technology and have demonstrated that they are early adopters when it comes to implementing new innovations.”

In an interview after the presentation, Reid Ribble commented on the importance of innovation in roofing, saying, “Given the workforce demands and the changing technology, the companies that are innovating are going to be winning. Innovation really matters if we are going to reach out to that new, young 18-, 19- or 20-year old worker who still sees roofing as something hot and dirty and not something technologically advanced.”

Curtis Sutton, President of Rackley Roofing commented on winning the award, “It’s an honor because innovation is one of our six core values. Innovation is driven in our company. Innovation to us also means being open to change. We lead everything with technology in the decisions we make in our company.”

Sutton brings a respect for the traditional craftsmanship of a professional roofer and passion for the latest technological innovations. Under his leadership, Rackley has introduced industry-leading technologies like Rackley RoofCheck and Rackley RoofView. They have implemented the use of virtual reality safety headsets that allow everyone to experience being on a roof and learn best safety practices. The company is beginning the use of in-ear translators that can translate speech into any language and dialect.

As a founding sponsor of National Women in Roofing and a member of RT3, the company is committed to always innovating and learning about new technologies and solutions that will help advance the roofing industry overall.

About Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3)
Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) strives to find innovative technology solutions to be used within the roofing industry. RT3 provides insights from progressive thought leaders both inside and outside the roofing industry along with practical resources for implementing potential solutions successfully. The organization will encourage and enable contractors to embrace technology as they seek to grow their businesses. With a commitment to disseminate technology advancement information, RT3 will help build the professionalism and appeal of the roofing industry. Learn more at www.rt3thinktank.com.

Photo: (L-R) Jill Bloom, Publisher, Roofing Contractor; Michelle Boykin, COO, Rackley Roofing; Curtis Sutton, President, Rackley Roofing, Anna Anderson, CEO, Art Unlimited; Charles Antis, CEO, Antis Roofing.

RT3 Members present and receive recognition at Best of Success Conference

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By Karen L. Edwards, RT3.

RT3 is made up of progressive, forward-thinking roofing industry thought leaders who are passionate about the advancement of the roofing industry. They frequently use their own time and expenses to travel to conferences to present and share their knowledge to help improve the industry overall.

In its 15th year, the Best of Success Conference is an intensive two-day conference that presents new and improved ways to run roofing businesses for both commercial and residential applications. We were excited to have RT3 member Jill Bloom from BNP Media as the conference host as well as eight members on the stage throughout the event, sharing their knowledge and experiences.

Presentations from members included:

  • Doing Well by Doing Good – Charles Antis, CEO & Founder of Antis Roofing & Waterproofing
  • From Google to Approval – Anna Anderson, CEO, Art Unlimited and Ryan Groth, Founder & CEO of Sales Transformation Group
  • Smart Growth: avoiding the Legal Pitfalls when Scaling Your Company – Trent Cotney, Cotney Construction Law
  • Your Image and the Power of Marketing – Victor Smolyanov, CEO/Owner, Victor’s Roofing
  • Panel: Career Wins and Losses – featured panelists included Steve Little, President/Head Coach, KPost Company and Gregg Wallick, President & CEO, Best Roofing

Roofing Contractor Magazine’s Roofing Contractor of the Year was awarded to RT3 member Ken Kelly and his company, Kelly Roofing. The Contractor of the Year award is a once-in-a-lifetime achievement that honors contractors who are committed to giving back to their community, have outstanding leadership, and bring innovation to the industry.

The RT3 Innovator of the Year inaugural award was awarded to RT3 members Curtis Sutton and Michelle Boykin of Rackley Roofing. This award was created to nationally recognize a Roofing Contractor that has contributed to the advancement of the roofing industry through technical innovation and/or product development.

Stay up-to-date on the latest industry news and innovations when you sign up for the RT3 Smart Brief e-newsletter.

RT3 Contractor Member Panel Hosted at NRP Leaders Summit

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By Karen L. Edwards, RT3.

The RT3 contractor technology panel was invited to present at the National Roofing Partners (NRP) Leader Summit held recently at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, Texas.  The Summit featured the leadership teams from nearly 200 leading roofing contractors from across the country.

The Summit opened with remarks from Steve Little, CEO of NRP and Rodney Shrader, President. Attendees were excited to hear from Reid Ribble on the initiatives that NRCA is working on including their ProCertification efforts, their focus on career and technical education and the establishment of a health insurance captive that will be made available to members for health insurance coverage.

The RT3 contractor technology panel was up after Reid and was comprised of Ken Kelly, Kelly Roofing, Steve Little, KPost Roofing, Michelle Boykin, Rackley Roofing, and Josey Parks, J. Wales Enterprises. Moderated by RT3 Director Karen Edwards, the first topic was discussed by Ken Kelly on how Augmented Reality and products such as the HoloLens by Microsoft could have an impact on the industry. Technology like this makes it possible for aging workers who may no longer be able to go on a roof or physically perform a task to assist those who are on the roof virtually, actually being able to see exactly what that technician is seeing.

Steve Little shared a new technology that was born out of an RT3 meetup at Georgia Tech in fall 2017 where he met RT3 member Pointivo. The collaborative product remotely performs roof inspections and is expected to be rolled out at the 2020 International Roofing Expo in February. Steve also shared his successes with rooftop robotics, using the Mini Macaden to install modified bitumen roofing membranes with just four workers instead of the typical 12.

Michelle Boykin discussed how Rackley Roofing is using Virtual Reality for safety training for their workers. The team loves using the technology and it paid for itself within a few months after an OSHA citation was reversed once Tennessee OSHA saw their technology and commitment to safety.

Josey talked about what seemed to be the word of the day at the summit: Data. He shared how he is using artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to understand which leads are more likely to buy over others. He is also using intelligence to pair the right sales person with the right customer for improved outcomes and increased sales.

Get the latest news and technology information delivered right to your inbox when you sign up for the RT3 SmartBrief.