As a result of the pandemic, the Tecta America Zero Company needed a solution for viewing and assessing project sites that was effective and efficient. After the COVID-19 pandemic closed businesses and restricted access to viewing projects onsite, the Tecta America Zero Company’s recognized that its remote viewing capabilities became more important than ever.

US Capitol, Image courtesy of Nearmap

Tecta America Zero Company had been managing roofing projects across the U.S. for years, using aerial imagery for greater accuracy. When Covid-19 shifted everything, they were in the right place at the right time. The company could provide accurate assessment of roofing projects to keeping employees safe during COVID and decrease travel costs, by using Nearmap’s content that made it possible for Tecta America Zero Company to work smarter and safer.

A neighborhood in Salt Lake City, Utah, Image courtesy of Nearmap

Tecta has an indepth understanding of communities and resources that are only available to a large roofing company. Nearmap aerial imagery is used for roofing installation and replacement projects, new construction, and repairs across the country. Further, Nearmap provides the Tecta America Zero Company instant access to up-to-date and historical aerial imagery and geospatial intelligence.

Nearmap is unique in its capture of aerial imagery, focusing on currency, consistency, coverage, and accessibility. Nearmap’s wide-scale capture program is regularly updated (up to three times annually). The company delivers imagery at a consistent sub 3” GSD, and its automated photogrammetry pipeline ensures that color, stitching, and clarity are seamless. Nearmap offers expansive coverage across 1,750 urban areas across the U.S., including 80.1% of the population. Imagery is published within days of capture and Nearmap customers like the Tecta America Zero Company have 24/7 access to aerial content through a web app, API, or third-party integration. Customers report Nearmap is much more accurate than Google Earth.

Tony Agresta, Executive Vice President, General Manager, North America of the Tecta America Zero Company spoke with GISCafe Voice about employing NearMap for gathering information about roofs.  Attached are three examples of Nearmap’s high-res aerial imagery.

How quickly are customers able to access images of roofs for assessment?

• • Customers can access imagery immediately. Nearmap makes it easy to type in an address, and get the information you need right then and there from anywhere.

What level of accuracy is required and preferable in order to see details of roofs?

• • Nearmap provides 2.2-3 inch resolution, which means builders are capable of seeing details concerning roof type and condition.

What type of projects are the most common roofing projects that you encounter that lend themselves to the Nearmap imagery approach?

• • Nearmap covers over 80 percent of the U.S. population, so as long as we cover your area of interest, Nearmap imagery provides value to almost any type of roofing project, both residential and commercial.
  • Some examples of using Nearmap to assess a project include identifying risks and hazards of a site beforehand and assessing roof damage before climbing.

Manhattan, Image courtesy of Nearmap

Are you able to determine what materials the current roofs are made of via aerial imagery and what you might replace it with?

• • Yes, with Nearmap’s imagery you are able to see the roof material as well as any imperfections that exist on the roof including:
    • Structural damage
    • Temporary repairs
    • Roof ponding
    • Roof rusting
    • Tile or shingle staining

How is it possible to determine measurements needed in order to replace or repair roofs?

• • You can conduct a full roof assessment through Nearmap’s MapBrowser and the tools embedded.

What costs are associated with using Nearmap this way?

• • Nearmap is a yearly subscription service, so depending on how many properties a builder is looking to view, that would determine the cost associated.

Does Nearmap add to the total budget of the roofing projects?

• • No, roofers can dramatically reduce costs with fewer site visits.

Project Estimates

The Tecta America Zero Company uses Nearmap’s services to digitize the information on a project before an employee even arrives on site. Confirming the features of landscapes and project sites is vital to the pre-construction assessment process. Post-construction also plays a role in their regular operations. Aerial imagery assists them in determining if surrounding buildings have new features or if the traffic routes near it have changed.