By Lauren White, RCS Editor. 

Tesla solar tile systems, model-based estimating and VR headsets had these industry professionals and thought leaders oohing and aahing. 

While in New Orleans for the 2022 International Roofing Expo (IRE), members of the Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) gathered to learn how members are utilizing technology to advance the industry and help their companies innovate.  Discussions included Tesla solar tile systems and model-based estimating, and ended with these industry professionals experimenting with VR headsets to what the future of roofing holds. 

Tesla solar roof tiles 

Ken Kelly, CEO and owner of Kelly Roofing, shared the inside scoop of his work with the Tesla solar tile system.  While version 3 of the tiles is out now, Kelly Roofing is working directly with Tesla to create version 4.  After extensive training, Kelly’s crews are installing Tesla solar systems on residential roofs.  These systems are unique in that they’re not a solar system that’s installed over a pre-existing tile or asphalt roof, but instead they’re individual solar shingles.  Some panels are power generating, but not all, and you can’t tell the difference between the two.  Their sleek design and appearance are enough to enhance the curb appeal of anyone’s home.  

These tiles are designed to pick up any wavelength of light whether that’s moonlight, fluorescent light or sunlight. Another unique feature is that snow melts quickly off of Tesla roofs because of the amount of heat it generates, which means there’s less likelihood of ice dams.  Further, these tiles are self-cleaning.  It’s important that leaves, pollen and sea spray from coastal areas don’t cover the panels and inhibit power generation, so all it takes is a little rain to clean the roof.  

What really makes Tesla tiles different is the use of peel and stick direct to the deck underlayment.  Tesla tiles go through more rigid testing due to the electric components sitting directly on the roof deck as opposed to lifted on a stanchion.  They also have a Class A fire rating, which is the highest rating.  

While walking on any roof is dangerous, Tesla roofs are especially slippery.  Ken provided us with an insider tip, sharing that Skechers are the best shoes for contractors to wear when walking on the roof due to their gripping abilities! 

Model-based estimating 

Adam Oaks, CEO, and James Lee, business analyst, of Estimating Edge shared about their recent acquisition by Foundation Software and what it means for the advancement of technology in the industry.  Both companies have been around for 30 years and share similar company cultures, which made the integration seamless.  

Their newest program, Vector, hadn’t launched yet when they provided us with a demonstration, but contractors were already purchasing it!  This model-based estimating automates the takeoff process, allowing roofing contractors to spend more time estimating and less time measuring.  Some of the special features include adding notes to communicate directly with the team, and being able to log any activity throughout the process to keep everyone in the loop.  The diagrams and shapes provided in the program are the same ones that roofing contractors currently use, meaning there’s less of a learning curve for new users.   

Virtual reality headsets 

Prior to the meetup, John Kiesel, president of Division 7 Roofing and Imagine Technologies, sent four RT3 members Oculus VR headsets.  They also designed individual rooms for these members – RT3, RoofersCoffeeShop®, Imagine Technologies and Rackley Roofing.  These rooms demonstrated the ways virtual reality can be utilized by companies with various specialties, such as safety, service and sales and marketing.  

Members were encouraged to try the Oculus headsets and experience the VR rooms for themselves, exploring small building models, playing videos and “flying” on top of the building’s roof to check for cracks, flashings and other issues.  The room was filled with members excitedly saying “Woah!” “Look at that!” and “This is so cool!”  We discussed the value of this technology for training purposes, presentations when working remotely and inspecting the condition of the building and roof. 

These RT3 meetups provide thought leaders a platform to not only test out the latest and greatest technologies, but to also share how resources like these can be embraced in the industry and provide contractors with practical solutions. 

Learn more about RT3 in their RoofersCoffeeShop Directory or visit rt3thinktank.com. 

By Cass Jacoby, RCS Reporter. 

Get a better understanding of Optelos’s visual data management and automated AI computer vision by seeing it in action. 

This technology was born out of a desire to integrate visual data with existing rooftop data to help digitally transform the way rooftop assessments/takeoffs are performed.  In this demo, you’ll learn how John Kiesel of Division 7 Roofing and Kerrick Willis have perfected the inspection process. Watch this webinar where they both present an overview of the Optelos Platform and how Imagine Technologies Group can deliver a powerful technology solution for your company. 

Optelos brings the job to you, giving you all of the information needed to deliver a high-quality evaluation before you step foot on the roof. Optelos’ visual inspection platform and drone-captured data produces high-resolution images and 2D and 3D models for detailed roof assessments, providing unique insights into the conditions of their roofs. It also can assist in the planning and inventory management of new roofing construction and repair projects.   

Watch this webinar hosted by Jobba to get a taste of what the system looks like and the specific ways using photogrammetry for roof assessments and take-offs makes your job easier. “You're able to utilize the system and drones in a way that keeps people safe and you know you're not risking people,” says Kerrick.  

During the live demo Kerrick demonstrates how this process works to help contractors visualize inspections with more detail than photo renderings can deliver.  The detailed 3D modeling available with their technology delivers accurate measurements for precise takeoffs every time. 

Kerrick and John cover the terminology and background information about photogrammetry as well as cover the ways this technology is already being utilized in the industry through case studies. “We're really big on preventive maintenance and taking our assessments into a visual inspection alongside of periodic boots on the roof inspections,” says John. “We feel like we're definitely being more productive in providing our customers with better imagery and quicker turnaround times.” 

Watch the webinar to see the program in action and learn more about how integrating it into your business will help make your job easier. 

Learn more about the Imagine Technologies Group and Jobba in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directories or visit imaginetechnologiesgroup.com and jobba.com.

By Cass Jacoby, RCS Reporter.  

How Optelos and Imagine Technologies Group provide the technology necessary to enable true collaboration. 

Aerial imaging and remote viewing have already begun revolutionizing the roofing industry, providing measurable models and maps from photogrammetry and making estimates for contractors easy. John Keisel, CEO of Imagine Technologies Group and RCS President Heidi J. Ellsworth discuss in Season 4 Episode 6 of Roofing Road Trips how aerial imagery technologies work to connect data, people, processes, fill unseen gaps, reduce project errors, and seamlessly flow data from one means to the next. 

John explains that a major challenge in producing models with aerial imagery was the difficulty of sharing this information, and how the Optelos system offered a solution to sharing data without file limitations or hitting firewalls. “They process the imagery for you. You don't have to process it locally,” says John. “They have the platform to view, share, collaborate between your clients, your employees and it's all within their system.” 

With better views of the roof, better decisions can be made. Imagine Technologies Group brings different types of data together into a single pane of glass, or a single view of truth, providing a better way to understand and interact with data. “Tying all of your platforms together into one dashboard is something I think that we're all going to need,” says John. “Optelos is the key to manipulating the information, storing it, sharing it and making it actually beneficial.” 

Optelos gives contractors the opportunity to really work with your customers, your building owners, to show them the building and walk them through them through the process every step of the way. “Any technology that bridges the office staff to the field staff and can help us collaborate as a unit without traveling to different job sites is a great thing to look for,” says John. “It's all about time efficiency and understanding.” 

Listen to the entire podcast to learn more about how you can start using aerial imagery and Optelos to deliver better communication with between the field, the office and the client.

Learn more about Imagine Technologies Group in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directories or visit www.imaginetechnologiesgroup.com. 

Members of the Roofing Technology Think Tank started the week of the 2022 International Roofing Expo by participating in a meetup where they learned about emerging technologies and how they will affect the roofing industry.

Tesla Solar Roofs

The group began its meetup on Monday, January 31 with several presentations. Ken Kelly, of Naples, Florida-based Kelly Roofing shared exciting updates related to Tesla Solar Roofs as his company nears their 100th installation.

Automating takeoffs

Following Ken’s presentation the topic moved on to the recent acquisition of Estimating Edge by Foundation Software. Adam Oaks, Estimating Edge CEO shared information about the acquisition and what it will mean for the advancement of technology within the roofing industry.

He then proceeded to give a demonstration of their newest program call Vector. The takeoff software automates the takeoff process, allowing users to spend more time on estimating and less on measuring, saving hours or even days.

Virtual reality

Following the presentations, RT3 members were able to experience the power of virtual reality combined with photogrammetry to see how it has the ability to revolutionize the way we perform site inspections and even meet with our customers.

Thanks to RT3 member John Kiesel of Division 7 Roofing and Imagine Technologies Group, members used Oculus VR headsets to enter virtual rooms that focused on different areas in the industry, including safety, sales and marketing and service.

For many members it was their first experience with the VR space and proved to be a fascinating adventure into what the possibilities for the future of roofing could be.

Future workforce panel

On the first day of the IRE, several RT3 members presented a panel titled Casting the Net for Your Future Workforce. In this session, RT3 contractor members shared how they are working with their schools, youth programs and communities to build a pipeline for the future roofing workforce. From multi-organizational apprenticeship programs to working with youth from schools who don’t want to pursue college to getting involved in the community and developing in-house training opportunities, these contractors shared what they are doing, how they got started and tips for success.

It was an exciting week for the RT3 members as they continue their mission to learn about new technologies and share that information with the rest of the industry.

Learn more about RT3 in their RCS directory or visit www.rt3thinktank.com.

By Evelyn Witterholt, RCS Reporter. 

Check out our special live episode of Coffee Conversations where we discuss material shortages and workplace safety with RoofersCoffeeShop® Influencers. 

Season 3, Episode 11 of Coffee Conversations, sponsored by SRS Distribution, had us meeting with industry leaders live at the International Roofing Expo! For this episode, our COO Karen Edwards spoke with RCS Influencers Joe Hoffman, John Kiesel and Mandy McIntyre about how they are navigating issues in the roofing industry. 

Owner of Hoffman Weber Construction Joe Hoffman discussed how his company is handling the material shortage crisis. He describes the issues with getting materials as frustrating, but that there’s always going to be some issue the industry faces. But he has also found that the experience with supply chain issues isn’t entirely a negative one. 

“We've been really thankful our customers have been, for the most part, really understanding,” Joe said. “We've tried to set really clear expectations in writing upfront before we go into any contract as well.” 

John Kiesel, president of Division 7 Roofing and Imagine Technologies Group, has had quite a full plate these last few years. On top of his work with these two companies, factoring in material and labor shortages can be a challenge. John says that learning how to prioritize what is most important can help you keep a level head amidst these chaotic times. 

In regard to labor shortages, John says that companies can benefit from being less rigid with their new or current employees. “Unlike a major corporation where there's stringent regulations on vacation pay or holiday pay,” John says. “We're working with everybody on an ‘as needed’ type of basis to be flexible.” 

Mandy McIntyre, operations officer at 1st Choice Roofing, talked about how her company is navigating COVID-19 and changing policies regarding workplace safety. She highly suggests that companies have a policy plan in place and in writing. The plan should highlight whatever vaccine mandates the company has in place and what happens when an employee tests positive for COVID-19. 

She talked about how some customers have asked for information about their policies and some have even their own requests for mandates depending on the project. “There's certain projects that have required that they want everyone to be vaccinated on that project, which is fine, It's the customer, that's what they want to do,” Mandy said. 

Watch the entire episode of the live Coffee Conversations to hear more of our influencers’ perspectives of the current roofing industry!

By Cass Jacoby, RCS Reporter.  

Imagine Technologies Group’s John Keisel talks with Heidi about how utilizing new technologies can improve your business.   

In Season 4 Episode 6 of Roofing Road Trips, RCS president Heidi J. Ellsworth, sits down with John Keisel, CEO of Imagine Technologies Group to talk about new technologies contractors can leverage to better their business and stay on the cutting edge without getting overwhelmed. You won’t want to miss this conversation about what up-and-coming technologies tell us about the future of the industry. 

John Kiesel is the president of Division 7 Roofing and has been a roofing contractor for most of his life. “I started roofing when I was 18 years old, back in 1988,” says John. “I've managed to leverage myself into a leadership role and because of my past and the hard knocks that I was exposed to, I really embrace anything that makes roofing easier and more intelligent than what it was back when I started.” 

John tells Heidi about Imagine Technologies Group, a drone service provider/consultant that specializes in property management, commercial roofing and construction. “The business is focused on commercial roofing as a solution for imagery acquisition and that embraces pretty much any place you may be at with your photogrammetry journey,” says John. “We're also a reseller of the Optelos program for the roofing vertical, which is very key to manipulating the information, storing it, sharing it and making it actually beneficial.”  

He explains how reality models maximize visibility and decrease the time to comprehend visual data, enabling decision makers to improve asset performance and reduce costs. All while maintaining quality and increasing accountability. Using drones to provide high-quality images that can be used in interactive reality modeling and reports, helps everyone involved gain a better insight. “Any technology that bridges the office staff to the field staff and can help us collaborate as a unit without traveling to different job sites is a great thing to look for,” says John. “It's all about time efficiency and understanding.” 

Listen to the entire podcast to learn more about how to get started in using drones in your business and about how to embrace technology in the office and on the roof.

RCS Influencers celebrates its sixth year of giving back to the roofing industry.

RoofersCoffeeShop®, celebrating 20 years as the award-winning website where the industry meets for technology, information and everyday business, announces the 2022 RCS Roofing Influencers.    

RCS Influencers contribute thoughts and wisdom monthly through interviews, videos and articles on RoofersCoffeeShop concerning pertinent industry and roofing topics. The Influencers represent all facets of the industry including contractors, associations and industry service providers. Their insights are recognized in a special category on the site called RCS Influencers.   

“We have been committed to sharing the thought leadership of our RCS Influencers since 2017,” states Heidi J. Ellsworth, president of RoofersCoffeeShop. “Each influencer brings a unique perspective to issues that are of importance to roofing contractors and the overall roofing industry. We are thankful and appreciative of their willingness to share their insights.”

We are proud to announce the following 2022 RCS Influencers: 

1. Anna Anderson – Art Unlimited 

2. Charles Antis - Antis Roofing & Waterproofing 

3. Julissa Chavez – SRS Distribution, Inc. 

4. Trent Cotney - Cotney Construction Law 

5. Kendall & Chris Ekerson – SA Roofing 

6. Heidi Ellsworth – RoofersCoffeeShop® 

7. John Esbenshade, Jr. – National Roofing Contractors Association 

8. Rudy Gutierrez - Shell Roofing Solutions 

9. Tammy Hall – CFS Roofing Services 

10. Mike Hicks – Hicks Industrial Roofing 

11. Joe Hoffman – Hoffman Weber 

12. Rae July – Chinook Roofing

13. Danny Kerr – Breakthrough Academy 

14. John Kiesel – Imagine Technologies/Division 7 Roofing 

15. Wendy Marvin - Matrix Roofing and Home Solutions 

16. Mandy McIntyre - 1st Choice Roofing 

17. Arty Molinari – Tremco Roofing & Waterproofing 

18. Mike Pickel - Texas Traditions Roofing 

19. Ashley and Seth Pietsch - Integrity Insurance & Bonding Inc 

20. Camila Santander – ASA Roofing 

21. Greg Serevetas – USA General Contractors  

22. Marty Stout - Go Roof Tune Up 

23. Curtis Sutton - Rackley Roofing

For more information on the 2022 RCS Influencers, meet them here. Download the Top 20 insights from our 2021 influencers eBook here.

About RoofersCoffeeShop 

As an award-winning website and online community, RoofersCoffeeShop is committed to being a roofing professional advocate by supplying consistent information, education and communication avenues for all roofing professionals, and especially contractors, while promoting the positive growth, education and success of the roofing industry overall. Visitors to the site continue to find excellent opportunities for sharing information while participating in important ongoing conversations concerning new technologies, safety and the overall roofing trade. From the rooftop to the board room, RoofersCoffeeShop is “Where the Industry Meets!” For more information, visit www.rooferscoffeeshop.com.

By Cass Jacoby, RCS Reporter.  

RT3 member John Kiesel talks about how empowering tech savvy employees to bring technology into your company helps move the industry forward. 

Season 3, Episode 7 of the Coffee Conversations podcast celebrates Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3), a group of thought leaders who have come together to bring technology into roofing. Sponsored by ABC Supply, Heidi J. Ellsworth meets with Anna Anderson, Scott Riopelle and John Kiesel to discuss roofing technology and trends for 2022.  

Anna Anderson is the CEO of Art Unlimited and the current President of RT3. She is also on the executive committee of National Women in Roofing. Anna discusses the importance of integrations so that the entire workforce can be empowered to do their job with excellence. “We need technology as a whole within the industry to embrace that and start collaboratively looking at how do we solve it," says Anna.  

The 2020 innovator of the year for Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3), Scott Riopelle, speaks to the importance of integrating your software. His company is a leader in using technology in systems. 

John Kiesel is the president of Division 7 Roofing and is also the President of Imagine Technologies. Imagine Technologies is a newer company that is bringing drone opportunities that turn imagery into virtual reality, which can then turn into 3D models. 

John talks with Heidi about how this technology can be used to bridge the gap between the office side of the industry and what is going on in the field. “For me, the tech of the future is imagery and how you can virtually see what's going on and connect the office to that in real-time and be able to influence the activities of the field from an office environment in real-time,” says John. “That to me is the technology that we need to be looking at, is how to bridge the gap between the white-collar side and blue-collar side of the business.” 

Putting more technology in the hands of roofers is all about recruiting and supporting people within the industry who can work to bring more tech to your business. “That may take a champion, as we like to call it in the industry, that's tech savvy and understands working out in the field to be that liaison person,” says john. “So find the champion, find the techy person that embraces this stuff, and start picking their brain and see how they can help you.” 

Learn more about the Imagine Technologies Group in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directories or visit www.imaginetechnologiesgroup.com. 

Read, Listen or Watch the entire Coffee Conversation to gain more insight on the future of roofing technology.

By Cass Jacoby, RCS Reporter.  

Heidi and RT3 members discuss the cutting edge of roofing technology and how it is moving the industry forward. 

In Season 3, Episode 7 of Coffee Conversations, Heidi J. Ellsworth meets with some of the sharpest minds in the industry as they celebrate Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3), a group of thought leaders who have come together to bring technology into roofing. Sponsored by ABC Supply, Anna Anderson, Scott Riopelle and John Kiesel discuss all things technology, industry shortages, and what we will see coming in 2022.  

The conversation kicks off with sharing what roofing contractors should be looking at in 2022, focusing on the cutting edge of technology and trends on the horizon.  

Anna Anderson is the CEO of Art Unlimited and the current president of RT3. She is also on the executive committee of National Women in Roofing. Anna discusses the importance of integrations so the entire workforce can be empowered to do their job with excellence. 

“We need technology as a whole within the industry to embrace that and start collaboratively looking at how do we solve it," says Anna. She also talks about the knowledge gap, virtual reality and robotics “There's a lot of exciting things on the horizon for 2022.” 

John Kiesel is the president of Division 7 Roofing and is also the president of Imagine Technologies. Imagine Technologies is a newer company that is bringing drone opportunities to the roofing industry. He talks with Heidi about how this technology can be used to bridge the gap between the office side of the industry and what is going on in the field. 

“For me, it's imagery and how you can virtually see what's going on and connect the office to that in real-time and be able to influence the activities of the field from an office environment in real-time,” says John. “That to me is the technology that we need to be looking at, is how to bridge the gap between the white-collar side and blue-collar side of the business.” 

Scott Riopelle, who was the 2020 innovator of the year for RT3, talks about the importance of integrating technology and getting your software to talk to each other. His company is a leader in using technology in systems, which has allowed his company to expand nationally and internationally. 

“I think the back of the house technology is so often missed," says Scott. “Not only do we need technology for sales, we need technology to keep the sales and the numbers together. And that's something that really everybody needs to focus on in 2022.” 

Read, Listen or Watch the entire Coffee Conversation to gain more insight on the future of roofing technology and how it can be leveraged to empower the industry.

By Cass Jacoby, RCS Reporter.  

Discover how technology, training and drones are revolutionizing the industry at Imagine Technologies Group’s demonstration at IRE. 

Imagine Technologies Group is revolutionizing the ways properties are designed, planned and maintained by providing high-quality drone images, interactive reality-modeling and reports. Through this technology, everyone involved gains better insight and perspective into how to solve problems, ITG provides the context from the metadata that ultimately saves time and money. 

With better views of the roof, better decisions can be made. ITG brings different types of data together into a single pane of glass, or a single view of truth, providing a better way to understand and interact with data. 

See for yourself at International Roofing Expo (IRE); Imagine Technologies Group will be holding an educational seminar at booth #2101 Tuesday, February 1 from 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. with Cotney Attorneys and Consultants and Jobba. This educational presentation will demonstrate how integrating visual data with existing rooftop data digitally transforms the way rooftop assessments/takeoffs are performed and can deliver even greater long-term results.   

This seminar is designed to introduce to you the team that is revolutionizing the industry with technology, training and drones; showing you the future of roofing, focusing on industry training with technology and virtual worlds. You will see how you can utilize advanced drone imagery, photogrammetry, and virtual reality to achieve excellence and experience how these all come together with CRM platforms with new software. 

You won’t want to miss on this educational opportunity to see what the Optelos system looks like and the specific ways using photogrammetry can improve your inspections and training programs all while fitting neatly into your CRM software. Learn how this technology works to connect data, people, processes, fill unseen gaps, reduce project errors, and seamlessly flow data from one means to the next. 

Learn how to start leveraging the technology available to go above and beyond with your company, stop by booth #2101 at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday and see the future of roofing in action. 

Learn more about the Imagine Technologies Group in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directories or visit www.imaginetechnologiesgroup.com.