Protecting a Multi-family Development from Theft and Water Damage
When a general contractor needed both water mitigation technology and jobsite security cameras to satisfy insurance requirements for a new multifamily development, they turned to Insight Risk. Despite remote laydown yards, limited site power, harsh winter conditions, and a challenging installation schedule, Insight Risk designed and managed a multi-vendor IoT strategy across two jobsite locations that helped prevent theft, protect charged water lines, and keep construction moving without a loss-related delay.
The Situation
A general contractor was beginning construction on a new modular apartment community consisting of two three-story wood frame residential buildings comprising 60 units plus multiple amenity structures.
As a condition of insurance coverage, the Builder's Risk carrier required both water damage mitigation technology and monitored security cameras throughout construction. The contractor's insurance broker recommended Insight Risk, confident the team could coordinate the different required technologies while minimizing disruption to the project schedule.
The Challenge
The project presented several obstacles that required more than simply installing cameras and sensors.
The primary laydown yard was located approximately 1.5 miles from the active construction site, creating two separate areas requiring continuous monitoring. At the same time, permanent electrical service was unavailable during the early phases of construction, making reliable power for security equipment a concern. Harsh Mountain West weather also made traditional solar deployments less dependable without careful planning and monitoring.
Winter conditions introduced another layer of risk. Once water lines were charged, freezing temperatures could quickly lead to burst pipes and costly water damage if conditions weren't closely monitored.
The Insight Risk Solution
Rather than relying on a single technology vendor, Insight Risk designed a customized solution using specialized partners best suited for each aspect of the project First, Insight Risk sourced solar-powered surveillance units equipped with seven-day battery backup, continuous battery health monitoring, and the ability to transition to permanent 110V power once site electricity became available. The camera provider also had previous jobsite experience in the region and had an action plan to mitigate any impact to the cameras’ operation because of weather.
A second preferred technology partner provided environmental sensors that detected the presence of water along with temperature and humidity, deployed as construction progressed and water systems became operational. As part of Insight Risk’s White Glove Service, they coordinated the deployment schedule, managed both technology providers, and sent verified installation specialists onsite to ensure each system was deployed correctly and operating as intended.
Insight Risk regularly checked in with the construction site team and technology providers to confirm the technologies were online and still meeting the project needs as it progressed, along with immediate follow-up after any potential loss events were identified.
The Results
The combined technology strategy delivered measurable value throughout the project.
Five potential security incidents were successfully intercepted after monitored cameras detected unauthorized individuals on the property during non-working hours. In each case, the 24/7 monitoring center initiated response protocols and coordinated with local authorities when appropriate before losses occurred. Full incident reports were provided by the camera partner to document what had occurred.
As winter temperatures arrived and water systems were charged, continuous environmental monitoring helped identify freezing conditions within one of the building’s riser rooms across a four-day period. The sensor provided instant alerts via text message, email, and in-app notifications to the site team so the issue could be investigated before conditions worsened. The project ultimately reached completion without theft-related project delays or water damage losses impacting construction.
Beyond loss prevention, the installed cameras also captured 20-minute time-lapse photography throughout construction, providing the contractor with a visual record of the project's progress from groundbreaking through completion.
Upon the project's completion, Matt Joyal, Vice President of Technology at Insight Risk shared: "Developing the right deployment and coordinating with the site team and vendors is what we do every day. On a project like this, that hands-on approach helped protect an important investment and kept this much-needed affordable housing on track."
At Insight Risk, we help protect commercial ground-up and renovation projects at every stage, combining expert underwriting with proven IoT solutions to prevent water losses before they happen, safeguarding your schedules, your budgets, and your hard-earned reputation. Contact Insight Risk today to discover how our White Glove IoT Risk Tech solutions can safeguard your next adaptive reuse project from Day One.
Other Blogs You May Be Interested In
