Bonava’s Tom Helenius on Wiiste’s moisture monitoring:

”’Now the measures can be taken at the right time and the right place’”

Tom Helenius, who acts as responsible site manager at Bonava, a leading residential developer in Northern Europe, has been using Wiiste’s moisture sensors since 2018. According to Helenius, the IoT sensors and cloud service Relia have provided new, concrete benefits in construction.

In addition to monitoring the drying of cast concrete floors, Bonava uses Wiiste's sensors to monitor the temperature and humidity at the construction site.

‘Now we are constantly aware of the situation with the building. We can immediately see how the moisture level starts to drop and the structures begin to dry. We don’t have to use as much energy for heating when, for instance, the need for additional heating can be identified accurately’, describes Tom Helenius.

In 2018, Helenius’s original goal was to find more detailed information for the scheduling of flooring work. Before the utilisation of Wiiste’s sensors, the company used more borehole measurements.

‘When thinking about the construction site, it is more sensible to conduct borehole measurements when we are more or less certain that the substrate meets the requirements for material installation. This reduces the need for borehole measurement’, points out Tom Helenius.

‘It’s essential to receive real-time data directly on the screen’

In 2018, Tom Helenius got interested in Wiiste’s products mainly because Wiiste was a young Finnish company with the aim of developing the quality of construction decisively and professionally.

First, Bonava tested Wiiste’s SH1 sensors, which are installed in concrete during casting, and then the IoT climate meters that have since replaced thermometers in the monitoring of working conditions.

‘The aim of introducing the sensors was also to obtain more detailed information on the effects of humidity and climate control measures taken on the site and to be able to implement these measures in the right area in more or less real time.’

‘For climate control, it was also important to receive the data directly on the computer screen without having to go to the sensor.’

Helenius commends the clarity of data produced by the sensors. It has helped, for instance, control the enhanced moisture removal measures related to wet phases during indoor construction in the summer.

Reviewing climate data on the screen is a daily routine

Reviewing building condition data has become a daily routine for Tom Helenius. The data provided by the IoT climate sensors has been reliable and made available in real time. The response time to any action required has been reduced.

‘The most significant advantage is the opportunity to take measures timely and accurately. In the winter, I also monitor that the temperature in the building does not get too high. Moreover, now that we have experience in using the sensors and enough collected data, we can also predict future conditions.’

According to Helenius, the data graphics in the cloud service Relia indicate clearly, for example, when the screed application began, since it is immediately reflected in moisture production. The amount of accurate, visualised information on construction phases has even surprised the site supervisor.

Climate sensors have also been used in the site finalisation and handover phases.

‘It can be said that the utilisation rate of the sensors has been good throughout the construction project.’

IoT monitoring in the finalisation phase optimises surface material conditions

At the time of the interview, the site managed by Tom Helenius, a complex of three buildings and four housing companies located in Espoo, Finland, had already proceeded to technology testing and finalising.

‘Even as we speak, the IoT climate sensors located in different parts of the buildings are collecting information on the air humidity and temperature in the almost completed apartments.’

‘Particularly in freezing winter temperatures, we can use the data to assess whether measures are required to increase indoor humidity in the apartments to keep the surface material conditions optimal. It also allows us to monitor the evenness of the set room temperatures.’

According to Helenius, Wiiste's products will also have a place in Bonava's projects in the future.

‘Working with Wiiste has been easy. I also appreciate their innovative development work.’

Bonava is a leading residential developer in Northern Europe. We create homes and neighbourhoods where people can enjoy the best possible quality of life. We are the first residential developer in Europe to have its climate goals approved by the Science Based Targets initiative. We operate in Germany, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, St. Petersburg, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania with 2,100 professionals. In 2020, our net sales amounted to approximately EUR 1.61 billion. Bonava is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.