We're used to talking about moisture damage as something that "happens", an unforeseen event, an accident, a problem that crops up. But what if we could see it coming? What if there were a systematic way to assess the risk before damage occurs?
That is exactly what SINTEF has developed in collaboration with us at Sensor Innovation. , Researchers at SINTEF have produced a qualitative risk model for moisture damage in buildings. The model gives a concrete picture of how vulnerable a building is, and how the risk can be reduced.
The risk of moisture damage is the product of two factors: probability and consequence. Both are influenced by a number of specific conditions related to the building, its construction, and its location.
Figure 1: Illustration of the risk model for moisture damage
These factors are weighted and summed, and the building is placed in a risk matrix with three levels: lower, medium, and higher risk.
Figure 2: Relationship between risk level and combinations of probability and consequence levels
A compact roof with a solar panel installation on an office building in a coastal climate typically ends up in the high-risk zone. The solar panels involve many penetrations through the roofing, generate heavy foot traffic on the roof, and make repairs significantly more expensive. Combine that with high annual precipitation, and you have a building with both a high probability of leakage and major potential consequences.
A holiday cabin with a simple sloping roof in an inland climate, by contrast, will fall into a much lower risk category, both because the construction is robust and because the consequences of any damage are limited.
The model makes it possible to compare projects against one another and prioritise measures where the need is greatest.
This is where it gets interesting. The risk model doesn't just show the entry-level risk, it also shows how the risk changes when moisture sensors are installed.
The SINTEF model uses a concrete example: installing moisture sensors reduces the consequence level by 1.0 and the probability level by 0.5. This means the building moves down and to the left in the risk matrix, from higher to medium risk.
The logic is simple: into® technology give early warning. Early warning stops damage from developing before it becomes serious. A small leak detected after a few hours costs a fraction of what damage discovered after months or years would cost.
Figure 4: Typical risk development over time for moisture damage. Early warning of leaks can dramatically reduce the risk.
The SINTEF report clearly illustrates what happens over time with and without sensors. When a leak occurs without sensors, it can take months or years before the damage is discovered. In the meantime, the damage grows, spreads, and often results in replacement of the construction, operational stoppages, and major follow-on costs.
With into® technology from Sensor Innovation, you receive an alert when moisture or temperature levels deviate from the norm. The damage can be repaired immediately, and costs are kept to a minimum. The graph is dramatic: repair costs rise steeply without warning, but when a leak is detected early, the cost is significantly contained.
Figure 5: Typical cost development over time for leak damage in roofs and walls — with and without sensors
Risk assessment of buildings is no longer just "good practice" it's a requirement. BREEAM certification, and the EU taxonomy (sustainability objective: climate adaptation) all require risk assessments of buildings. The new EU report also points out that good tools for vulnerability and risk assessment are lacking.
The into® sensor system has already been recoginized as an innovation by BREEAM, one of only 67 innovations worldwide to receive this recognition. Combined with a documented risk model from SINTEF, this gives property managers and developers a solid technical foundation for both internal decision support and external reporting.
The SINTEF report also describes how the risk model can be implemented as a digital tool for example, a web application where you enter information about the building, construction, and climate, and receive a graphical representation of the risk in a matrix.
This opens the door for both existing and new buildings to receive a concrete risk assessment as the basis for choosing solutions, including how many sensors are needed and where they should be placed.
into® RiskScore doesn't just show you the risk it shows you how much that risk decreases when into® Technology is in place. It's a tool for making the case for proactive protection, whether you're briefing a client, a board, or an insurer.
Source: SINTEF Community project note "Risk model for moisture damage in buildings" (2026), prepared by Stig Geving, Jørn Emil Gaarder, and Berit Time, on behalf of Sensor Innovation AS.
The INTO Climate Technology for Buildings project is supported by Innovation Norway.