Ian Banks recently joined Blackdown Green Roofs as Commercial Manager, assisting in the further growth of component sales and contract installations.

Ian’s 36 year experience within the flat roof waterproofing and green roof industry offers new and existing customers green roof systems and solutions to make their green roof projects a success.

If you would like to speak with Ian regarding any green roof enquiries please call 07464 491 904. Alternatively email: ian.banks@blackdown.co.uk

Blackdown Green Roofs are installing a semi-intensive plug planted green roof at Riverwalk House in London, A brand new residential development on the north bank of the River Thames, the project is over 5 roof areas on a new apartment development and is due to be completed in November 2015.

A planting mix of selected wildflowers plugs and seed along with sedum plugs are being installed in Blackdown’s semi-intensive growing medium. As the depth of the substrate is typically 150-200mm on a semi-intensive system, the range of plants that can be utilised on the roof includes a variety of wild flowers, sedum, herbs, grasses and alpines in the form of mat, plugs, seeds and bulbs.

For further information regarding Blackdown Green Roofs call +44 (0)1460 234582 or email: info@alumasc-exteriors.co.uk

Alumasc is committed to improving their internal and external operation and have adopted a new scheme – ‘investment in the future’.

Sam Clayden – South West Assistant Technical Manager

Sam is new to the roofing industry and will be one of the first to enter into the ‘investment in the future scheme’. Sam will be undergoing an intensive external and internal sales/technical programme with the end goal of becoming a fully operational Area Manager within 12/18 months. Sam comes from a sales background and has expressed his desire to work within the construction industry, Sam says:
“This is an excellent opportunity for me to move forward with my desired career, the future scheme from Alumasc really excites me and I look forward to working alongside Architects and Contractors”.

Martin Deehan

Also as part of the ‘investment in the future scheme’ Martin will be joining the technical support department as a trainee working alongside Alumasc’s already experienced team.

Martin is new to the roofing industry having spent the last two years working for the Alumasc Façade Systems business based in Linwood, Scotland. He will be undergoing an intensive training programme where he will initially be spending time in various departments to deepen his knowledge of the organisation and further help with his progression.

Alumasc and Coates are working closely to provide our customers with a smooth transition from initial purchase to on-time delivery to site.

Alumasc Roofing Systems has gained a reputation of giving their customers peace of mind when receiving their products on-site, in perfect condition and most importantly – on-time.

Alumasc understands the need of punctual delivery in order to help their customers keep costs to a minimum and prevent time delays to projects.

Due to the varied nature of Alumasc’s roofing products it is vital that our more specialist sensitive products are stored in accordance with the most recent legislation and supplier guidelines. With H.W. Coates brand new, multi-million pound warehousing facilities these areas are well and truly covered.

The facilities include separate standard, warm and hazardous material warehouses that comply with all accreditation regimes including COMAH, SQAS Warehouse, SQAS Transport, BRC Storage & Distribution, GMP/GDP, FEMAS, ISO22000. All of which give our customers further assurance that their goods are in safe hands.

H.W. Coates also utilise the latest state of the art double-decker trailers to enable further volume per delivery without the need of multiple drop-offs, more volume on each trailer results in a reduced number of journeys with reduced CO₂ emissions.

With a relationship that has lasted over 25 years Alumasc Roofing Systems and H.W. Coates will continue to provide excellent, punctual and highly professional customer experience.

If you would like to find out more about Alumasc’s Roofing Systems please contact us on 01744 648 400. Alternatively email info@alumasc-exteriors.co.uk

Due to the rapid growth within Alumasc Roofing Systems, Alumasc are pleased to announce the appointment of Jonathan Price to the role of National Business Development Director.

Jonathan will be working alongside the Area Managers all over the UK outlining and analysing new opportunities within the roofing marketplace and providing them with the further focus and direction needed to generate new business at a national level across the range of Alumasc Systems thus continuing the positive growth of the brand.

One of the main areas of focus will be based around the liquid roofing market, promoting Alumasc’s Euroroof Caltech Liquid Roofing products and pushing to market the unique benefits of the system.

Jonathan joins Alumasc almost 10 years in the liquid roofing industry where he has gained extensive knowledge of the roofing sector and is highly regarded within the roofing product specification market. With experience encompassing the roofing industry and management at every level, Jonathan is in a strong position to tackle this role with one of the UK’s market leading Roofing suppliers. He comments:

“As well as building on our relationships with existing clients, specifiers and contractors, I look forward to identifying and managing new partnership opportunities with key customers. I can see the forward thinking, innovative products that are being offered by Alumasc will provide customers with the ideal package to any project or challenge whether it be refurbishment or new build.”

Also joining Jonathan in Alumasc’s expanding Roofing team are two new Field Technicians, Neil Hodgson and Doug McAliece, who will provide site support nationwide.

For more information, please contact Jonathan on 07467 339 403 alternatively email pricej@alumasc-exteriors.co.uk

Another successful re-roofing project has been carried out for Queens University Belfast, located at the Whitla Medical Building (WMB).

Queen’s University Belfast was founded as Queen’s College in 1845, before becoming a university in its own right in 1908. Today, it is an international centre of research and education and a major part of the fabric of Northern Ireland and is a member of the Russell Group of 24 leading UK research-intensive universities, alongside Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial College London.

Queens University have been using Derbigum as their preferred waterproofing system for over 30 years. Alumasc Roofing Systems worked closely with the University and their consultants when this roof was refurbished as part of a major upgrade of the building during the summer of 2014.

The main challenges during this re-fit were the upgrading of the thermal value to 0.18W/m2K and redirecting the drainage to the perimeter of the roof, this was achieved by a special designed tapered insulation system.

The building was live during this refurbishment with important research being carried out on the floor below, which was a major challenge for the Alumasc registered Roofing Contractor who successfully completed the project without disrupting the day to day running of the building.

Prior to starting work and as part of the specification process, a full survey of the existing roof was carried out including taking test cores to establish the build-up. The Derbigum Roofing System that was chosen will extend the life of the roof by another 30+ years and the university have also received a 25 year warranty.

Derbigum high performance waterproofing membranes offer enhanced performance properties including flexibility, excellent fire ratings and strong reinforcement. The use of this system has helped give the building a better ‘U’ Value rating of 0.18W/m2K thus helping keep the facility’s energy efficiency levels to a good standard.

Alumasc Roofing Systems have worked closely with Samuel Stevenson Architects and Construction Services NI to ensure the smooth and effective installation of the products within the specified timescales.

Keith Martin Project Architect for Samuel Stevenson & Sons says:

“In the redesign and upgrade of the existing building envelope of the Whitla Medical Building for Queen’s University Belfast we incorporated a new parapet roof edge topped with a new Skyline aluminium coping to improve the perimeter detail and appearance of the roof. The use of tapered insulation falling to new perimeter gutters and outlets has transformed the tired appearance and under performance of the original flat roof. The Derbigum system and product warranty provides a durable and long lasting solution for our client.”

For further information or if you would like to discuss Alumasc Roofing Systems for your projects call Rob Lowry on 07713 644 640 or email: lowryr@alumasc-exteriors.co.uk

BluRoof is a roof designed to alleviate flood risk by reducing and controlling the peak rate of discharge in compliance with design requirements; facilitating the detention of stormwater, up to a prescribed maximum hydraulic head, for subsequent discharge over an elongated period of time.

Blue roofs can include open water surfaces but can also be used in buried applications, such as raised deck surfaces or green roofs. Indeed, by combining the Alumasc Blackdown Green Roof with a Harmer BluRoof system, the retention of stormwater in the green roof’s layers (i.e. plants, substrate and drainage/reservoir layer) complements the detention of stormwater by the blue roof to provide valuable additional drainage capacity.

BluRoof – The System

Alumasc is a supplier of high performance roof drainage and waterproofing solutions in the UK. Over the past decade we have seen a marked shift in the performance expectations of modern roofs; requiring watertight, energy efficient envelopes that can attenuate stormwater, recreate local habitat and enhance indoor environmental quality with the most efficient use of resources.

Alumasc’s business strategy has been, and continues to be, well-aligned with these requirements; actively pursuing sustainable building products, systems, manufacturing processes and support services that provide Clients, Developers and Contractors with whole-life value and peace of mind.

The Alumasc BluRoof system benefits from the combined expertise associated with Alumasc Roofing Systems and Harmer Engineered Drainage Systems; allowing a truly single source BluRoof solution that is so integral to a system of this nature. The Alumasc BluRoof System comprises of 3 primary facets:

1. The engineered Harmer BluRoof Outlet with Orifice Restriction Device restricts the maximum permissible discharge of stormwater from the roof to predictable levels; accounting for the stage-discharge relationship. As a result, during more intense storm events, rainfall will exceed the rate of discharge, leading stormwater to temporarily back-up on the roof until such time as the Harmer Roof Outlet has the capacity to discharge it.

2. The Alumasc BluRoof Waterproofing; the specification, detailing and installation of which is integral to the success of a BluRoof system – protecting the building against water ingress. There are essentially 2 types of BluRoof; each with 2 typical variants:

a) Inverted Roof

A roof with the insulation situated above the primary waterproofing layer

Podium – surfaced with paving stones on supports

Green roof – typically comprising vegetation, substrate and water management
(or detention, drainage and filtration) layers

b) Warm Roof

A roof with insulation immediately below the primary waterproofing layer and above the independent vapour control layer

Open surface – similar to a conventional flat roof; albeit with extended details to accommodate the higher-than-typical depth of water to be managed at roof level

Green roof – typically comprising extensive green roof vegetation, substrate and water management (or detention, drainage and filtration) layers

3. ‘BluRoof – The Alumasc Promise’ – a service package that provides the client, specifier and the end user with complete confidence in the integrity of the waterproofing and drainage solution. Waterproofing solutions for flat roofs and podia are widely specified. However, not all systems are equal and specifying the solution that has the product characteristics that are suited to the specific application is fundamental to delivering long-term value. Equally, flawed workmanship often results in system failures leading to leaks and costly repairs. This is avoidable if installation is carried out correctly and is guaranteed to last.

To address these issues Alumasc has introduced ‘BluRoof – The Alumasc Promise’ – developed exclusively by us to provide the assurances needed to reduce risk and ensure the long-term performance of your roof.

The package includes detailed technical guidance pertaining to the appropriate safety measures that must be in place (e.g. stormwater management calculations, provision of safety overflows, the adoption of a robust planned and preventative maintenance programme etc).

This Promise guarantees the integrity of your roof prior to, during and after installation and is designed to safeguard against the most common pitfalls. It gives you the security of expert installers, continual on-site supervision, expert testing and comprehensive post-installation support.

Click here to find out more about Alumasc Roofing System’s BluRoof.

Blackdown bio-diverse green roofs provide the ideal opportunity to recreate or replace lost or missing habitat. Having a defined goal, i.e. re-establishment of birds such as the Black Redstart or encouraging the digger wasp Nysson trimaculatus, helps Blackdown specifically tailor the bio-diverse specification to those needs.

Vegetation

A wide range of plants can be incorporated into a bio-diverse green roof depending on what is to be attracted to the roof. Typically the planting will be in the form of plugs, including drought tolerant wildflowers, herbs and grasses. Specialist seed mixes that will help replicate a specific habitat can also be used.

Key Features

Substrate

Blackdown bio-diverse substrate is ideally suited for this type of habitat re-creation. The substrate will be composed of recycled clean crushed bricks with a very wide granulometric distribution and a mineral based soil.
By mounding the substrate and including habitat incidentals i.e. shelter stones, piles of mixed aggregates and partially buried logs etc, the completed installation can be made both eye-catching and varied.

Waterproofing

Waterproofing options typically include suitable root-resistant bituminous membranes from the Derbigum and Euroroof ranges.

Warranty

Warranties are available for the Alumasc waterproofing system used in the green°roof build-up.

Click here to find out more about Alumasc Roofing System’s Green Roofs.

Alumasc’s pioneering BluRoof Stormwater Management waterproofing system has been used at the new University of Bristol Lecture Theatre.

This marks the first ever BluRoof installation in the UK.

As part of the 400 m² project, the innovative BluRoof Stormwater Management system was installed by Alumasc’s Registered Contractor M&J Roofing of Bedford, along with a Blackdown fully bio-diverse green roof system also from Alumasc.

The main challenge was to achieve water attenuation despite the constraints placed on the project by planners, as architect, Tim Healy, of Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios, explains:

“It was a planning stipulation that there should be no increase in the amount of excess water that was discharged into the existing drain infrastructure, but due to the site’s location in a conservation area, planners were also adamant that there be no visible ventilation equipment or tanks used on the build. Additionally, Priory Road is subject to very high bedrock which would have meant very expensive excavation to provide hidden water attenuation.”

Speaking about the installation, M&J’s Steve Roche, said:

“This was the first ever installation of Alumasc BluRoof in the UK and we were pleased to have been involved with this revolutionary project. The fitting of both the waterproofing and the green roof element went very smoothly, and we were provided with first class technical support from Alumasc through every step of the project.”

Alumasc’s BluRoof is a new concept in water management, offering the combined expertise of Alumasc Roofing Systems and Harmer Engineered Drainage Systems.

The system uses flat roofing spaces to capture storm water, releasing it at a controlled rate into the drainage network via a flow-restricting device or further attenuation structures – in this case, the bio-diverse green roof.

The combination of Alumasc’s BluRoof and Blackdown Green Roof systems used at Priory Road meant that the retention of storm water in the green roof’s build-up – i.e. the plants, substrate and drainage/reservoir layer – complemented the detention of storm water by the BluRoof, thus providing valuable additional drainage capacity.

The finished roofing system at the Theatre provides a fully warranted, cost effective and visually attractive water attenuation solution, preventing the need for underground attenuation tanks within a highly built up urban section of Bristol City Centre.

For further information or if you would like to discuss our flat roof systems call Alumasc Roofing Systems on +44 (0) 3335 771 500 or email: info@alumasc-exteriors.co.uk

Image Source: Madeleine.McEwan for Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios

Alumasc’s Derbigum Flat Roofing System has been used at Hampton Court and Richmond Court – two historic five-storey apartment blocks, which have undergone a £2.9m refurbishment for Birmingham City Council as part of the Constructing West Midlands framework.

Derbigum was the preferred system for the project as it had been used successfully by the client’s architect Acivico in previous installations and offers a unique 25 year single-point warranty covering both the waterproofing system and associated Alumasc products.
A prerequisite of the works was that the old roof be entirely stripped back for structural assessment to ascertain whether any damage or issues had arisen as a result of the local area being bombed during World War 2. Initial test areas were exposed to establish the condition of the structure, with intrusive samples being taken to evaluate the depth and reinforcement contained within the roof slab.

A total of 800m² of Derbigum Mineral in charcoal was installed to the roofs of both buildings by Alumasc’s Registered Contractor Brindley Asphalt Ltd. This included the use of a vapour control layer and full polyurethane insulation scheme, also supplied by Alumasc.

To minimise the appearance to the external façade, the Derbigum roofing system was dressed to encapsulate the perimeter parapet and Alumasc’s Skyline polyester powder coated aluminium coping system was installed.

Speaking about the installation, Charlie Pursehouse, Director at Brindley Asphalt, said:

“An integral part of the new waterproofing system was the client’s requirement to increase the falls present on the main and lift motor room roofs, which resulted in the design and specification of a fully tapered Derbifoam insulation scheme.  This has further benefitted residents due to the resulting increase in ‘U’ values.”

For further information or if you would like to discuss our flat roof systems call Alumasc Roofing Systems on +44 (0) 3335 771 500 or email: info@alumasc-exteriors.co.uk