Roof detail at Petchey Academy

With environmental considerations being more commonly incorporated into design specifications for contemporary roofing, our Technical Development Manager Chris Lister explains the increase in the use of our Hydrotech MM6125 Structural Waterproofing system in the Newbuild sector:

Chris comments, “The onus is on modern roofs to provide more than just traditional protection from rainwater. In addition to accommodating familiar performance features such as plant rooms and air conditioning systems, the introduction of green roofs and photovoltaics is now presenting the need for more specialist detail.

“Hot melt systems such as Hydrotech, provide a seamless waterproofing membrane ideal for green roofs and podiums and for highly detailed waterproofing or water feature schemes. The system moulds itself around intricate detailing on high performance roofs and is also the first choice for zero falls waterproofing on inverted green roofs and hard landscaped podium structures in new build applications.

“Due to the recent economic situation, contractors are also increasingly conscious of project deadlines and budgets. Hot melt systems allow fast and simple installation over complex roof details, which in many cases can assist in the timely completion of projects and the avoidance of contractual penalties. For example, Hydrotech was recently chosen to provide a fastrack waterproofing and inverted roofing system to the 2600m² roof at the new Petchey Academy in Hackney. Separate plant areas and a 400m² terrace were completed early, together with 1300mm high waterproofed and insulated perimeter upstands, enabling the efficient installation of associated glazing and cladding to ensure that tight contractor deadlines were met successfully.”

For more information on Hydrotech, click here

Firestone UltraPly TPO™ from Alumasc has been used on a new 800-place secondary school building in Melton Mowbray which has achieved a BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’ and an EPC ‘B’ rating.

The John Ferneley College is undergoing a two-phase re-development by the Willmott Dixon Group, the first phase of which boasts an impressive new college building and landscape designed by architects and sustainability consultancy White Design Associates Ltd. The project showcases a number of sustainable features and construction techniques which have contributed to its impressive green credentials.

The Firestone UltraPly TPO waterproofing system was specified for the college roof due to its ease of installation, heat reflective and energy efficient properties. Its light coloured surface reflects sunlight before it can be absorbed and converted into heat energy, thus improving the energy efficiency of the building. The membrane can also be easily recycled, making it the perfect solution for environmentally sensitive applications.

Approved Contractor BriggsAmasco, installed 2500m² of UltraPly TPO Fully Adhered System in Light Grey. The hot-air welded seaming process results in fast, economical installation, which can be carried out all year-round in a variety of weather conditions. The application of UltraPly TPO was part of an ‘enviro-ready’ roof design, enabling the addition of sustainable features such as green roofing and photovoltaics at a later date.

Firestone UltraPly TPO combines aesthetics and outstanding seam strength with strong resistance to ultraviolet radiation and weathering. It contains no plasticizers and no halogen flame retardants resulting in outstanding resistance to UV radiation and ozone. The membrane also exhibits strong resistance to algae and fungi growth and common rooftop chemicals.

For more information on Firestone UltraPly TPO from Alumasc, download the brochure here.

A ZinCo green roof from Alumasc has been chosen for Westfield London – Europe’s largest urban shopping centre.

The excellent track record of the ZinCo systems and Derbigum Rapido waterproofing from Alumasc, made them the natural choice for this prestigious project, meeting the need for a lightweight and commercially competitive waterproofing solution.

Spanning over 149,000m2, Westfield London is a £1.7 billion development featuring an impressive mix of retail, leisure and restaurant space in West London. Westfield worked with international architects Benoy and The Buchan Group, to design and deliver the innovative curved undulating glass roof above the shopping centre, which earned the project a position as finalist in the LABC National Building Excellence Awards.  The award organisers described the roof as “part of a sustainable design that has paved the way for 21st century retail design in the UK.”

Landscape Contract Designs (LCD) of North Yorkshire installed 15,600m² of extensive and bio-diverse green roof onto the structural metal deck roof. The system features sedum plug plants which will flourish over time, offering notable ecological benefits, providing a natural habitat for plants and wildlife, whilst also helping to reduce air and noise pollution, cutting carbon emissions and assisting with rainwater retention and attenuation.

ZinCo green roofs vary from the extensive and biodiverse types used at Westfield – which require minimal irrigation and maintenance – to intensive roofs, which are suited for areas of public and recreational use and require more tending.

Derbigum Rapido waterproofing, also from Alumasc, was installed by leading building envelope contractor Prater Ltd of Surrey, for the warm roof build up.  This high performance single layer membrane gives exceptional long-term performance and durability, warranted for 25 years. Derbigum is BBA Approved and manufactured under the ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management Standards. Furthermore, Derbigum is fire rated F.AA to BS476 Pt3 (EN1187 Pt4), the highest available rating, which allows unrestricted use under Building Regulations.

Throughout the project, Alumasc worked closely with the contractors to ensure that products were supplied to suit available crane time-slots, contributing to the successful completion of the project within deadline and budget.

For more information on ZinCo Green Roof systems, click here

For more information on Derbigum Single Layer Waterproofing, click here

Hydrotech MM6125 structural waterproofing from Alumasc has been chosen for Glasgow’s latest landmark building in a major regeneration project.

Designed by Aedas Architects of Glasgow, Anderston Phase 5 is a £56million mixed-use development from Taylor Wimpey. The impressive structure comprises 7 floors of office space spanning 98,000sq feet and a 20-storey residential apartment block, built on the former Anderston Bus Station site. Forming part of the fifth and largest construction phase of the Anderston regeneration project, the unique ‘L’ shaped building dominates the new Glasgow skyline and is one of the most prominent sights for users of the Kingston Bridge on Glasgow’s M8 – the busiest motorway bridge in Europe.

Alumasc approved installer BriggsAmasco were active in the specification of Hydrotech MM6125, which they recommended to the architects as a durable, more cost effective alternative to mastic asphalt, and which also offered the benefit of not requiring a screed.

Anderston Phase 5 is constructed over several different roof levels, parts of which are used to accommodate heavy roof-mounted M&E plant. BriggsAmasco installed a total of 2,500m² of Hydrotech MM6125 over the ballasted protected roof areas, resulting in a prime example of the design potential and aesthetics that a finished Hydrotech/Protected roof can achieve.

For more information on Hydrotech MM6125, click here

Alumasc’s Swistherm External Wall Insulation in use at Bletchley Leisure Centre – Winner of the BREEAM Bespoke Award.

Sustainable building products from Alumasc have excelled at the prestigious 2010 BREEAM Awards which recognise the UK’s top examples of ecological design.

Alumasc products were specified on no less than 10 of the 16 short-listed projects – with four of the overall winners featuring Alumasc high performance Roofing and Facades systems.

The hotly contested awards, which were presented at this year’s Ecobuild, recognise and reward the highest scoring buildings certified under BREEAM each year. Following independent assessment and certification, the successful projects all achieved ‘Excellent’ BREEAM ratings, earning the most performance credits available in areas such as energy, materials, waste and ecology.

Alumasc’s Swistherm External Wall insulation featured heavily in the winning list, having been specified on the new Bletchley Leisure Centre in Milton Keynes, recipient of the BREEAM Bespoke Award; White River Place in St Austell, winner of the BREEAM Retail Award; and Salisbury Law Court, winner in the BREEAM Courts Category.

Swistherm is a BBA approved, thin coat insulated render system, which can be finished in a choice of silicone or mineral-based topcoats. Offering outstanding thermal efficiency, Swistherm is weatherproof, eliminates interstitial condensation and reduces energy consumption. Insulation slabs are available in a variety of materials including polystyrene, mineral wool or highly sustainable natural cork for environmentally sensitive applications.

Winner of the BREEAM Industrial Award – Defra’s Veterinary Laboratory Agency Store in Weybridge – featured Alumasc’s Derbigum single layer waterproofing system. BBA Approved and warranted for 25 years, Derbigum was chosen for its exceptional long-term performance and durability. It is manufactured under the ISO 14001:2204 and EMAS Environmental Management Standards and is fire rated F.AA to BS476 Pt3 (EN1187 Pf4), the highest available rating, which allows for unrestricted use under Building Regulations.

Chris Lister, Development Manager at Alumasc, commented: “We are delighted that Alumasc products have made significant contributions to so many of these short listed and award-winning BREEAM projects. As a company, we can offer a wide variety of A+ rated solutions, allowing designers and specifiers to achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and ‘Outstanding’ building designs”.

For more information on how Alumasc can help you achieve BREEAM ratings, please click here or call 01744 648400.

Alumasc are proud sponsors of the Green Roof Organisation (GRO) stand at this year’s Greenbuild Expo from 26-27 May 2010 at Manchester Central.

GRO was formed as an independent body to represent the industry trade associations and the key players in the green roof market, developing guidance for specification, design, manufacturing, installation and maintenance of green roofs.

Its 3 principal objectives are:

1. To promote the green roof concept
2. To provide suitable guidelines to manufacturers and installers
3. To recognise and promote correctly trained roofing companies

Greenbuild Expo is an exhibition and conference promoting sustainability in the construction industry and Alumasc will be present on the GRO stand for the duration of the show to provide help and advice on all aspects of green roof specification, installation and maintenance.

Visit us on stand number C8 at Greenbuild Expo

For more information on ZinCo green roofs from Alumasc, please click here.

For more information on the Green Roof Organisation, visit www.livingroofs.org

Following their recent success in The BREEAM Awards, Alumasc was celebrating yet again at the NFRC Awards in London on Friday 14th May.

This time, Alumasc’s ZinCo green roofs were the centre of attention, clinching the NFRC Green Roof Award for the exemplary installation at Rockliffe Park Hotel near Darlington in the North East.

Roofclad Systems of Durham installed 1600m² of Alumasc’s ZinCo green roof system on the new golf clubhouse at Rockliffe – located in the preserved countryside of the listed hotel building.  The project presented a challenging design brief to architects Browne Smith Baker of Newcastle, who worked closely with Alumasc’s Technical Team to create the ideal solution for the project. The location for the new clubhouse building was carefully identified to ensure it sat low down in the landscape, with the green roof blending seamlessly into the countryside, making the clubhouse almost invisible from the hotel.

A variety of wild grasses were chosen to harmonise with surrounding plant species and to complement the natural timber profile of the clubhouse facade. Requiring only a shallow growing medium, the green roof offered a much lighter option than turf, which in turn enabled the specification of more cost effective materials for use in the underlying roof structure, which, as a result, would not be required to support as much weight.

The green roof was applied over Alumasc’s Derbigum high performance waterproofing membrane, for exceptional long-term performance and durability.

Finishing close behind Rockliffe was Alumasc’s installation at Regent’s Place in London. The bio-diverse green roof was installed by Tilbury Contracts of Rainham over Alumasc’s Hydrotech MM6125 waterproofing system. The impressive terraced roof, which comprises a number of compartments to form a stunning puzzle pattern, will provide essential habitats to support the survival of some of our rare and scarce plant species, together with a natural habitat for bees, spiders, beetles and birds.

Alumasc’s Managing Director Robert Littlewood comments: “Rockliffe Park is a shining example of how green roofs can be sensitively applied in areas of natural beauty. This award is testament to Alumasc’s Approved Contractor Roofclad and our own Technical Support Team who pulled out the stops to ensure the successful delivery of such a stunning roof.”

For more information on ZinCo Green Roofs from Alumasc, please click here.

For Architects, Developers and Designers considering BREEAM ratings and green credits, the specification of a green roof can contribute to a successful assessment. Simon Poe of Alumasc explains:

The inclusion of a ZinCo green roof system on the roof and terraces at Regents Place in London contributed to its BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’.

A range of benefits can be attained across BREEAM assessment – from water detention to energy consumption reductions and responsible materials sourcing to life cycle costing – however, the availability of credits in the ‘Land use and ecology’ section, is of most relevance to green roofs.

The exact number of credits available will vary depending on location (e.g. the re-use of land at brownfield or previously-contaminated sites) and application (e.g. schools earn credits by using green roofs in education and forming wildlife partnerships), however the majority of credits required to attain an ‘Excellent’ or ‘Outstanding’ rating can be achieved irrespective of site placement.

There are two principal stages:

1. The replacement of habitat that would otherwise be lost through the construction process – mitigating the impact of the development and protecting ecological features of the site.

2. Creation of new habitats that will enhance the ecological value of the site to provide long-term biodiversity benefit.

Green roof solutions can be devised to score credits in both categories, with the planting strategy critical to habitat creation appropriate to the wildlife habitation objectives. Schemes can be devised to include appropriate mixes of plant species to attract different wildlife.

For more information on Alumasc’s ZinCo green roofs, click here

For more information on how Alumasc can advise on BREEAM assessments, click here

The World Green Roof Congress (WGRC) brings together leading green roof experts from across the world, to share and communicate good practice and to celebrate the inclusion of green roofs within a sustainable built environment.

Following our successful sponsorship of the WGRC in 2008, Alumasc are again proud to be associated with the event as Premium Sponsor.

Alumasc’s ZinCo Green Roof at Bishops Square

This year’s 2 day conference, co-ordinated by CIRIA and Livingroofs.org with support from the European Federation of Green Buildings, will be held on 15^th & 16^th September at the prestigious offices of Allen and Overy in Bishops Square, London – a building which itself boasts an impressive ZinCo Green Roof from Alumasc.

ZinCo is the leading global brand in Green Roofing, offering Extensive, Biodiverse, Semi-Intensive and Intensive specifications with a choice of drainage layers and substrates to support an unrivalled variety of planting strategies.

ZinCo Green Roofs are designed and engineered to deliver a wide range of performance benefits including; additional amenity space, control of rainwater run-off and assistance with SUDS, reduced CO2, dust and smog levels and extended life of the waterproofing system.

So, for the opportunity to experience Alumasc’s ZinCo Green Roof first hand, you can register for this year’s event here.  We’ll look forward to seeing you there.

For more information on ZinCo Green Roofs from Alumasc, click here.

A ZinCo green roof from Alumasc assisted with the BREEAM rating of Hetton Lyons School in Sunderland.

Minister of State for Schools and Learners, Vernon Coaker MP, has been talking at the recent BSEC conference about his impression of the nations schools.

He described the governments BSF programme as a “real record of  achievement” and spoke of the significant change brought about in our primary and secondary schools, touching specifically on the award winning architectural designs that make our modern school buildings “inspirational and exciting” places to be.

Mr Coaker continued “The important thing now is to bring every school building up to the standard that we want. To make them modern, light and airy and environmentally friendly.”

Alumasc’s Aqualine gutter system and Flushjoint downpipes were used on Windygoul Primary School near Edinburgh. The project earned East Lothian Council a Carbon Trust Award for Low Carbon Building.

Alumasc has long been involved in school building initiatives and we are working closely alongside a number of architectural and contract partners on some of the country’s most innovative school buildings. Alumasc’s green roofs, waterproofing systems, thermally efficient external wall insulation and recyclable rainwater systems have all been specified on educational projects to help minimise their impact on the environment.

Let’s hope that by building greener schools, the young generations learning inside them can be confident of a more positive outlook for the earth’s resources.