"breather membrane"

So here we have a stunning steel framed barn conversion stripped down and retrofit with a huge hybrid timber frame panel system manufactured and installed by White Haus Bespoke Timber Frame. These panels are made up of 140mm insulated timber frame, 9mm OSB sheathing with Passive Purple External and two 50mm cross battens externally, followed by feathered edge cladding. With the internal side then adding an additional 50mm PIR insulation flowing into the joist zones with one continuous layer of Passive Purple and 25mm counter battens for services. This 326mm wall build up has used both Passive Purple and Passive Purple External which meet in the window formers to guarantee the build its internal airtight vapour control and external weatherproof breather membrane. The Joints in the OSB, PIR insulation and fixings into the timber frame studwork were all prepped like always using the BRUSH versions of both Passive Purple and Passive Purple External. This fibre reinforced product allows for a tough hold and elongation on any shrinkage the insulation or timber may have with building settlement or extreme changes in climate. With only a score of 2.5ach required, Intelligent Membranes have given this wonderfully unique home the full treatment for perfect performance to keep the HVAC system running on low hassle percentage and optimal performance output.

Goodluck Hope is an exciting new development located on the historic Leamouth Peninsula, with incredible views along the River Thames, settled by Allies and Morrison architects. The development includes new shops, restaurants, bars and outside spaces to eat, shop and relax in. In order, to protect the façade elements and ensuring the protection of the building against driving rain and moisture preventing future corrosion, insulation deterioration and mould growth at the same time it increases the building energy efficiency and minimizes the condensation risk, Effisus Breather FR-B Membrane and Effisus Breather FR Class A1 membrane were applied.

The purpose of this development is making the re-cladding of an existing building removing Aluminium Composite Material insulation and cement particle board and replacement with new 3mm aluminium cladding and associated works. The new building will include a mixed tenure unit of 138 one, two and three bed apartments. It’s design was developed by the PRP Architects. Its design was developed by the PRP Architects. In order to protect the façade building from moisture, driving rain and wind the solution Effisus A2 Fire Rated Breather FR System was applied, using an A1 Fire Rated Breather FR Membrane.

Spinnaker House is a residential building located at Battersea Reach, with views over the River Thames. It was designed by Broadway Malyan Architecture firm, with a contemporary specification, including full heigh glazing to enhance natural daylight. The location of the building is very attractive, because it offers prime transport links to London´s most fashionable area. In order to protect the façade building from moisture, driving rain and wind the solution Effisus A2 Fire Rated Breather FR System was applied, using an A1 Fire Rated Breather FR Membrane.

A £1bn investment will re-instate the Royal Docks as a commercial and trading centre for the 21st century. The Effisus Ecofacade Envelope System and its Effisus Ecofacade Membranes, Effisus Breather+ Membranes, Effisus Vap Membranes and accessories, was chosen to address weatherproofing and air sealing requirements on facade cladding systems.

The project consisted of two similar flat roof areas totalling 1,100m2 above high-rise residential blocks in a city centre location. The existing roofs were an inverted roof design that had been waterproofed with single-ply that had failed prematurely. Numerous short-term, localised repairs had failed to stop the water ingress and leaks had been a long-term problem.It would have been impractical to remove the tons and tons of ballast and insulation from the top of the high-rise building and it was imperative to the client that removal or replacement works were not involved at all. The specific nature of this project required careful consideration, and so a survey of the roof was arranged.The SolutionA report from an independent consultant commissioned by the client identified a problematic challenge with an overlay option. The existing falls of the roof were assessed to be poor, and so standing water would be an issue for any new waterproof covering. The report concluded that this would reduce the lifespan of an overlay waterproofing system and so was advised against. The client initially thought this to be a stumbling block and that costly and impractical modifications to the roof would need to be made.Having worked with Polyroof on scores of other projects, the client turned to Polyroof Technical Services for a solution that could meet their stringent criteria. Following on from the preliminary discussions, Polyroof’s Technical Services assessed the site, taking core samples and then providing a suitable specification to overlay the roof with the Protec System.The BBA certification of the Protec system specifically covers use for zero falls (completely flat) applications, meaning the client had absolute peace of mind that standing water would not be a detriment to the integrity of the waterproofing system. The client was able to achieve the original objective of an overlay system and benefited from the associated cost and time savings. Furthermore, the BBA certificate states that when used in inverted roof scenarios the lifespan of the Protec system is as long as the design life of the roof.Work was started with J R Flat Roofing, a Polyroof approved contractor with national coverage, moving the ballast and insulation to one-side in four phases of 140m2 at a time, exposing the single-ply membrane to which the Protec system was directly applied.Due to Protec’s rapid cure and walk-on times (30-60 mins dependent on conditions), the system is ideal for larger, phased refurbishment, as specific sections of the roof can be made waterproof with the full Protec system in one day. When carrying out the next section, the new Protec membrane forms a totally seamless and watertight joint to the existing Protec-covered areas.Another objective was to reuse the original inverted insulation and ballast pebbles as this was cost saving and negated the need for the lifting logistics that would have been involved in bringing the ballast to ground level. Additionally, it made the process as environmentally compliant as possible by keeping waste to a minimum. The insulation and pebbles were re-applied in its original format and, due to the weight of the pebbles, was a mammoth task that required three miniveyors to help with the handling. A series of special aluminium breather vents were also fitted down to the concrete slab roof substrate to enable the surface to dry out over a period of 12 months.The whole job was completed in three weeks and the client was delighted with the finished work. With a 20-year insurance back-guarantee and a maintenance-free waterproof membrane that will last as long as the roof stands, the client was once again left with total peace of mind that their buildings could not be better protected.

The Redmonds Building provides the university with a state-of-the-art home for the Faculty of Business and Law, the Liverpool Screen School and the university’s new Professional Centre. The work is taking places in phases over a two-year period and will replace the cladding on the outside of the building. The external works are scheduled to be completed in summer 2021. Fire protection is a main concern for this project and Effisus Breather FR, a fire-resistant breathable membrane, was the chosen membrane for protection of the new façade against moisture, driving rain and wind.

Aykon London One is London’s luxury venture and the first of its kind in Europe. It was designed in partnership with the iconic fashion house Versace Home. Its residents will be able to enjoy the magnificent urban landscapes as well as the serenity of its private winter gardens. The building’s design make Aykon London One, the most exclusive real estate investments in London. In this new project the Effisus Breather B membrane was used for moisture management and protection of the façade against damp, and Adjoin TI tapes for the sealing of overlap joints between membranes.

Located riverside, closed to Westminster and the London Eye, Southbank Place combines a perfect location with architectural quality, celebrating the heritage and history of its surroundings. For this project’s façade, and its intricate interfacing details, it was used the Effisus Pre-fab TrueSeal solution – a bespoke solution that assures a perfect sealing of complex details. Effisus Ecofacade Membranes and Effisus Pre-fab Corners, as well as Effisus Breather + Membrane, were used to achieve a complete façade weatherproofing.

Glasgow Harbour is one of Clyde Waterfront regeneration projects. This regeneration development will benefit Glasgow and Scotland economically and socially. Major infrastructure works have been carried out along the Expressway at Glasgow Harbour with £25 million spent on local roads improvements. In addition to its residential and commercial facilities, Glasgow Harbour also have features around 50 acres of open public space, and approximately 3km of waterfront walkways. Effisus A1 Fire Rated Breather FR Membrane, was the chosen membrane to protect the new façade against moisture, driving rain and wind.

Gracing the banks of the River Thames in the heart of historic Westminster, 9 Millbank is a landmark residential address that captures the very essence of British Luxury and style, developed by Eric Parry Architects. Effisus solutions were used in order to protect the façade building from environmental factors. Breather FR Class A1 membrane was used to protect the façade elements against moisture, driving rain and wind avoiding corrosion, insulation deterioration and mould growth. Vapour FR Class A1 membrane was used to prevent the condensation risk, improving the airtightness and consequently the energy efficiency of the building.

The idea behind the project was to explore a new usage for the main exhibition hall and replace the administrative wing and develop it from a residential point of view. The project sits at the southern end of Holland Park and occupies an area of 30.000 m2. Effisus weatherproofing solutions and Consulting Services have been integrated throughout the project, aiming to maximize the building’s energy efficiency and air quality. Some of the Effisus solutions installed were: Effisus Ecofacade Membrane, Effisus Breather+ Membrane, Effisus VAP Vapor Control Barrier, Effisus Bonding KF Adhesive and Effisus 2Bond GO Tape.

This £40 million retrofit transformation of Brindley Place, a well-known site in the Westside of Birmingham city centre, raises the bar for sustainability and wellness in an urban regeneration and commercial refurbishment project. The ‘back to frame’ concept combines 10 Brindley Place with the adjoining 8 Brindley Place to create over 200,000 square feet of offices with serviced apartments and one of the largest floorplates in the city. Amenities include an on-site café, fitness facilities, a fitness studio and bouldering wall, storage for 100 cycles, electric vehicle charging points, and two communal roof terraces with impressive views. Associated Architects have created a bold new identity for the site. The façade was completely redesigned using 245,000 locally sourced bricks from a sustainable quarry. Each one was installed by hand to cover an area of 40,000 square feet. The system was constructed off an exterior steel frame consisting of a breather membrane, thermal insulation, fire cavity barriers, and helping hand brackets and rails. Grooves were cut into the bricks before they were slotted into these rails and mortar was then applied to all brick joints.The Leicester Grey Stock, Atlas Dark Grey, and Blue Glazed bricks selected complement each other and create a modern and distinctive aesthetic that responds positively to the renovated building’s Broad Street context. Floor to ceiling windows on the large floorplates complete the design, which blends impeccably with the nearby Metro line and adjacent development. The identity is also carried through to the interior styling. This interior, that boasts a striking double-height reception area, was developed in partnership with Willmott Dixon.In addition to its impressive appearance, the renovated Brindley Place also utilises smart building technologies to provide real-time energy monitoring. The building also has excellent thermal performance, achieved a high WiredScore and an excellent BREEAM rating. Occupier wellness is also at the heart of the new design. Indeed, Brindley Place was the first building in Birmingham to receive a Fitwel accreditation. In summary, this highly acclaimed urban redevelopment has both shifted perceptions of Broad Street as an address and set new standards for the reinvention of office space in the city. It has transformed the site and provides one of the most attractive and well-equipped office buildings in the country. 

In the heart of the London’s Technology District, this projects, is one of the most ambitious projects to be built. It’s a vibrant community of successful start-ups and established digital corporations. Revolutionizing the workplace, the concept of designing new office buildings inside industrial spaces, is based on the principles of reducing lighting, heating and cooling, allowing maximum flexibility and adaptability, allied with excellent decoration and design. In this project, the Effisus Breather+ breathable membrane was chosen in order to assure the façade’s watertightness, whilst also permitting aeration of its components, such as the insulation boards.

The overall construction consists of 12 (mixed-use) buildings including the three primary towers which extend upwards over 54 storeys. When complete the towers will provide exception views over London, from the Thames and London Eye to the new American Embassy. In order, to protect the façade elements and ensuring the protection of the building against driving rain and moisture preventing future corrosion, insulation deterioration and mould growth at the same time it increases the building energy efficiency and minimizes the condensation risk, Effisus Breather FR-B Membrane were applied.

Kensington Row is a residential development of apartments and penthouses in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London W14, design by the architect company Squire and Partners. The development comprises 160 apartments over 4 blocks and the flats are a mix of private and social rented. In order, to protect the façade elements and ensuring the protection of the building against driving rain and moisture increasing the building energy efficiency minimizing the condensation risk, Effisus Vapour FR and Breather FR Class A1 Membrane so as Effisus Ecofacade P-Fix, were applied.

Harbour Central is one of the most recent developments in Canary Wharf, one of London’s two financial centres. There will be 5 residential buildings and a leisure complex. The main building of the development will be the Maine Tower with 42 floors. The upper floors are quite promising, as they will comprise breath-taking panoramic views of London. The Effisus Breather breathable membrane was the chosen solution for this project, in order to ensure the watertightness of the façade, and, at the same time, to allow ventilation of the façades components.

London Wall Place is a new development, with more than 500.000m2, located in the heart of London, between Moorgate and Barbican. This development is comprised by two commercial buildings and will add a large green area to the city. The largest building has about 300.000m2 and rises to a height of 12 floors, and the remaining building, with about 12.000m2, has 16 floors. For this project’s façade weatherproofing, three Effisus solutions were used: Effisus VAP (vapour barrier), Effisus Breather+ (breathable membrane) and Effisus 2Bond DS (double-sided solution for sealing between two surfaces).

The 760,000 sq ft development will bring the Old War Office back into use, creating a world class 5-star hotel and 85 apartments. Works will include developing a six storey basement and constructing a three storey roof extension. The venue has been designed by UK-based EPR Architects, with the hotel interiors designed by New York-based designer Thierry Despont, and the residences by 1508 London. A1 Fire Rated Breather and Vapour FR Membranes were used to protect the insulation and building interior, maximizing its energy efficiency and value.

For Exeter's Sandy Park Hotel project, Obex supplied just under 6,000 m² of our Cortex® 0220FR Class A1 Breather Membrane. The new hotel will have 250 beds and is situated south of the Exeter Chief's Rugby Club.

The old Shredded Wheat Factory in Hertfordshire has found a brand-new purpose. Wheat Quarter Ltd has partnered with construction companies to transform the site into a contemporary residential development. The regeneration of the factory and other listed buildings will help create (approx.) 697 residential Units, 114 retirement homes and 130,000 sq ft of commercial space. To help drive the success of the project, we are proud to be supplying Insight Facades with our Cortex® FR products: 0500FR Breather Membrane and 0771FR Paste Adhesive.

The Moorings is a high-end, self-build project in an area of outstanding natural beauty in Anglesey, Wales.This collaborative project, between MBC Timber Frame and WM Design and Architecture, consists of a three-bedroom, 250m2 detached private residence that has been designed and constructed to achieve the airtightness and thermal performance targets required to meet Passive House standards. The timber frame home has been built incorporating a range of low carbon building solutions from Partel including high performing breather membranes ECHOFOIL EXO and EXOPERM MONO 150 and also the phA Class Passive House Certified components IZOPERM PLUS vapour control layer and CONEXO MULTISEAL airtight tape.

Nestled in Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, over-looking the Shannon Blueway and River Shannon, Drumhierny is a unique development of high-end holiday lodges situated in a 100 acre woodland estate. This multi-unit project, consists of sixteen lodges, in four distinct architectural styles, each nestled within their own private area of woodland. The lodges have been designed, manufactured, and constructed to achieve an A-rated Building Energy Rating (BER). To help achieve a thermally efficient building envelope a number of products from Partel have been used.The buildings were constructed using an offsite fabricated Light Gauge Steel (LGS) frame. As part of the frame construction a number of Partel’s low carbon building envelope solutions were used. This included EXOPERM MONO 150, a high performing breather membrane, IZOPERM PLUS, a phA Class Passive House Certified vapour control layer; and CONEXO MULTISEAL, a phA Class Passive House Certified airtight tape.

Whitethorn Village is an attractive residential scheme positioned adjacent to the centre of Naas. The contemporary development led by Cairn Homes PLC includes a mix of spacious family homes and two apartment buildings. These comfortable, sustainable residences offer the very best in terms of quality and energy efficiency.Developer Cairn Homes collaborated with Horizon Offsite to deliver the impressive 5-storey residential blocks in Whitethorn Village, benefiting from off-site fabrication, accuracy, and rapid completion within a tightly controlled cost plan.The apartments were constructed using an offsite fabricated light gauge steel (LGS) structural system. The external LGS wall panels and floor decking used in this system incorporated a number of Partel’s low carbon building envelope solutions. This included the advanced fire rated components EXOPERM MONO DURO 200 breather membrane and ECHOSEAL ALU FR airtight and windtight tape, the multi-purpose adhesive VERBOND, and also the phA Class Passive House Certified components IZOPERM PLUS vapour control layer and VARA SEAL smart airtight tape.

Having won a bid for £15m of capital funding in 2020, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust (BHT) commissioned a new children’s emergency department – including upgraded, expanded facilities and a new overnight observation ward – at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Aylesbury.Completed in March 2023, the 3,500m2 extension not only provides a dedicated area for children but has also freed up much-needed capacity for adult patients in the existing emergency department, and has reduced overcrowding and improved infection control. The plans also included new facilities to improve access to maternity and gynaecology outpatient services in a modern, purpose-built environment. The buildings adjacent to the children’s department house the hospital’s A&E department and maternity ward, so it was crucial that construction could go ahead without causing any disruption to day-to-day access.Throughout the project, the emergency department drop-off route, blue light route, maternity drop-off route, and A&E entrance remained in use at all times. Designed by London-based architects Hunters, the two-storey buildingwas made using modern methods of construction (MMC) at the main contractor Western Building Systems’ purpose-built in-house manufacturing facilities in Northern Ireland.The decision to build using modular construction resulted in minimal disruption to the hospital, both in terms of number of deliveries and overall time to build. Hospital buildings require many services to be installed so the subcontractors worked closely together, supported by quantity surveyors from MESH Construction Consultancy Limited. Steel structure modules were made at the Western Building Systems factory in Coalisland to form the frame of the building. They were then sheathed in 12mm cement particle boards and wrapped in breather membrane.The modular design specified an efficient, certified External Wall Insulation (EWI) system that met all stringent safety standards. EWI systems have huge thermal benefits for any building by conserving energy, minimising heat loss and reducing CO2 emissions. In addition to this, having a fully certified non-combustible solution offers great peace of mind, as well as a fast-track way to provide an attractive and durable façade.  Once the frame was in place on site, render and EWI specialists from Clarke ECO Wall Ltd installed Saint-Gobain Weber’s webertherm XM – a system they are familiar with, having used it on projects previously, including University Hospital Limerick.he EWI system included webertherm MFD mineral fibre insulation board with carbon tip screw fixings, weberend LAC rapid adhesive render coat and silicone enhanced webersil TF decorative finish. This building was made up of two types of wall: one which used 170mm of external insulation and achieved a U-Value of 0.12 W/m2K and another which used just 70mm of webertherm MFD yet still reached a U-Value of 0.18 W/m2K. Both were combined with additional insulation installed within the frame. The system was finished using webersil TF – a highly weather-resistant silicone decorative finish – in Winter White. “The team from Weber were very helpful,” said Michael Clarke, managing director of Clarke ECO Wall Ltd. “They provided all the specification and completed the necessary pull-out tests, fixing patterns and condensation analysis – ensuring everything was approved and there were no grey areas – and offered our team application support while carrying out the work. They took a very collaborative approach.”A representative from Weber made weekly site visits to support the applicators to ensure the system was installed in line with Weber’s recommended best practice. The EWI system was installed in two phases, totalling eight weeks, between April and November 2022.

When completed, A3 New Bailey in Manchester will be one of Europe’s greenest buildings. Not only has it been designed to achieve the toughest sustainability ratings, it will also feature Europe’s largest living wall. But as with any innovative project, it presented some major challenges when it came to the specification of the rainscreen façade system. Meeting the target U-value Lester Cladding NW Ltd were responsible for the design and build of the façade. A rock mineral wool product with a thermal conductivity of 0.035 W/mK had been specified. But when conducting the calculations, they instantly ran into a problem. An insulation depth of 240mm was required to achieve the U-value of 0.15W/m2K.  Jamie Simm, Operations Director at Lester Cladding NW Ltd explained: “There was a strict external and internal boundary, so we needed to keep the façade wall build-up within those measurements. But the amount of insulation needed to meet the target U-value increased the depth of the wall, pushing it over the boundary line.” When looking for an alternative solution, the company approached Knauf Insulation’s Project Specification Team to discuss the brief. As well as meeting the thermal performance requirement, the insulation needed to comply with building regulations that ban the use of combustible materials in the external walls of certain buildings over 18m tall. It also needed to help reduce noise and meet the project’s sustainability targets.  After running 3D U-value calculations, Knauf Insulation’s Technical Support Team recommended 170mm Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab for the ventilated façade, a rock mineral wool insulation which has a thermal conductivity of 0.034 W/mK. For the Steel Frame System (SFS), they recommended 150mm OmniFit® Slab 35, a glass mineral wool insulation with a thermal conductivity of 0.035 W/mK.  This combination reduced the thickness of the wall build-up by a significant 70mm, ensuring the U-value could be met within the required parameter for the wall build-up. Simms said: “Not only did Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab offer superior U-value performance for a slimmer profile, it reduced costs across the whole build. As well as reducing the quantity of insulation required, we could use smaller helping hand brackets and thinner fire barriers for example. It was the product that steered the job through.” In addition to achieving the required thermal performance, both products are non-combustible with a Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification. This means they will not add to the development or spread of fire, so comply with the building regulations. Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab is also British Board of Agrément (BBA) certified for use in buildings of any height and for the broadest range of thicknesses and build-ups of any rainscreen solution on the market. Mineral wool also has an open fibre matrix, which means it has sound absorbent properties. The insulation will help to reduce noise from the busy city centre location and from disturbing residents. Project complexity The choice of insulation was not the only challenge for the build. There is no template for supporting Europe’s biggest living wall. So, Lester Cladding NW Ltd needed to draw on their own extensive knowledge and expertise, as well as that of the whole supply chain to create a bespoke solution from the ground up.   One problem with this approach, was that every potential solution impacted another aspect of the façade build-up. To overcome this, Lester Cladding NW Ltd took the unusual step of arranging a meeting between representatives from eight different design and manufacturing partners. Together they discussed the whole system ‘screw by screw’.  “Getting everyone sitting around the table meant that all our manufacturing and design partners were completely engaged. They understood what we were trying to achieve, and all worked together to find the best solution.” There was one particular factor that could affect the insulation – water. While a living wall utilises planting schemes that thrive in drier conditions, a 4,000m2 living façade still requires a lot of watering – something that could introduce lots of extra moisture into the system. Knauf Insulation’s Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab has a water-repellent additive that promotes water run-off and ensures the slab will maintain its integrity. A traditional façade system prevents the insulation from getting saturated by rainwater, while the ventilation reduces the build-up of condensation and allows the insulation to dry out if it does get wet.  However, the water-repellent additive does not make the insulation waterproof, so it needed protection from the constant flow of water from the irrigation system. As a result, an additional breather membrane was installed to prevent moisture from penetrating the façade system and affecting the insulation. Sustainability A3 New Bailey has been designed to UKGBC’s Net Zero Carbon Framework and WELL Building Standard principles, as well as to achieve BREEAM Outstanding and Wired Score Platinum ratings. This meant the sustainability of the construction materials themselves was also important.  Here Knauf Insulation’s products ticked all the boxes too. Its glass and rock mineral wool insulation are made from materials that come from either naturally abundant sources or are recycled. For example, its glass mineral wool is made with upto 80% recycled glass from locally collected and processed household bottles and jars. Glass mineral wool has the lowest levels of embodied carbon of any mainstream insulation material. So, combining the use of both Knauf Insulation glass and rock mineral wool meant that the insulation solution for A3 New Bailey had less embodied carbon than a traditional all-rock insulation solution. Both products are also manufactured with ECOSE® Technology, Knauf Insulation's unique bio-based binder that contains no added formaldehyde or phenol. ECOSE® Technology is made from natural raw materials that are rapidly renewable and is 70% less energy-intensive to manufacture than a traditional binder. They also generate low levels of dust and VOCs and have been awarded the Eurofins Gold Certificate for Indoor Air Comfort. This contributes to the health of both installers and residents. Its entire glass mineral wool product range is also Declare Red List Free, which means that it does not contain any harmful chemicals on the ‘Red List’.  Thanks to Knauf Insulation’s advice, technical support and high-performance insulation solutions, Lester Cladding NW Ltd was able to deliver the rainscreen façade for A3 New Bailey – and with it, Europe’s largest living wall.

Passive Purple used here on timber frame as a waterproof airtight liquid vapour control membrane

The design concept of this project focuses on the demolition of an existing building and replacing it with a new build mixed use development of 6 storeys (plus basement) 9 self-contained units on floors 1-5 and 377sq m of commercial space on the basement and ground floors. During the Phase 1 Primary Risk Assessment, borehole and trial pits revealed Dibenzo (a,h)anthracene, CO², TPH and Asbestos contamination. The proposed remedial strategy to be adopted at the site was one of managing the pathway between the source of contamination and the critical receptors on-site.

The Clowance Estate is an all-year-round luxury holiday accommodation based in Cornwall. Recently, the estate decided to include a tree house in their holiday complex which is situated in a forest location and looks over a lake.Blue Forest -the world’s leading tree house consultancy – is involved in the design of this luxurious holiday home consisting of two main intersecting circular elements (one radius 2600mm and the other 3700mm) and one rectangular zone. The tree house has an outstanding design incorporating modern materials and a bold sharp angular canopy roof.The concept demanded a complex roof design as it had to meet so many requirements for visual appearance and detailing work such as conical-to-conical and conical-to-dual pitch valley interfaces and curved fascia detail.The steeply designed pitch made the installation very challenging. As the aesthetics were an important element of this high-calibre project, it was essential to achieve excellent workmanship standards on crisp lines of the field area, drip trim facets and standing seams.The roof build up consisted of three layers of 6mm plywood which were waterproofed by 110m2 of fully bonded IKO Armourplan P PVC Membrane. Standing seam profiles were also installed on a faceted deck using contact adhesive to give the roof the desired sharp look.IKO Armourplan P is a membrane unique to IKO Polymeric. With its superior reinforcement and the use of premium quality PVC throughout, the membrane’s enhanced formulation provides ease of installation.The extra flexibility of the membrane helped to achieve the desired tight and crisp details on the standing seams. It is also completely UV stable which makes the membrane more durable.

The Koster TPO Single Ply membrane was selected to waterproof the flat roof on this new build development. The design called for a warm roof system installed over a timber deck followed by a sedum blanket (on protection membrane).Koster TPO 2mm Fleeceback membrane was used as it is highly resistant against mechanical damage, fully weldable so no weaknesses and it will not contaminate any of the planting such as a PVC membrane would.The Slate Grey RAL 7015 colour was selected to compliment the Zinc cladding.

A new extension and internal fit out was designed by Wright and Wright Architects of London. It gave a modern and fresh look to the original 18th century listed building. New Gallery space, a cafe, and leaning spaces have all been incorporated into the new building.Koster Aquatecnic Ltd were involved in this project at an early stage. We gave advice on the below ground areas as well as the waterproofing for the green roof.The Koster TPO Single Ply Membrane was selected as the material of choice to cover the flat roof section primarily due to its the environmental characteristics. The Koster TPO membrane is recyclable, contains no PVC, and is the most robust and longest lasting membrane on the market. The Slate Grey color (RAL 7015) was selected as it would blend in with the overall look the clients were trying to achieve. This project was fully Electronically tested prior to the green roof sedum blanket being installed. 

A ground-breaking initiative that certifies installers of gas membranes has been launched by JUTA UK and the British Board of Agrément working closely with specialist installer DMI and other industry partners.The new Gas Membrane Approved Installer Scheme is the culmination of three years’ work and is the first of its kind in the UK, delivering supply chain reassurance of high-quality products installed by competent, certified professionals to ensure safe outcomes.It is ‘absolutely right that competent and trained professionals should install these critical barrier applications, which play a key role in the built environment and are designed to last for the lifetime of structures into which they are installed. We talk as an industry about sustainable and resilient solutions for the built environment, and that means using the best possible products, independently certified, installed to the highest possible standards, designed to last for the lifetime of the structure.

In China, the name Shenzhen is associated with frenetic pace. The city’s metamorphosis from a fishing village with 30,000 residents into a 15-million strong metropolis took just 30 years. A start-up at this location required only two decades to become the world’s fourth largest industrial enterprise. Tencent, the high-tech concern that started out as an e-mail provider, has already overtaken Facebook in terms of its market value. The new HQ of the high-flying company was designed by NBBJ Architects from New York as a statement of a new era of campus buildings. Two towers made of glass and steel, that shimmer in the sun and unite the copper-colored pedestrian bridges, resemble robots hugging one another. When deciding on the cladding for the gigantic atrium, the company went for a golden metal fabric from GKD – GEBR. KUFFERATH AG, which was recommended by French designer Alain Bony.Shenzhen lies directly on the border with Hong Kong in the Southern Chinese province of Guangdong. Named a special economic zone in 1980, the once sleepy fishing village has developed into a prosperous market economy under state control. Countless skyscrapers today form a skyline that can hold its own in comparisons with Manhattan. One in three smartphones sold in the world is fabricated here. Yet Shenzhen has developed from the world’s workbench into China’s Silicon Valley. The majority of residents are less than 30 years old. Numerous international concerns are based here, and nowhere in China is the per capita income higher. Thanks to massive economic growth, Shenzhen is one of the fastest growing cities in China, making property in the city a geographically restricted commodity. Despite being one of the city’s most famous children, Internet giant Tencent is still not well known outside China. The inventor of the two most popular apps in China – QQ and WeChat – is today also market leader for online games, offers video streaming services, and generates 20 percent of its revenue from advertising alone. The company has been working hard on international expansion for quite some time and has shareholdings in various companies, including Snapchat and Tesla. It has been enjoying constant and fast growth since being founded. Just one year after completion of the first new company building in Shenzhen for 15,000 employees, planning work started on a new global HQ, which offers enough space for a further 12,000 employees. Tencent commissioned the renowned American architecture firm NBBJ, which has already built many award-winning headquarters for high-tech companies such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, or Samsung, to design the new building. The team around Jonathan Ward fended off six competitors to win the order with a completely new campus concept. Tencent was looking for a classic campus based on the US model. The goal was to create a comfortable central meeting point in a spacious, attractive, natural environment, where people could automatically meet, chat, and find new ideas. However, the plot for the new HQ was located right in the heart of the city at an intersection of the multi-laned city expressways. As such, the only way to secure sufficient space in the small footprint was to design a skyscraper. Yet Tencent was concerned that a building of this type would not allow employees from various teams, departments, corridors, and floors to engage in regular contact with one another. NBBJ therefore merged the benefits of both approaches – inspiring spaciousness and inner city spatial efficiency – to create a completely new concept that re-imagines the campus idea and implements it vertically. To this end, the concept of a skyscraper was divided up into two buildings and then given the qualities of a classic campus. The Tencent Seafront Towers comprise two towers, boasting 50 and 39 floors respectively, which were constructed to give the appearance of being slightly intertwined with one another. The offset height reduces the load of the tropical winds common in the region, while at the same time providing ventilation for the atrium located between the two towers. The towers also provide shade for one another and thereby support the intelligent integrated energy concept.The key to the vertical campus concept, however, are the three skybridges, which cross as horizontal meeting areas. From a visual perspective, the copper-colored walkways give the towers a soul, as they appear to be hugging one another. They are logically referred to as links and make a contribution to movement and networking with topic-specific offers. While the link on the first floor above the lobby with café, exhibition space and auditorium is used for cultural exchange, the central link on the 21st floor is ideal for rest, recovery and health promotion. Staff can relax and unwind here in meditation rooms, a basketball court, a gym, a swimming pool, games rooms and even a running track. The highest of the three links on the 34th floor is dedicated to the topic of knowledge, boasting a library and multiple conference rooms. All of the links have roof terraces containing landscaped gardens. To ensure that they actually cater to their intended function as places of communication, collaboration, and inspiration, the architects at NBBJ designed an elevator system for the HQ, so that all employees can regularly spend time in these meeting areas. Express elevators from the lobby travel only as far as the bridges. The employees then enter local elevators to take them to their floor. From a design perspective, this is the fastest way to reach any office or location in the towers. This makes the links the perfect counterpart to the central square in a traditional campus, where employees automatically meet, even if they work in different buildings. They engage in spontaneous conversations here on their way from the bus station located beneath the towers or the parking areas to their office, in the queue for the juice bar or even on their way to play sports. Thanks to the bridges, these social meeting points are distributed across the entire HQ like in a city. This allows social networks, the key focus of operations for Tencent, to become genuinely accessible and experienceable. This systematically designed and yet organic networking produces precisely the kind of synergies that lead to the collaboration and inspiration Tencent strives for – as a prerequisite for further growth.The conceptual design of the lobby, which is open to the public from two sides, provides for additional hustle and bustle, as well as social meetings. This makes it a much-used route from other parts of the city to the Nanshan high-tech district. Just like the entire building, this central intersection between the inside and outside world was designed by the architects as a conscious statement of networking. When cladding three sides of the atrium, which is located above the lobby, the architects therefore chose metal fabric from GKD. A total of 1,850 square meters of this material is used to create a golden net that encapsulates the three-floor auditorium. Some 28 panels, each measuring four meters wide and 16.5 meters high, were used to create these hanging shrouds. Their sophisticated texture facilitates views into the atrium from the lobby, as well as open views down into the entrance hall. The textile shell also serves as efficient fall guard protection here. Visually, it acts like a delicate veil in harmonizing the effects of the corridors and rooms of the atrium located behind it. GKD was commissioned with developing a new special fabric for the design of the cladding. To create it, golden-anodized aluminum wires and tubes were interwoven in three-wire warp wire groups made of untreated stainless steel at varying intervals. The various diameters of the fabric components – 4 mm thick wires and 12 mm thick tubes – lead to significant differences in tension in the weaving process. These were completely equalized using special weaving techniques, so that the fabric reliably complies with the static requirements of the large-format skin. Installation of the special fabric also required the experts from Germany to demonstrate their decades of expertise. For example, the tubes had to be aligned precisely in the panels to create the appearance of a seemingly endless texture. Definition of the golden color to be used was also a particular requirement of the planners. The homogeneity of this color not only needed to be guaranteed across the entire area, but also meet the high expectations of the designers with regard to the appearance of the fabric when viewed in various light conditions. The subtle luster of the soft golden color ultimately chosen allows the atrium to appear caressed by the sun and lends the lobby a sense of warmth to contrast with its cool gray marble floor, walls, and aluminum screens. In the atrium itself, the selected color scheme also matches the wooden finish of the wall and ceiling cladding. The golden membrane then acts like a fine business card for the HQ, which underlines the image of a truly important concern thanks to its size and aesthetics and combines this with maximum interaction of the environment and employees.

The Koster TPO Single Ply Membrane was chosen to overlay an existing and failed flat roof on a coastal school on the Isle of Man. The Koster TPO was carefully designed and installed over the old asphalt covering to thus extend the buildings life and provide a safe environment for the pupils and teachers. The Koster TPO was fully bonded and mechanically fixed to the main roof substrate in order to combat the anticipated wind loading. for more information please contact admin@kosteruk.com

Koster Aquatecnic were approached by the project architect to assist in a specification to renew the waterproofing to the roof of the large visitor cottages at the base of Ardnamurchan Lighthouse.This lighthouse is situated at the most westerly point in the British Isles and as such is extremely exposed to the elements. A robust material and system had to be produced. This was a very challenging project and a great deal of assistance was provided including bespoke drawings, office and site meetings followed by leak testing services to ensure fully watertight.Please read through the case study and if you have any questions or would like advice on a similar project, please contact technical@kosteruk.com.

The £14m Arnold Hill Academy is part of the Priority School Building Programme (PSBP) and is being constructed adjacent to the existing school in Nottingham. The new Academy’s 3,570m2 flat roof covers 8,200m2 of replacement teaching space, science labs, an indoor sports hall and a drama studio. The project team at Wates Group had already identified potential roofing products. Due to the unconventional roof specification they asked SIG Design & Technology to recommend a product that would work in tandem to deliver the required performances.