"roof light"

Our real life cases are meant to inspire you, so we always look for unique projects to follow and document. This case is unique in it’s own right thanks to the early adoption of bespoke blinds to fit the Vario by VELUX rooflights.Let us take you on a journey to a beautifully renovated 1930’s home in East-Sussex, where homeowner Graham Gray lives alongside his wife, children and dog. As much as they loved their house as it was, they finally made the decision to redevelop mostly the back of the house. This renovation included not only a bespoke rectangular rooflight, but also custom made blinds which perfectly fit the roof window.Brightening up a 1930’s home with natural lightingA house built in the ‘30’s isn’t usually the brightest of homes. These houses often come with few or small windows which don’t allow natural lighting to fully penetrate a room, causing dark spots and corners all around the house. This is why Graham and his family wanted natural daylight to be a focal point in the renovation of their mid-century home, saying “Light was really important to make an area spacious and airy.”. They sure lit up the place by choosing one of the biggest singular bespoke rooflights in the size 3000 mm by 1000 mm.The perks of a big custom Vario by Velux skylightBecause the Gray family opted for such a big rectangular skylight, it let in a bunch of light. We asked Graham what he loved the most about the rooflight; “During the day you are looking at the sunlight being brought in, and then during the night you are looking at the wondrous sky and the stars. And if I’m honest during the summer I can’t see us using any light other than the light coming from the VELUX rooflight.”. Another bright side to our rooflights is that they don’t require days or even weeks of work. The three by one meter skylight was practically placed in less than a morning!Creating an ambience with blinds for VELUX roof windowsWhile having a rooflight comes with a lot of perks, there is something to consider; sunlight can’t be dimmed down. Sometimes you want a room to feel warm and cosy, which you often do by turning off some lights or closing the curtains. Graham and his family understood the importance of creating an ambience, and thus opted for skylight blinds for VELUX roof windows. Graham’s daughter added; “The rooflight can do so much more than just be a feature. It has a lot of practicality like giving ambience for movies and makes the space feel more homey and lived in.”Why Graham and his builder chose Vario by Velux as their window supplierGraham’s builder had recommended VELUX because “it’s a well-known, high quality brand with excellent customer support”. But what played an exceptionally big part in the decision was the availability of Vario, mostly thanks to our unique feature to design your own custom made skylight! The Gray’s made a bold move to go very large and incorporated a big rooflight with a feature that allows them to open it remotely, allowing for natural ventilation. This meant that Graham and his family could choose the size that they wanted and needed, including custom fit blinds and a rain detector which automatically closes the window in case of bad weather.Welcome the beauty of daylight into your designsIf you are an architect involved in home renovation or construction projects, our customised rooflights offer an ideal solution to bring abundant natural light into your designs. By incorporating rooflights, you can transform any space into a vibrant and illuminated environment. Our team of experienced daylight specialists is available to assist you in selecting the perfect skylight that aligns with your specific requirements and preferences. Embrace the opportunity to enhance your architectural creations and experience the profound effects of natural lighting with Vario by VELUX.

A dated conservatory area is transformed by Breezefree with a retractable glass roof and polycarbonate curtain walling. Nagan Johnson Architects approached Breezefree to refurbish a dated conservatory area as part of the fit-out of the Cuban restaurant group’s second site in London’s Smithfield district. The brief required a modern retractable glass roof, to replace the old lean-to rooflight, and translucent curtain walling, to replace the dilapidated brick walls and windows...

The roof to a Waitrose distribution centre has been completely refurbished in a single ply membrane system chosen for its sustainable credentials and no disruption to the retailer’s 24/7 operations at Aylesford near Maidstone, Kent.

Our Roof Hatches have been installed on top of many buildings around the world. For this project, our Roof Hatches were installed with stunning views of Alexandra Palace.To suit the building's style, these hatches feature an anthracite powder coat finish, not only enhancing their durability but also adding a contemporary and stylish touch to the overall aesthetics.Thanks to the gas struts, opening and closing these hatches is effortless, ensuring convenience and ease of use.

This project in Derbyshire involved treating cut edge corrosion, re-coating the roof and lining the gutters. Products used were * Metalaseal BBA Approved metal roof coating system * SWT Primer (to treat rust in the gutters and cut edges) * Liquasil One and Non-Sag Sealer to line the gutters. The project is covered by the unique Liquasil Latent Defects Guarantee, which is written specifically for Liquasil and underwritten by an A-Rated, Lloyds of London insurer.

SIG Design & Technology and SIG Insulation are working with the Interserve Kajima consortium on a batch of seven secondary school projects to deliver a value-engineered, robust roofing solution. At Stopsley High School there are two roofs installed by Briggs Amasco in an approximate 16 week programme. The largest roof measures some 2500m2 and the inverted roof build up selected and supplied by SIG comprises IKO’s PermaTEC hot melt waterproofing system.

Occupying an elevated position above the city of Guildford stands this wonderful house, which was built in the early 1900s. Individually designed and constructed to a very high specification, the numerous windows and doors (over three floors) allowed plenty of light to flood into the property and to take advantage of the fantastic surrounding views. Windows from Clement’s EB24 system with rectangular leaded lights were used to replicate the original fenestration. As well as the new windows being in keeping with the character of the property, the multi point locking system chosen by the client brought extra security.

A re-development in an historic area of Bristol is the latest UK site to feature ACO’s Eyeleds – a combined surface water management and lighting system.

A project utilising our Del Carmen Spanish Slate took home the award for Roof Slating at this year’s UK Roofing Awards, hosted by the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC). The NFRC is the largest and most influential roofing trade association in the UK, promoting both quality products and contractors, while ensuring that its members are at the forefront of all roofing developments. Contour Roofing (Essex) was given the task of providing the roof coverings to St Joseph’s College, a Grade II listed building (1866) on the fringes of Mill Hill Village.

Bilco UK’s special zinc-clad Roof Access Hatches and Smoke Vents chosen for the Zaha Hadid designed Glasgow Transport Museum, Scotland. The roof specification included Smoke Vents and Roof Access to blend with the roof finish. Bilco supplied modified units with zinc cladding to achieve the desired look. To enable safe roof maintenance, a modified E-50T Hatch was supplied and installed to the 46 degree sloping roof enabling maintenance staff to gain easy, safe access to roof equipment

FDT harnessed the most modern roofing materials and advanced 21st century technological know-how to help preserve one of Europe’s most remarkable ancient monuments, 5,000-year-old Skara Brae. The designated World Heritage Site, a fascinating commune of small interlinked stone dwellings, is one of the most-visited tourist attractions on the historic Orkney islands and offers up to 60,000 visitors a year an unparalleled taste of life in Neolithic Orkney.

This project, to coat approximately 2000 sq metres of asbestos roof with the BBA Approved Asbestsoeal system is a lesson for all in correct health and safety. Liquasil provides all approved installers with H&S training as standard. This deals with correct use of netting, scaffold, walkways, work platforms and waste water filtration from asbestos roof cleaning. Having already completed 500sq metres on a unit a year previously, the contractor was invited back to complete the rest of the block, which is the best possible endorsement.

A sense of community, abundant greenery and lake views on the roof terrace for all residentsThe housing fair is held annually in Finland. In 2021, it will be held in a scenic location in Lohja, Southern Finland. An interesting partnership quarter will also be put up in the fair area, where a sense of community has especially been taken into account in the planning. A block of 34 modern and energy-efficient apartments. The principal designer of the site is the architect Sasu Alasentie from UKI Arkkitehdit.”The idea behind the whole quarter is a sense of community. The flats in the building do not have their own saunas, but instead a communal use sauna will be constructed on the roof terrace. You can see the wonderful lake scenery from the roof and by utilising the roof terrace we wanted to ensure views of the lake to all residents. The yard areas of the quarter are fairly compact, but the roof terrace creates more greenery and communal outside areas for all the residents to use. We also hope that this will increase the residents’ team spirit and sense of community,” says Sasu Alasentie about the basis of the planning. ”On the roof terrace, we will also build an individual planting box for each resident, where they can cultivate herbs, flowers or whatever plants they want. A small summer kitchen corner and dining area will also be built there, as well as hanging chairs for lounging around. All in all, the area will hopefully become a communal, green oasis to spend time in, for all the residents,” says Sasu Alasentie. ”When we were choosing materials for the terrace, it was important to us that they would be in keeping with the building’s ecological nature and energy efficiency. Together with the contractor, we decided on the UPM ProFi Piazza composite for the terrace material. What appealed to us about it was particularly its durability and that it was easy to look after. Naturally also the fact that it’s made of recycled material, which fits well with the environmentally-friendly ideology of the whole building. I believe that in future projects, environmental friendliness and materials made from recycled materials will become even more popular,” says Sasu Alasentie.  

A detailed visual and physical inspection, together with core and moisture probe analysis carried out by IKO on the roof, patio and walkway areas, indicated that the waterproofing membrane was in a condition commensurate with the age and the type of the traditional membranes installed. They had become fragile and brittle. The decks were saturated due to water ingress, and natural ageing had played a principle part in the deterioration of the waterproofing system. The build-up would not have met the requirements of the current building regulations Part L. IKO worked to refine the specification for the main roof,

Hundreds of homes have been refurbished as part of a multi-million pound revamp of housing association properties.Tristar Homes spent £8m on the scheme at Kennedy Gardens in Billingham where they carried out work on 225 properties across the three housing blocks as well as creating 12 new one and two bedroom homes which have been made available for rent.The development, completed in September 2014, includes the fitting of new windows, new bathrooms and improved living space due to the new balcony extensions.The roof area before its refurbishment had a U-value of 0.4 W/m²K. This existing build-up would not have met the requirements of the current building regulations Part L.The lower roof had been overlaid at least twice since its original construction. In all but one core sample, the existing insulation was wet through and therefore it was apparent that 90% of the existing roof build up needed stripping to the original asphalt. A further inspection was needed when the asphalt was exposed to ascertain the condition and depth of the asphalt. The asphalt was deemed in reasonable condition so the new system could be installed onto the original asphalt.IKO worked with installing contractors BriggsAmasco to refine the roof specification and recommended IKO Mach One single layer bituminous membrane system, installed to the recommendations of wind uplift calculations and performing to a 0.18U value as per requirements.IKO Mach One membranes are a robust, flame-free, single-layer roofing system with added fire-retardancy. IKO Mach One can be mechanically fastened, ballasted or bonded with polyurethane adhesive.A 20-year insurance-backedfire retardancy guarantee was issued to cover all materials, design and workmanship covering contractor insolvency.

The client contacted us in urgent need of a green roof solution before a project handover. Green roof was part of the planning application. Pre-grown panels with patented design were delivered on pallets and lifted to the roof via forklift. The ingenious connecting system means each module clicks to its neighbour tightly and securely so once installed, the sedum has a seamless appearance. The plants are a mixture of sedum species ideal for the UK climate. They are well rooted into Wallbarn's bespoke substrate and fully mature. 250 sqm of green roof was installed in 1 day.

See how RynoPaveSupport paving pedestals helped create a sophisticated roof terrace in the new neighbourhood rising above the area of Canary Wharf.

In the Peak District National Park with views of Cressbrook Dale and the Monsal trail, a thermal bridging solution developed by Owens Corning FOAMGLAS® is helping to deliver high levels of thermal performance for a new, modern home with a minimal space heating demand.The Quarry is a mostly single storey, green-roofed dwelling set on the site of a former shallow stone quarry. Working with John Pardey Architects (JPA), client Will Griffiths secured permission for a modern design faced with traditional materials to ensure a development that sits comfortably within the landscape.

A new flooring finish was required for the atrium in the Radclyffe School in Oldham, Greater Manchester. Because the atrium floods this area of the school with so much light through a Perspex roof, it meant that whatever was chosen had to be UV stable, hard wearing and safe. The system also had to be economic, hard-wearing, easily cleaned, have low odour during application and chemical resistance, slip resistance and non-dusting. Sherwin-Williams’ technical flooring experts looked at their diverse range of Resuflake options for this specific application covering 800 sq metres.

TapcoSlate is a great product, but it’s also how you use it that makes a project stand out from the crowd! Roofing industry expert Jos van Bommel is someone who knows exactly how to achieve this. During the renovation of his own home, Jos refurbished the entirety of the roof along with help from his three sons.

Ibstock Place School opened its newly built refectory in 2021. Designed by Maccreanor Lavington the competition-winning design is a dedicated space for the most communal part of the school. With a high ceiling and intricate woodwork, the open space is functional but uplifting.The high-level roof lanterns form a chimney to pull out hot air during the summer as well as fill the space with soft natural light, which is perfectly accented by acoustic dampening panels of oak.Handmade Bricks from Freshfield Lane were used in the construction of the cloister and work perfectly with the school’s previous uses of brick. Additionally, the choice of bricks helps set the building within its tranquil garden setting. The handmade Freshfield Lane brick helps the building age gracefully into the landscape while retaining a notable elegance. This sophisticated taste is mirrored inside by soft copper notes and long, hanging light fittings.

Set in beautiful grounds this former coach house is nestled in a picturesque Cotswold village.This stunning orangery was the perfect solution for the family who wanted to have a light filled room, from where they could sit and enjoy their garden throughout the year.The stone-coloured exterior paint finish of the David Salisbury orangery is the perfect complement to the sandy-coloured Cotswold stone and stone roof of the main building.The glass lantern benefits from Pilkington Activ™ Blue self-cleaning glass, which has both self-cleaning and solar-control properties plus high performing thermally insulating Pilkington K Glass™ S as the inner pane of glass.The result of this carefully designed addition to a home that already oozes character and charm is a light filled environment that can be use throughout the Summer and Winter months, where the family can sit in total comfort.Images courtesy of David Salisbury.

The Down to Earth Training Centre, built almost exclusively with natural and locally sourced materials required an anti–root roofing system, ready for the install of a green roof.

Premier Loft Ladders were contacted by a specialist food processing plant to replace a damaged retractable roof access ladder. As this presented the only means of access for maintenance of roof top equipment, it was important that the replacement access ladder was strong, durable and easy to operate. The Supreme with flat roof access hatch provided the perfect solution. Please follow the link below to learn more about this high-specification project...

According to Alzheimer’s UK, there are around 900,000 people with dementia in the UK and this figure is expected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040. Dementia is an umbrella term and is caused when diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia and other conditions, damage the brain. As well as memory problems, dementia can also cause issues with vision and perception, leading to problems such as a welcome mat by a door looking like a black hole. The Equality Act and Building Regulations (Part M) make provision for people with dementia and there are some, when specifying paving for care homes and in the public realm, that can make a significant difference. One of the key points that can be addressed by speaking to a reputable paving manufacturer is the consistency of light reflection values (RV) throughout the landscape design. LRV measures the amount of light reflected back from a material when illuminated by a light source. The more light reflected, the higher the LRV. It is usually measured using aspectrophotometer. Research by Liverpool John Moores University demonstrated that an ‘uneven’ appearance of ground surface or patches of darker tone or colour can be confusing and potentially cause accidents. The institution also described how paving patterns or changes in colour that are arbitrary can cause confusion. It has concluded that strong paving patterns - such as chequerboard - may cause disturbance, as consistent light reflectance values are required. When Keepmoat Homes was involved in the building of the planned dementia care facilities in Litchfield, Staffordshire, the company spoke to specialists at Brett Landscaping. Keepmoat was working on a centre that would house up to 90 people in six buildings and needed the paving to be suitable for the residents at the centre. It required external paving which registered between 25 and 45 on the light reflective value spectrum. Rigorous and extensive testing of the LRVs of Brett’s products enabled Keepmoat to install paving that falls within the strict parameters of the guidelines. Testing of Brett’s Alpha Flow permeable paving systems at Brett’s manufacturing plants in Kent and Dorset, showed that the LRV was consistent on individual colour ranges. It also revealed that the variance between all three colour ranges (Autumn Gold, Brindle and Charcoal) is ideally suited for the project. Brett’s Alpha Flow paving is already widely used across the country for developments where developers are looking to improve surface water drainage and prevent flooding. Existing Alpha Flow pavements are also still offering between 15 and 20 years of low maintenance service. Other than the consistency of light reflective values, Alzheimer’s UK has called for other work to help those living with dementia. It also recommends carefully selecting materials to avoid reflective or dark surfaces which could confuse perception, planning continuous, level routes and avoiding steps if possible.

In 2020, Paul Dow Joinery approached us to create the kits for a two 5 bed house luxury development he was undertaking in Burntisland. The client wished to create energy efficient, large open-plan house's with wrap around balconies and large glass expanses to allow lots of solar gain but also draw attention to the amazing view of the River Forth right across to Edinburgh.Fast forward to July 2023 and we've only been on site for 4 days and look at the headway that has been made on the first property. The ground and first level are almost complete and ready for the roof. The client has opted for a large glazed roof panel to allow light through the mezzanine level down to the ground level.The houses will promote various renewable's including an air source heat pump, underfloor heating, solar panels and triple glazing to compliment the high level of air tightness provided by the SIPS system.

Abu Dhabi Airport Company signed a contract for the construction of infrastructure integral to the Abu Dhabi International Airport expansion. The project was set to be delivered across multiple work fronts including airside and landside airport operational areas. Surespan was asked to supply a number of 2-hour fire-rated, FACTA Class AA, SAC floor hatches with a free-standing guard rail to three sides and a hinged gate. In addition to this, a number of Grade 304 Stainless Steel roof hatches with a unique ‘sandblasted’ finish and built-on non-penetrative SureGuard hand railing were also supplied.

IntroductionFollowing consultations with our design team, Surespan designed and manufactured a large double roof hatch for the National Oilwell Varco Dunfermline factory in Scotland.Products suppliedWe supplied;Surespan designed and manufactured bespoke double leaf hatches, measuring 4 metres by 4.3 metres. These hatches enable an external crane to lift the manifold units through the roof.With the use of a key, these hatches are controlled by a small PLC that electrically operates the Hatches in an automated sequence.Features:The bespoke double leaf hatches were specially designed to stay open utilising strut locking to withstand the wind condition they specified with the design team.The projectThe NOV Dunfermline factory experienced difficulties building tall manifold assemblies due to the restricted height of the building. Following a consultation with our experienced design team, they were able to design a solution to solve the issue.The outcome: NOV were able to continue its operation in the existing factory without having to hire temporary premises.

IntroductionFerrari World in Abu Dhabi is the world's first Ferrari theme park. The park includes 37 different rides and attractions and features the world's fastest rollercoaster “Formula Rossa” – reaching 240 km/h in 4.9 seconds. The park has been open since 2010 and has been nominated for numerous awards. Project:Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi needed a unique solution to allow for the maintenance of rollercoaster carts. Due to restricted space, a sliding hatch was proposed to allow easy craning in and out.Products Supplied Surespan manufactured and supplied an SLHE Aluminium, thermally broken, single leaf, electrically operated, sliding roof access hatch. The hatch was a large 5400 x 4000 structural opening sliding hatch.A sliding hatch allowed maximum clear space. Operated by a 230v geared motor. The lid and upstand are filled with 50mm thick CFC and HCFC free Polyisocyanurate insulation which offers a U-Value of 0.43W/m²K.

A new car park has been constructed near the Hornschuchpromenade in Fürth and covered with an extensive green roof system. The car park has capacity for 380 cars and has been designed by The Max Bögl Group (MBG) with ease of construction, cost efficiency, visual impact and low maintenance in mind. In collaboration with contractors Isobautec, they selected MobiRoof green roof system from Mobilane as the most suitable option to cover the 1300 square metre roof expanse.

Ghent Diamond CHALLENGE The Ghent Diamond is proudly overlooking the Ghent-Sint-Pieters railway station and surrounding neighbourhood. On top of a stonelike base with a pattern inspired by the city of Ghent’s historical architecture, an impressive crystalline edifice rises. The 33m high office building has – as the name indicates – not only the brilliance, but also the shape of a gigantic, polished diamond with numerous facets. The special design makes the building unique, and that is exactly where the difficulty lies: roof surfaces with different inclines, steep and hard-to-reach slopes, kinks in the façade and a serious wind load. On the pitched roof segments connecting the glass facade, an exterior roof finish with Linius RENSON blades is to be installed. Just for aesthetic reasons! Such a finish creates a nice play of light, shadow and reflection. But this can only be achieved if the finish has been executed perfectly! But how to execute the construction so precisely, and at the same time be perfectly watertight? A true challenge for both architect and roofing contractor. SOLUTIONFor the internationally renowned New York-based architects practice Asymptote this monumental Diamond project is just another jewel in the crown. Innovative and visionary, they always pursue extreme and experimental challenges. And yes, this impressive Diamond really was a challenge, especially for the Belgian ROTEAM roof experts. The special shape, the height and the different slopes up to 47° made it a complex, gargantuan waterproofing project. On top of the steel deck structure tongue and groove insulation panels were installed. This guarantees a strong, perfectly fitting and smooth construction. After all this is very important in order to achieve this monumental task. The high wind load and shear forces were decisive for the choice of roofing membrane to be used on this difficult structure. Asymptote architects therefore opted for the mechanically fastened RENOLIT ALKORPLAN F membrane. This PVC-P roofing membrane is specifically suited for such a project, thanks mainly to its flexibility, lightweight and long life.

The asbestos cement roof to this industrial unit in Hereford was heavily contaminated with moss and lichen and was leaking in numerous places. The moss and other vegetation was first dampened down, scraped off and placed into designated asbestos waste bags for licensed disposal. The roof was then steam cleaned. All metal fixings were treated with Liquasil's rust primer and sealed with Non-Sag Sealer. Small holes and cracks were sealed with Non-Sag Sealer. The entire roof was then coated with Asbestsoeal 20 and is now resistant to moss growth and water leaks.

Covering 460,000 square meters, the equivalent of around 70 soccer fields, Starfield in scenic Hanam, just east of Seoul, is one of the largest shopping malls in South Korea. Stepping inside the mall, shoppers are greeted with copious amounts of natural light coming in through the two glass roofs standing at 35 meters above the ground, built to deliver a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. Our coatings are making sure that Starfield Hanam’s stunning roofs are looking great for the millions of shoppers that the giant mall is catering for.The owner specified a fast-curing primer to increase productivity in the workshop, followed by a high build polyurethane topcoat with a semi-gloss white surface.Intercure 200 was chosen to provide superior long term corrosion protection to the roofs’ steel. The zinc epoxy primer provides rapid cure even under low temperature conditions and is suitable for over-coating within 3 hours in most climatic conditions, speeding up production and throughput in fabrication shops.Semi-gloss and available in a wide range of colors, our Interthane 870 finish coat was used to deliver excellent cosmetics and extended recoatability, assisting in project flexibility.This two coat system boasts a very long global track record.

A once neglected roof terrace on the top of a luxury private residence in South Kensington has been transformed by Paul Newman Landscapes, using MEDITE® TRICOYA® EXTREME (MTX) in two exciting applications.

Winchester Cathedral, a place of worship for over 900 years, has been brought up to modern accessibility standards with a light-filled passenger lift from Stannah. The installation now sits comfortably alongside the fine craftsmanship within the extraordinary Grade I Listed building. This is one of the first passenger lifts to be installed in a medieval cathedral in the UK, paving the way for other heritage buildings to offer step-free access for visitors. 

In 2017 BMDS supplied Multivault GRP rooflights to a new build, 180,000 sq ft ambient warehouse constructed as part of a growth and expansion redevelopment at the Henderson Group headquarters in Mallusk outside Belfast. The new 12.5million warehouse which incorporates cutting edge design, was designed to streamline logistics and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Ireland. BMDS supplied Multivault GRP Barrel rooflights to cover just over 2,200m2 or approx. 13% of the roof area – 22 runs extending over 16 metres with a further 2 runs of 8 metres streaming natural light into the group warehouse.