Aluminium rainwater and eaves systems manufacturer Marley Alutec, has designed and supplied a bespoke fascia and soffit solution and rainwater system for a major refurbishment project for Sheffield City Council, which will go on to transform 26,000 homes over the next five years – making it the largest roofing project in UK history.
Following a stringent tendering process, Marley Alutec’s aluminium products were specified because they met with the council’s commitment to provide housing and services that go beyond the industry standard.
In particular, the impressive durability, lifecycle costs, sustainability credentials and almost zero maintenance requirements of Marley Alutec’s products meant that they were a perfect fit for such a quality conscious project.
Importantly, Marley Alutec’s products were also approved by members of the Sheffield Tenants and Residents Association as Sheffield City Council modelled an open communication and inclusion policy throughout the project. The custom designed solution incorporated Marley Alutec’s Evoke fascia and soffit system, along with its Evolve Deepflow range of guttering and Flush-fit downpipes.
Phase one of the project involved remodelling a proportion of the flat roofed properties, including installation of external insulation to reduce thermal bridging and fuel poverty behind the fascias, as well as changing the roofs from being centrally to externally drained. Marley Alutec’s technical team worked closely with the council and the contractor to produce a unique and innovative design for the eaves detailing that encapsulated the insulation with its high-quality Evoke fascia and soffit system.
Janet Sharpe, Director of Housing and Neighbourhoods Service at Sheffield City Council, commented: “We’re delivering a massive £300m investment programme for our council homes over five years, to make them better for tenants.
“This includes remodelling 26,000 roofs and rooflines, installing external cladding, new kitchens, bathrooms, windows and doors, upgrading heating systems and improving communal areas in flats and maisonettes – the full project is due for completion in 2019.
“Our priority is making sure we continue to improve the quality of homes for tenants and create as many local jobs and apprenticeships as possible through our contractors and their supply chains. This will make sure the Sheffield pound spent helps with the economic regeneration of our local neighbourhoods.
“We need to attract the best contractors and suppliers to deliver the work, who will provide high quality solutions to fit our needs for the long term. We’re pleased to be working with Marley Alutec and are looking forward to seeing the end results.”
All of Marley Alutec’s products have a life expectancy of 50 years or more and are almost completely maintenance free, reducing life cycle costs and disruption to residents. This was a key consideration for the council as they looked to significantly reduce the need for costly high-level maintenance.
The Evoke fascia and soffit range is manufactured from a recycled polyethylene core with an aluminium outer layer, making it extremely light and very strong – despite being only 4mm thick. What’s more, the range features a nano self-cleaning coating meaning that it will continue to look its best for many years to come.
Keith Naylor, Operations Manager at Kier – one of the four main contractors for the project including Keepmoat, SBS and BAAS – commented: “The scale and variety of this project, where we are working on circa 80 plus differing roof plan types, has demanded a close, collaborative approach from all parties. Working with Marley Alutec has been a positive experience and its technical team has been very helpful on a number of occasions.”
Also installed at the project is Marley Alutec’s Flush-fit downpipe and Evolve Deepflow guttering made from marine grade aluminium. Able to cope with the heaviest of rainfall thanks to a flow rate capacity of 4.9 litres per second, the Evolve range is a durable long-term solution. What’s more, aluminium is infinitely recyclable, so at the end of its lifespan the Evolve range can be fully recycled – making it one of the most sustainable rainwater systems available in the UK.
Tony Wereszczynski, Technical Director at Marley Alutec, concluded: “We are proud to be involved in such a significant project and have welcomed the opportunity to work with Sheffield City Council and the main contractors. Our ability to offer innovative technical expertise is what sets us apart from our competition and indeed it proved vital to the success of this project. We strongly believe that our aluminium systems offer the best option to local authorities looking for high quality and low maintenance solutions.”