Despite their 78m
height, coastal location, high winds and exposure to heavy rain, all of the
roofs of Beckley Point in Plymouth are guaranteed for 20-years thanks to the specification and installation support service
provided by BMI UK & Ireland – the largest manufacturer of flat and pitched
roofing and waterproofing solutions in the UK and Europe.
Providing up to 23
storeys of student accommodation, Beckley Point is not only the highest
building in Plymouth, but also the whole of the West Country.
Yet, according to
the contractor Stormforce Roofing, this was not the only challenge it had to
overcome in order to safely install the robust roofs required to withstand the
harsh coastal climate.
Designed and built
by Kier Construction on behalf of The Student Housing Company, Beckley Point
has more than 12 roof areas, all at different levels, from five floors to 23
floors high, with the highest having a steep pitch of 45o.
“All of the roofs
needed to be started at different times and it meant that we were working on
roofs in multiple areas while other trades were also working there,” comments
Simon Kalas, the Director in charge of the project for Stormforce Roofing.
It was challenging
but essential for the project as due to the extreme height, the cost of getting
back onto the different roofs once they were installed would be prohibitive.
This factor was key when defining the roof specification: it had to be built with
a highly durable product that would survive the extreme weather conditions,
perform to specification and last for many many years.
“The specification
for the roof went through several iterations from being fully bonded with
ballast right the way through to the final specification of mechanically fixed
felt,” he says. “It had to be the right system for the roofs and take into
account that they would never be accessible without spending a lot of money –
the scaffolding alone would be prohibitive. So whatever we installed would have
to last 40 years.”
This led to
Stormforce Roofing developing a very highly engineered final specification
using a BMI Icopal mechanically-fixed bituminous built-up roof (BUR) system,
with a mineral cap sheet reinforced by adhesive bonding to the insulation
beneath.
A further challenge
was set in motion by current concerns regarding high-rise safety, which
highlighted that the existing façade did not meet fire protection standards.
This was removed but the new cladding was installed during the roofing works, so
the detailing of the upstands had to be completed ahead of the main roof,
reversing normal procedures.
“Upgrading the
cladding meant that scaffolding and materials went on finished roofs and so we
had to make good after,” adds Simon. This also meant that the project took far
longer than the 10 weeks originally scheduled. Stormforce Roofing started work
in December 2016 and finished in May 2018, with some of the blocks occupied by
students during the build as they had booked their accommodation on the basis
of the building having been completed by September 2017.
The extended
timescales had a knock-on effect for Stormforce Roofing, says Simon.
“Installation was in winter during high winds and work could not continue when
they became too strong. The high winds meant that when working on scaffold at
extreme heights, all tools had to be tethered and we maintained a strict regime
of making sure materials and fixings were kept in place.”
Total Torch Vapour
Control Layer, an SBS-modified bituminous membrane reinforced with an extra
strong polyester fleece, provided a temporary, weatherproof finish to the
roof structure before the final waterproofing system was applied.
The roofs’ demanding
requirements were met by a specification comprising of BMI Icopal Total
Torch Vapour Control Layer, Thermazone Insulation and FireSmart TorchSafe
Mechanically Adhered (MA).
With the build-up
needing to be able to stand up to the elements, individual product performance
was very important. Thermazone Insulation boards, layered between the vapour
control layer and the FireSmart TorchSafe MA capsheet, provided a highly
efficient PIR rigid insulation with a thermal conductivity as low as 0.024W/mK.
BMI Icopal’s unique FireSmart technology also provided a capsheet with a fire
protection layer, which shields the roof from both spread of flame and fire
penetration. Other materials employed included BMI Icopal Primer, FireSmart
Thermaweld Capsheet, Tecnatorch Sand and PU Glues.
“Working with the
BMI specification meant that both Kier Construction and our team knew that the
roof would withstand both the extreme winds and also the risk of fire,” Simon
adds. “The weekly inspections from the BMI Specification Manager reassured everyone
that the project was being carried out as per the specification and the 20-year
guarantee also ticked the risk management box on these design and build
contracts.”
The seven-step BMI specification service ranges from consultation site surveys, and
specification; leading to installation support and site inspections which
ultimately conclude with industry-leading roof systems guarantees.
High-rise, coastal
and other extreme environments need special solutions in terms of design,
specification and high performance materials; not to mention the peace of mind
provided by long-term guarantees. These were just some of the reasons why
Stormforce Roofing chose to work with BMI UK & Ireland – and opted
for its flat roof systems on the challenging conditions faced at Beckley
Point.
