The challenge
Triflex were invited by Conor Maher of Albany Brent a Triflex Authorised Contractor, to provide a Project Specification for an insulated waterproofing solution for a blue roof at Hill House, North London. Hill House is located in the bustling area of Archway, and the building is easily recognised due to its 16 storeys of glass offering spectacular views of the London skyline. The building has recently been converted from commercial to residential use and now offers over 150 flats and provides recreational facilities to its residents.
The newly developed building has been designed to provide energy-efficient services to its residents by enhancing the buildings façade. Providing thermal control and increased natural ventilation, the residential block is estimated to provide a 50% reduction in energy usage over its previous office use, leading to an overall carbon reduction saving of 72% for the entire scheme.
The project specifiers wanted a roof that would contribute to their energy efficient scheme, by refurbishing the 500m² flat roof into a blue roof system. This design would allow for attenuation of rain fall, with the ability to treat and release rainwater at a managed and controlled rate directly into the sewers, waterways, river systems or internal building water systems. It is expected that Hill House will primarily use the system for grey water purposes such as flushing toilets, washing clothes and watering gardens. This will significantly reduce fresh water usage and have a broader community benefit in reducing demands on public water supply.
Initially the Triflex Technical Team conducted on site tests to confirm surface preparation and priming requirements. The existing substrate consists of a structural concrete slab with a hot melt waterproofing membrane.
Although this membrane did not yet show signs of damage, it was not deemed to be suitable for a blue roof system.
The solution
Triflex was chosen due to the hydrolysis resistance of our systems. This means that unlike other traditional roofing methods, Triflex systems will not be degraded by the effects of standing water over time, which is paramount for a blue roof.
A Triflex ProTect warm roof system was specified for this project to assist with the buildings energy saving scheme. The Carbon Trust state that around 60% of a buildings heat is lost through the building fabric, with up to 22% lost through the roof. Installing effective roof insulation can reduce heat loss significantly, saving Hill House residents thousands of pounds every year.
Like all Triflex systems, Triflex ProTect is totally cold applied and is suitable for both new build and roof refurbishment, its’ compatibility with almost all existing roof substrates make it ideal for overlay applications, and its simple single process application makes it a real-time saver when it comes to installation.
The blue roof at Hill House was installed to meet the specifiers design requirements, in this case, the Authorised Contractors used a pebble stone finish to offer additional filtration and protection.
