Roofs
Real value and
buildability raise
roofing standards
at Huddersfield
University
As universities adjust their business models in
response to changes in funding structures, university
campuses have seen a significant investment to
address the increasingly competitive nature of the
higher education sector. Continuing pressures on
finances in the sector mean that development projects
must focus on durability that will deliver value and
sustainability on a ‘whole life’ basis. However, a
university campus must also sell itself as an attractive
place to live and work so there is also a clear aesthetic
imperative to enhance the built environment with
schemes that are attractive as well as being energy
efficient and practical.
At Huddersfield University, recent improvements to
facilities include four new buildings, including a new
sports hall, Dean’s office and corporate suite, designed
by architects Watson Batty. The four buildings have
been constructed with a single steel frame and all
adjoin each other but rise to different heights varying
from 2-4 storeys. To enhance the biodiversity and
aesthetics of the development, green roofs were
specified for three sections of the building, including
the sports hall, and a warm roof was specified for the
corporate suite. The variation in height of the interconnecting roofs means that some roof areas overlook
the roofs of others, and the fact that the lower roofs are
mostly shaded presented challenges in terms of both
planting and drainage. Addressing those challenges
became a team effort between the architects, the
roofing contractor, Cawston Roofing, the green roof
supplier ABG and the waterproofing specialist, Kemper
System.
HOLISTIC SPECIFICATION
While the intention for the buildings had always been to
install a combination of green roofs on three of the four
roof areas and a traditional warm roof build-up on the
fourth, the architect had originally specified a single ply
membrane as the waterproofing system for the project.
However, having used the Kemperol V210 cold liquidapplied waterproofing membrane from Kemper System
for around 30 years, Cawston Roofing suggested to
the architect that this would offer a more practical and
durable alternative for a similar installed cost as the
original specification. Meanwhile, ABG had developed
KEMPER SYSTEM
an innovative ‘blue roof’ drainage system, which puts
a high density polyethylene (HDP) reservoir under the
growing medium to replace the more conventional
SUDS system, reducing the installation time and
avoiding costly and time consuming excavation of
separate drainage tanks.
Explains Nick O’Mara from Cawston Roofing: “The
Huddersfield University project demonstrates how
important it is to consider specification decisions in a
holistic sense rather than thinking about material costs
in isolation. For the green roof system, avoiding the
need for a SUDS system saved time, money and costs
on site. For the waterproofing membrane, a change to
Kemperol V210 meant that we could be more flexible
with the programme and more creative with the roof
build up as well as providing an FLL certified rootresistant and robust waterproofing membrane with a
guaranteed service life.”
ABG installed a 40mm deep ‘Blue Roof’ drainage
reservoir onto each of the three green roofs which
provides collection and storage or rainwater to
irrigate planting during dry periods, and offers a
continuous drainage layer across the roof structure
when attenuation capabilities which helps control
the discharge of storm water. The growing medium
and planting was then individually selected for each
roof to take account of the roof area, location and
level of shade created by surrounding buildings, with
biodiversity measures built in to the specification.
Explains Martin Lambley from ABG: “The sports hall
roof has been designed as a wild flower meadow with
planting of native species and areas of biodiversity,
including log and rock insect nesting boxes and sandy
and shingle areas. The other t ݼ