The art of waterproofing with RESITRIX® SKW
The Macallan Distillery project was a highly bespoke and tailor-made large-scale project. This 12,300 m² project was one of its kind in the UK and had no standard roofing detail or specification. Due to the nature of the work, CARLISLE® Construction Materials Ltd’s provided waterproofing solution and to add the technical team came up with a bespoke roof design.
The Roof
The magnificent dome roof with an area of 12,300 m² is designed as an expanding green roof which is supported on a steel and wooden construction. The green roof covers the whole of 12.300 m². The eaves of the roof are located at a height of 13 meters above the ground level. The roof has in total of five domes with a cantilever canopy. Four of the domes are 18 metres high and the fifth one is the biggest at 27 metres high. The biggest dome envelopes an exhibition area, a visitor centre with a café, shop and a bar.
As the original roofing specification was untenable, CARLISLE® Construction Materials Ltd were approached and asked to propose an alternative specification to solve the roof panel movement challenge in multiple directions. A fully functional 3D scaled model was presented by CARLISLE® Construction Materials Ltd to the design team within the fortnight of the proposal.
RESITRIX® EPDM Waterproofing system
The individual roof panels were formed as a sectional cassette, each cassette was made in an unequal triangle shape to form the dome shape required. Each cassette was fixed with one pivoted anchor which allowed the panel to move independently of the surrounding panels. ALUTRIX® 600 vapour barrier membrane was used as a full vapour check to prevent the steam and vapours from the whisky production, which can cause condensation problems within the roof cavity.
The movement of these panels was overcome by using RESIFLEX SK expansion strips, which allowed the movement of up to 40mm in every direction bonded to the joints of the panels to complete the air seal. A 150mm thick insulation was bonded directly to the ALUTRIX 600 using FG35, CARLISLE’s insulation adhesive and the expansion gaps were completed with a system developed by CARLISLE’s technical team.
The final waterproofing layer of the roof construction was completed with RESITRIX SKW full bond hybrid EPDM adhered to the insulation and heat welded at junctions and laps. The highest dome posed a challenge with 45 degrees slope at its steepest section. The steep pitches of the domes were easily walkable due to the slip resistance of the RESITRIX membranes.
We were the only UK manufacturer who could offer a waterproofing solution to a complex project and tight deadline such as this.
Installation and Training
CARLISLE® Academy provided specialist product and installation training to Topek’s installation team. A day long, hands-on training at the Carlisle Academy in Mansfield (Nottinghamshire), covered intricate product and installation details adhering to the correct product specifications.
Awards
In 2017, the Macallan Distillery project scooped two awards at the UK Roofing Awards hosted by the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC). CARLISLE® Construction Materials won the Single Ply Roofing Award. The project also won the Green Roofing Award.
Projects were judged on several categories including workmanship, safety, complexity and the challenges they overcame
QUICK FACTS
Project: The Macallan Distillery, Aberlour (UK)
Client: The Edrington Group, Glasgow (UK)
Architect: Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, London (UK)
Main Contractor: Robertson Construction Group, Stirling (UK)
Roofing Contractor: Topek Ltd., Glasgow (UK)
Material:
Vapour Barrier Layer ALUTRIX® 600
EPDM hybrid membranes RESITRIX® SK W Full Bond
Accessories RESIFLEX® SK expansion strips, FG35 and CARLISLE insulation adhesive
Completion: 2018