WHY SINGLE-LAYER TAPERED INSULATION IS THE IDEAL OPTION WHEN IT COMES SUSTAINABLE ROOFING
Sustainable building materials in the UK are essential to reducing construction’s impact on the environment, as is the way they are used. Roofing has received particular focus in this regard, with increasing thought given to how this vital building element can be installed and perform with maximum efficiency.
Greater sustainability of the roof covering is achieved more effectively by incorporating tapered insulation into a flat roof application. It’s estimated that in a poorly insulated building, a roof accounts for a quarter of its heat loss. Correctly designed and installed tapered insulation is therefore ideal for ensuring sustainability in a flat roof helping a property meets regulation energy standards. Tapered systems are adept at preventing ponding issues, directing rainwater to specifically-appointed outlets to keep the roof warm and dry. But in terms of the sustainability of the roof covering, does single-layer of multi-layer tapered insulation offer the best option?
Sustainable roofs and single-layer tapered roofing
Single-layer roofing systems – when specified as part of a tapered roofing insulation scheme – provide a quicker, more accurate and flexible way of achieving a thermal performance combined with a degree of fall for roofing projects. This is due to the individual layers that make up a finished single-layer roof membrane, which are carefully bonded under optimised, factory-controlled conditions. The process leads to adhesive reliability and integrity being greatly enhanced. It means your tapered roofing insulation scheme’s single-layer roofing system performs consistently and reliably over the course of its lifespan. This in-turn increases the sustainability in flat roofing applications.
Sustainable roofs and the cost-effective single-layer option
A single-layer roofing solution saves you money by reducing your flat roof maintenance and refurbishment costs. Ready to install once delivered to site, the insulation within a single-layer bond will have been monitored for its volume and minimum coating adhesion performance, leaving installers with the relatively straightforward task of installing it – in one block – to the roof, followed by the waterproofing. This not only guarantees the insulation will perform as-designed in concert with the single-layer roofing membrane details, it significantly reduces application times and material waste. Whilst a multi-layer tapered solution might appear, on paper at least, to be a more cost-effective option, the benefit is negated by the additional hours it takes to bond and install the tapered roofing insulation layer-by-layer; a process that is eliminated with a pre-bonded, single-layer membrane system.
Engaging with a tapered insulation specialist such as Gradient further enhances the sustainability of the roof covering. From specification and design through to the manufacturing stage and beyond, our turnkey service provision gives clients peace of mind that the tapered insulation system delivered is the most efficient, economical and cost-effective solution for the project.
Gradient’s technical teams are able to design a single-layer scheme to suit a customer’s precise requirements and increase sustainability in flat roofs. This includes carrying-out a pre-design survey of a roof to determine the exact position of falls and other outlets. Once agreed, the specification will be signed off by the contractor and client, and Gradient’s teams will get to work on producing the system itself. Detailed drawings accompany the completed single-layer system to site to further simplify the installation process and the sustainability of the roof covering.
Our precision design and planning process is an effective tool for reducing waste that would otherwise be transported to landfill. This is aided by the way our tapered boards are manufactured. Square cuts are made at a board’s thinner end, resulting in a lower volume of off-cuts, provision of half boards and use of infills.
Putting the design and manufacture of a bespoke insulation scheme into the hands of experts optimises the chances of it performing as it should, thus reducing the need for costly maintenance visits and leading to high-performance, sustainable roofs. Choosing Gradient as your tapered single-layer supplier is the single-best way to guarantee a roof that stands the test of time and the elements.
