Architect: Capita Architecture
Contractor: Ernest Ward Roofing Ltd
Type of works: supply and installation of Kingspan Thermataper TT47 LPC/FM tapered roofing system.

Pupils at the £28m Oasis Academy Immingham have reportedly been amazed by the facilities on show at their new school. But this thoroughly modern building, designed by Capita Architecture and constructed by GB Building Solutions, has hidden wonders too.

Above the 32 track music recording studio, the professional-standard teaching kitchen, and the fully equipped vehicle maintenance workshop, sits an equally impressive innovation in roofing technology from Kingspan Insulation.

The Academy’s flat roof construction utilises a 2,500m² Kingspan Thermataper TT47 LPC/FM tapered roofing system; a revolutionary combination of insulation and drainage in one highly durable system.

The Thermataper system prevents water ponding (one of the greatest detriments to flat roofing) without the need to incorporate structural falls into building design; and has no load-bearing implications for the structure.

At the Oasis Academy, the Thermataper TT47 LPC/FM system was installed beneath the schools bio-diverse, ‘brown’ roof – a form of natural roofing which allows local fauna to naturally proliferate on an area roughly equal to the footprint of the building. Within an 18 to 24 month period the roof will be completely naturalised.

Steve Page of Ernest Ward Roofing, the contractor responsible for installation said: “We specified Kingspan Thermataper for the job. We’ve worked with it many times and we’re very keen on it because it’s so quick and easy to install. It’s a very efficient method.”

“The original specification was for screed-to-falls but there were some serious structural issues to consider because of the brown roof design. So as well as the speed and cost advantages of Thermataper there was the weight benefit. It is very light compared to screed.”

The Thermataper range of high-performance PIR insulation addresses two major design considerations for flat roofing with one product. On new roofs, the system eliminates the need to incorporate a fall into the design of the structure, because the tapered insulation provides both thermal protection and water run-off in one.

The system is estimated to be as little as 1% of the weight of a solution using screed-to-falls with a flat insulation board; and its scheduling advantages arise from the fact that, unlike screed-to-falls systems, Thermataper does not need time to dry out.

The Thermataper range of systems has the advantage of being compatible with all weatherproofing systems; at the Oasis Academy, the Thermataper system was installed beneath Sarnafil PVC single-ply membrane.

Sponsors of the new Immingham Academy, Oasis UK, describe the 1,150 pupil secondary as an environmentally friendly school. Its Thermataper system will provide operational energy savings for this green building and will continue to contribute to the carbon-efficiency of the school for its whole lifetime, if properly applied and maintained.

The money spent on a Thermataper system was just one cost-effective innovation for former Principal Brian Dixon’s “brand new start” for his school, which will be a specialist hub for teaching in engineering and commerce. This forward-thinking Academy, which had its Grand Opening on 10th July 2009, also gives a laptop and mobile phone to all its 250 sixth formers.

Kingspan Insulation offers an extensive range of insulation solutions for both new build and refurbishment projects. Specifiers, stockists and contractors are supported with a comprehensive and free technical advisory service.