Client: Woodland Trust Headquarters
Type of works: Profile 6 fibre cement profile sheeting has been specified.

Marley’s fibre cement profile sheeting has been specified on the Woodland Trust’s new headquarters in Grantham, Lincolnshire.

The £5.1 million BREEAM Excellent rated project had to achieve a reduced carbon footprint, whilst demonstrating long term value for money.

Fibre cement Profile 6 from Marley was used on the roof, which has a mono pitch of 11.5 degrees.

Architects were Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios of Bath. Partner Matt Vaudin said: “We specified Profile 6 because it gave an excellent aesthetic and will provide the client with a long term value for money solution. The use of Profile 6 was appropriate on the building because fibre cement profiled sheeting is a familiar product commonly used on rural buildings around the UK.”

The Woodland Trust’s innovative headquarters is shaped in a descending spiral representing a curled fern leaf, wrapped around a central woodland garden.

Roofing contractors were Hickton Construction Ltd and Managing Director Peter Kirk said: “Marley Profile 6 was able to cope with the extremely shallow roof pitch on this project, as well as providing a cost effective solution on what is a large and complex building.”

Profile 6 was an integral part of minimising the carbon footprint and achieving the BREEAM Excellent rating. UK manufactured fibre cement profiled sheeting achieves an A+ rating in the BRE (Building Research Establishment) Green Guide to Specification based on generic rating for UK produced profiled air cured fibre cement sheeting (outer skin) - (Element Ref: 1012550002).

Marley is currently the only UK manufacturer of fibre cement products, meaning it has a smaller carbon footprint than foreign manufactured fibre cement sheeting.

The roof and walls of the building are insulated with a mulched natural wood-fibre product, and both are designed to be breathable. The Profile 6 sheets are also breathable as fibre cement is vapour permeable yet completely waterproof. That means if any moisture from inside the building does penetrate the Vapour Control Layer under the insulation, Profile 6 will allow it to diffuse to the outside, limiting the amount of condensation within the roof structure.

Condensation creates an issue with some air-tight and fully interlocking roof systems such as steel sheets as it prevents the diffusion of this water vapour. In time, if condensation is not addressed it can cause rotting of timber or corrosion of metal components. Marley’s Profile 6 has no metallic content, giving it a high level of corrosion resistance and a 50 year life expectancy in certain circumstances.

The Woodland Trust’s Director of Corporate Services Steve Gregory said: “We are delighted with our new building, which was constructed to high environmental standards, in particular elements such as the use of fibre cement profiled sheeting on the roof will provide decades of low maintenance and is also a sustainable product.”