IKO PLC, a global leader in waterproofing and roofing products, was recently specified to supply a new roofing solution for Wythenshawe Hospital, a major acute teaching hospital in South Manchester. The refurbishment of the 13,000m2 roof included the Maternity Wing and several other areas of the hospital. The work had to be done while the hospital was in full operation.
The starting point was a detailed visual and physical survey of the roof, including a Roofscan Infra-red survey, which highlighted a series of problems. Poor maintenance meant the original roof waterproofing had splits and cracks, causing leaks. Some repairs had been carried out but they were short term solutions. The project required complete replacement of the waterproofing and improving the roof’s thermal performance.
IKO recommended its Ultra PrevENt overlay system - Ultra PrevENt and Polimar EC/UV, all with tapered insulation. Ultra PrevENt incorporates Graphite Firewall Technology which was ideal for the hospital. It acts as a fire retardant which slows penetration of external fires and also forms a heat shield, slowing the spread of smoke and stopping melted bitumen from dripping into the building.
IKO also replaced two polycarbonate rooflights, removed and boarded over the Georgian wired rooflights, raised the beehive heating vent housing and installed new roof decks.
Steve Bithell, IKO’s Approved Contractor Fulwood Roofing, comments: “It was interesting repairing and replacing the roof of an active Maternity Wing. The unit is in operation around the clock, so we had to schedule tasks such as removing and replacing the Georgian wired rooflights in quieter times. A fair amount of the work was done ‘out of hours’. Refurbishing the ‘beehives’ heating vents was a challenge too. We completely dismantled them, raised the upstand to accommodate the tapered insulation, then rebuilt the sides and constructed a new roof onto which IKO’s system was installed. We then applied a maintenance free finish over the existing louvres”.
The project was completed on time and on budget, giving the hospital a BBA approved system with a 20 year single point guarantee, as required in the original specification. The work improved the U-value to 0.18 W/ m²K.
