Protan protecting Lakeland Climbing Centre roof from the weather

Lakeland Climbing Centre in Cumbria

• almost 30m high and thus subject to severe wind and weather loadings.
• 30 years-old roof needed replacing, but with minimal impact on the Centre

Westmorland Flat Roofing’s solution was to use innovative vacuum roofing technology, unique to Protan, to overlay and secure Protan SE1.6mm single ply membrane to the 350m² roof.

Harnessing natural air movement to provide adhesion

Protan’s vacuum system is the only single ply roofing method to harness natural air movement to provide adhesion. The system uses strategically positioned vacuum vents across the roof, with the only fixings being at the perimeter and penetrations. Air movement across the roof and through the vents creates suction, drawing air from between the membrane and airtight substrate below, causing the single ply to ‘stick’ to the roof. The stronger the wind, the more the membrane adheres to the roof structure.

The Protan vacuum system will withstand gusts of up to 200mph (4 x average and/or 2x the highest recorded for Cumbria).

Westmorland Flat Roofing director David Welch: “My first thought was to mechanically fix over the existing screed, but pull out tests and the varying densities of concrete and screed made this impractical; adhering the membrane was out of the question too because of the surface finish and it would still require additional mechanical restraint because of the roof height and exposure. Protan’s vacuum system was the only practical solution”.

Lakeland Climbing Centre owner Jeremy Wilson: “We were delighted with the minimal disruption whilst the work was being carried out, and with the finished result.”

Protan single ply membranes

• certified to deliver, and potentially surpass, the energy efficiency requirements laid down in Approved Document L
• achieves Green Guide A rating

The vacuum system is just part of the company’s range of cost-efficient membrane solutions for the roofing and construction industry, including standard overlap, prefabricated, secret fix and green roofing for exposed and protected roofs, terraces, and wetrooms.

Protan UK,
256 Europa Boulevard,
Gemini Business Park,
Warrington,
WA5 7TN

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