Our new training centre is an interesting mix of cutting edge and traditional building practice, with the emphasis always on sustainability. The roof system is a great example of this. The roof structure is made from larch sourced within the UK, and like many of Down to Earth’s buildings, will feature a turf roof. Turf roofs are great because:
- They blend into the landscape
- Provide habitat for wildlife
- Provide good insulation for buildings
- Slow down the release of water helping to prevent flooding in heavy rainfall.
In order to increase the thermal efficiency of our building, we’re using a roofing system made up of multiple layers; the installation process goes like this:
- The roof timbers are dried using a blowtorch, and fast-drying primer is painted on
- A felt vapour control layer (VCL) is torch-bonded onto the primed roof timber.
- 160mm rigid insulation boards are cut to fit, and then bonded to the VCL
- A second felt layer is bonded to the insulation boards
- A final impermeable membrane is bonded onto this felt layer
