Leading liquid roofing manufacturer Centaur Technologies and roofing contractor Western Flat Roofing Company have been crowned as the winners in the Liquid Roofing and Waterproofing category at the prestigious UK Roofing Awards 2016.
The two firms won the coveted award for a challenging refurbishment project at Exeter University. The scheme used Centaur Technologies’ Centech PU 25 liquid roofing system and was completed by approved contractor Western Flat Roofing Company in just four weeks.
Centaur beat off stiff competition from some old names in the liquid roofing industry to take the award at a glamorous ceremony, which was hosted by BBC Breakfast TV’s Steph McGovern at the London Metropole Hotel on 13 May.
Phil Richardson, managing director of Centaur Technologies, said: “Despite the wealth of experience that our team has in the liquid roofing industry, our business is a relative newcomer, so we were absolutely delighted to take first place in this category. Receiving the award was a crowning moment for everyone who was involved in this complex project. It underlines the pedigree of our highly skilled team, the quality of our product and the nature of our partnerships with our approved contractors.
“We work closely with specifiers, contractors and building owners to develop complete systems, which are tailored to their needs. This award highlights our commitment to best practice within the industry and the emphasis we place on attention to detail and the quality we demand at every stage of a project, from developing site surveys and roof reports to delivering specifications and long-term single point guarantees.”
Charles Shazell, managing director at Western Flat Roofing, added: “It was fantastic to win this award. We’ve been a Centaur installer for some years and have worked extensively with the Centech product, so we understand its capabilities. It helped us to overcome the confines of the roof and the restrictions of the job, where we had to work within shorter hours and minimise disruption to nearby residents. I’m really proud of the team that delivered a superb project that was a worthy winner at the awards.”
The original asphalt roof on the South Cloisters roof at Exeter University, which was covered in chippings, was overlaid with a new Centech PU 25 system to provide a seamless roof and allow water to drain from the surface. The team was tasked with improving the thermal performance of the roof, but there were restrictions on the thickness of insulation that could be used because of the upstand heights to windows and cavity trays in the adjoining brick walls. Centaur Technologies’ 50mm Centech PIR provided the best U-value without having to raise the details.
The scheme required complex detailing around ducts, ventilation pipes and rooflights. Western Flat Roofing also replaced all 31 rooflights with Centech triple glazed rooflights and installed a freestanding edge barrier to allow safe access to the roof for future plant maintenance. An anti-slip walkway was also installed. The project was scheduled to be completed within five weeks. Despite the complex nature of the roof, it was finished within four weeks. Centaur technologies regularly inspected the works as part of its Centaur Quality Partnership programme. A 25 year guarantee for labour and materials was provided on completion of the project.
The Centech PU formulation combines the characteristics of a traditional aromatic system with an aliphatic pre-polymer backbone to deliver superb performance and colourfastness. It has been developed with safety as a priority and utilises sophisticated stripped free-monomer technology, which makes it potentially far less hazardous than other systems available on the market. Exceptionally durable, rapid curing (even under water) and boasting an extremely high tensile strength, the system offers guaranteed waterproofing characteristics and is quick and easy to apply.
