CRUDEN Homes’ Silverlea project is part of the Granton Waterfront regeneration project; a programme to build a new coastal town on the outskirts of Edinburgh, located on the shores of the Firth of Forth.
Comprising 143 new homes, the project also includes changing and restroom facilities for Craigroyston Community Football Club, and the development has a clear environmental focus, incorporating green spaces for biodiversity and prioritising a sustainable specification.
RESTITRIX, the single ply waterproofing system from CARLISLE described as combining the advantages of EPDM with the benefits of a high-quality polymer-modified bitumen, was part of that focus on sustainability. With EPDM now certified by SKZ to provide a 70-year service life, RESITRIX was considered the ideal solution for the project’s flat roofs, delivering waterproofing, an extended service life, and a ‘robust’ roof covering for both the green roof of the recreation building and the solar PV installations that formed part of the residential properties.
The roofing contractor was Site Roofing. RESITRIX️ has been installed by Site on previous Cruden Home projects, so was already familiar to the client. At Silverlea’s coastal location, where the development will be exposed to strong winds, harsh weather and a saline atmosphere, resilience of the roof covering was more important than ever.
The specification for the 500m2 Silverlea Recreation Centre was for a green roof and considered the performance, loading, and root resistance of the single ply membrane. RESITRIX’s EPDM and bituminous composition delivers a ‘robust yet flexible’ covering, providing a ‘durable and puncture-resistant’ layer beneath the green roof build-up with no harmful plasticisers that could jeopardise the planting.
The specification also prioritised drainage, with cut-to-fall insulation to create a slight pitch, protecting the planting as well as the building.
Site roofing began by installing CARLISLE’s Alutrix 600 vapour barrier, a self-adhesive reinforced aluminium composite. This was followed by 130mm PIR insulation with mineral coated glass facers, prior to installation of the RESITRIX SKW self-adhesive single ply membrane. The green roof build-up was then installed, which will mature to grow wild flowers that complement the local flora and fauna.
For the residential elements of the development, the warm roof build-up was the same as that for the football club changing rooms facility, with CARLISLE’S ALUTRIX 600 vapour barrier, followed by 130mm PIR insulation, prior to the RESITRIX self-adhesive bitumen backed hybrid single layer ply membrane. The membrane was laid out to optimise material use and prevent waste and was adhered directly to the insulation layer, with a 50mm lap at all seams, which were hot air welded to create a strong and permanent seal.
For these roof areas, the single ply membrane needed to be robust enough for the installation of solar panels.
For the dormer roof areas, Site Roofing had to form intricate interfaces with the pitched roof sections and execute neat terminations, particularly since these roof areas are quite visible at street level and from the properties opposite.
CARLISLE and Site Roofing worked collaboratively throughout the specification and installation process, with CARLISLE’s technical team supporting the contractor and attending site to carry out quality assurance checks. The result is described as a high calibre installation that aligns with the prestige of the development, its sustainability credentials, and the need for robust and long-lasting weather protection.
