East Barnet School, Barnet

Architect: Frank Shaw Associates Ltd
Type of works: design, manufacture and installation of an ETFE air-filled pillow roof.

This roof, used to cover a common area at the new East Barnet School, features AES circular hollow-steel members that are media blasted, primed and painted with high-performance paint to provide structural support for the roof. Steel“T” brackets on top of these members attach the air-filled pillow profiles to the roof structure. Eave beams link the main members at the perimeter.

The AFP membrane features aluminium profiles with an anodized finish to hold each three-layer, ETFE air-filled pillow in place. The top layer has a screen print to reduce solar gain.

During the early design phase, Novum began working with the architect and main contractor to develop a concept which would meet both the architect’s vision and the client’s budget. To economise the roof and meet the client’s budget, Novum incorporated curved hollow rafters as the primary roof support structure. Early involvement and an efficient installation enabled Novum to complete this project ahead of time.