RENOLIT ALKORPLAN - a worldwide reference point for the production of durable, versatile, and high quality certified synthetic membranes for waterproofing roofs and coverings - supports and sponsors the third edition of the Manni Group Design Award, the international architecture competition that rewards design solutions which create comfortable and sustainable places by means of dry technologies.

Promoted by Manni Group - a company that offers systems, solutions, and expertise for the world of dry steel construction, proposing new scenarios to overcome the energy waste and polluting emissions of existing buildings- in collaboration with YAC (Young Architects Competition), this year’s competition focuses on the supply chain in Africa and calls for ideas and projects for an innovative pole of cold in Ghana. The designers will be able to exploit all the advantages that off-site technology makes available, thus creating the Ghana Innovation Farm: a hub that will play a primary role in increasing the well-being of the population both from an economic point of view as well as anything related to the topic - efficient architectural design.

In West Africa, only 3% of the perishable crop is in fact preserved with adequate storage in a controlled temperature environment, against the 90% in the European Union, with the result that a third of perishable products are inevitably wasted. This situation contributes to the impossibility of the African continent to be self-sufficient from a food point of view and to open a real export channel.

The cold chain is therefore one of the key points of the nutrition challenge. However, the storage and conservation of fresh food require ideas and investments that can raise awareness of how fundamental the cold chain is in the processes of economic, social, and cultural development of local communities. Each design intervention must be inspired by the broader principles of environmental sustainability through off-site construction, both as regards the energy needs (crucial in the cold chain) and the impact of the construction site.

The projects will be evaluated by 12 judges, including archistars such as Mariam Kamara (Atelier Masōmī), Eduardo Souto de Moura (Eduardo Souto de Moura), Andreas Fries (Herzog & de Meuron), Giancarlo Mazzanti (El Equiposia), Raul Pantaleo (TAMassociati), Giuseppe Grant (Horizontal). The € 20,000 prize pool will be awarded to the most sustainable and innovative projects.

The support of RENOLIT ALKORPLAN for the competition is in the wake of an intense collaboration that has been underway for years with the Manni Group to develop new roofing systems that respond to the growing awareness of ecological issues and the economic needs of urban centres in constant development. Cool roofs allow lower temperatures and energy savings, optimizing the yield of photovoltaic systems as well.

Manni Group and RENOLIT ALKORPLAN are investing a lot of resources in R&D, to create increasingly performing solutions in the field of flat roofs. Isopan PVSteel sandwich panels are one of the fruits of this collaboration, offering cool roofs designed to reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat than a standard roof thus reducing the temperature.

For RENOLIT ALKORPLAN, being a sponsor of this initiative is a reason of pride and is in the wake of a commitment over time in favour of environmental and social sustainability. Since the durability of a product is the first criterion for evaluating its sustainability, RENOLIT ALKORPLAN membranes represent a truly sustainable solution.

The RENOLIT ALKORPLAN range in its different versions represents the ideal choice for all geographic areas: both for the developing countries of the South, where urbanization requires adequate solutions, reliable and long-lasting products; as well as in areas such as the European Union, with slow population growth and whose goal is to have zero-impact buildings.

RENOLIT ALKORPLAN roofing membranes contribute to the achievement of environmental certifications of buildings such as LEED, BREEAM, and VERDE. In 2019 RENOLIT joined the Circular Plastics Alliance (CPA), an initiative promoted by over 100 European companies, including SMEs, large companies, research institutes, and administrative authorities whose aim is to promote voluntary actions for a European market that is attentive and sensitive to the recycling of plastics.

Behind the sponsorship of a project such as the Manni Group Design Award is the idea of a way of doing business and of interpreting social responsibility towards collaborators, communities, and next generations.