The buildings were multiple storeys and both entailed detail work, so flexible and sustainable solutions were needed. In addition, the college is located within the city centre of Newcastle, so the client requested a product that could be easily distributed.

Contractors ERS specified Sika Sarnafil’s S327-12EL single ply membrane in Light Grey as this was ideal to cope with the metal standing seam detailing. Sika Sarnafil membrane is more flexible in its application and overcame some of the more obtrusive detailing than metal apllications would have caused. There were also a number of mechanical and electrical roof apertures and these would have required a lot of welding had metal been used. The detailing was easily managed using the heat-welded Sika Sarnafil system.

The building’s central location also meant that the move to Sika Sarnafil membrane brought a practical benefit. The 11,000sq m college is right in the middle of the city, making handling materials very difficult due to the site’s restrictive nature. So having the membrane on rolls negated the need for cranes or slings, which was a big benefit in this instance.