'Happy valley' - Whakapapa
Challenge:
Built in the 1980s, the bistro/café and ski rental buildings had serviced countless customers at happy valley - the beginners’ area of the Whakapapa ski fields. The original roofing membrane had come to the end of its life; having survived over 30 brutal volcanic plateau winters. Weather-tightness issues were increasing, and maintenance was becoming more challenging. The time had come to bring these buildings up to a standard that would not only satisfy the requirements of the customers and staff, but also bring the building into line with D.O.C.’s covenants, as this area is a world heritage listed national park.
Solution
It was decided that a Viking Warm Roof system with a Viking Bituclad with a torch-on waterproofing membrane would protect the buildings. This would provide insulation and move the dew point to the outside of the building, eliminating internal condensation build-up.
Kingspan polyiso insulation sheets were mechanically fastened to the existing membrane (used as a vapour barrier) to ensure it remained in place. Vikings Approved Applicators attention to detail ensured the new roof increased weather-tightness and energy efficiency.
Result
Enthusiastic skiers could now try on equipment and enjoy a coffee in a dry and warm environment. An added bonus was that the finished roofs remained beautifully juxtaposed in the natural snowy environment – a look the Department of Conservation was steadfast about maintaining.
Viking Bituclad SBS (now named [Viking GM Lybra SBS](NOTE - Viking Bituclad SBS has now been replaced with Viking GM Lybra SBS, this membrane is part of a new range of torch-on waterproofing systems offered by Viking." target="_blank) ) the two-layer torch-on membrane used in this project was the perfect solution for the situation. Bituclad S.B.S, part of Vikings torch-on range has been formulated to manage extreme climates. S.B.S is rubberised asphalt with elastomeric properties, which copes with the stresses caused by greater temperature extremes. This means it won’t crack; especially during the cold winter months; as it has a cold flexibility down to -15 degrees Celsius before fracturing.
NOTE - Viking Bituclad SBS has now been replaced with Viking GM Lybra SBS, this membrane is part of a new range of torch-on waterproofing systems offered by Viking.
