Paul Stanley-Boden at Red and Black Roofing loves an interesting build. He likes to ask how you can get a building to work, and how to build it in a sustainable way. So when he heard about our Cafe and Information Centre build, he was keen to get involved.
He was motivated by the Centre’s intelligent, durable design – one that would last for years to come – which is what you see taking shape at the build site today. He notes that as you walk down Cambridge Terrace, you get flavours of different eras of construction; the historic Thomas Edmonds Band Rotunda and the modern office buildings contrast with the organic lines of the Otakaro Orchard build. With the food forest and grassy riverbank, as well as the new bridge over to Oxford Terrace, it makes for a stunning walk down the riverside.
The 400 square metre roof is waterproofed with a membrane called WeldTec, made here in Christchurch by Ardex New Zealand Ltd. WeldTec is weldable, meaning no chemical solvents are needed to seal it off. It has a lower VOC than other sheet membranes, and can be re-blended and therefore recycled. This means our roof is made out of one of the most sustainable materials available.
The roof is a warm roof which means that the insulation in the roof is designed to prevent condensation occurring on the interior ceiling, or anywhere inside. The layers of insulation keep the building cool in summer, but conserves heat in winter, and reduces heating and air conditioning costs. There are overhangs around the roof that add extra shade around the Centre as well.
The roof will soon be turned into a green roof. Green roofs absorb rainwater, and add extra insulation to a building. It will also absorb ambient noise and can help filter out carbon dioxide. There’s no “conventional” outlets for excess rainwater on the green roof; instead, the roof is designed to “spill” the excess into a wide garden ‘gutter’ along the back of the building. Any water that flows off the green roof falls into the garden gutter below, watering the plants there. Excess from this is used around our Food Forest.
Red and Black Roofing have had a substantial impact on our Orchard build, and have helped us to create an integral and innovative part of our building. Tena koutou to Paul for his ongoing contributions to the build.
