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Company: Byford Roofing Services Ltd, Headcorn, Kent

Project: William Harvey Hospital

Materials Used: Noxite Membrane, Thermazone Roof Board

Having undertaken a number of projects for East Kent Hospitals over the years, the Byford Roofing team was familiar with the roof of the William Harvey Hospital, and its history of less than successful repair and renovation. For this project, Byford was asked to replace the roof of the Hospital’s main stores building – an area of 1,500m2, and the first stage in a much larger project covering around 10,000m2.

The roof had been overlaid around 20 years ago with an aluminium sheet system, used to rectify a failing felted roof installed in the 1970s. The sheeted system had proved unable to cope with the roof’s shallow pitch and awkward detailing, and so a new solution was needed.

The replacement specified, by architects Neaves Perry, was Icopal’s innovative Noxite membrane, which includes a coating specially designed to transform harmful nitrogen oxides into harmless nitrates. To secure the contract, Byford Roofing had to reassure Hospital management that the new roofing material would deliver the high performance required, but also show that it would be a highly cost effective solution, as the savings gained by using the membrane – rather than replacing the seamed roof – were of particular relevance to an NHS Trust.

Having won the contract, a team of up to five roofers worked non-stop, under a protective canopy, completed the first phase of the project in under six weeks.

The torch–on membrane was quick to install, and the team achieved the highest level of detailing around box gutters and edging, delivering a highly impressive finish. The contract also marked the launch of Noxite into the UK, and so was a particularly significant achievement for the Byford team.