The Durham Gateway project is a major new development at Durham University that houses a variety of departments. Although aesthetically stunning, the concept presented several challenging issues.
The project was carried out to a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ Standard and as such only used components that had minimal environmental impact. Cold-applied liquid roofing membranes, such as those manufactured by Polyroof, have been recognised by BRE to help roofing elements achieve up to an A+ rating (depending on the roof construction).

Part of the works involved the construction of three curved roof areas that required a high-performance and durable waterproofing system which was to be covered by a timber shingle system. The shingles were supported by over 1,170 steel stanchions – all of which were seamlessly waterproofed with the Protec System.

Above: Bespoke stainless steel adjustable feet were key to the project to fix the faceted sections of the roof. An additional coating of Protec was applied on and around the feet to ensure water could not penetrate the fixing holes.

The main contractors of the project, Laing O’Rourke, were able to achieve the visual impact they wanted with the peace of mind that the roof was protected by a totally seamless and highly durable waterproofing membrane.