IN YPRES THE HOUSE OF WONDERS HAS A RENOLIT ALKORPLAN ROOF
An innovative and original project has been created in the Belgian city with RENOLIT ALKORPLAN Solar and RENOLIT ALKORPLAN F products, sustainable and able to adapt to every request
Sant Celoni, Barcelona, 04 11 2021 - The house must be ecological and last over time. It must be wrapped in wood to give a natural appearance to the building, blending harmoniously with the surrounding environment. Gutters, rainwater drains, and solar panels must not be visible. The client's requests for the construction of a private residence in Ypres, Belgium - a town of 35,000 inhabitants known as the 'silent witness of the Great War' for the fierce and dramatic battles that took place here a century ago and which today, for a difference, is the protagonist of a Europe that imagines a more sustainable future - they were certainly very stimulating but also very difficult to achieve. Yet, thanks to RENOLIT ALKORPLAN products, the architect was able to fulfill all the client's wishes, offering original and innovative solutions.
Usually, with a wood finish, it is very hard to get a completely waterproof roof and, even more so, to have a clean watertight connection between the timber cladding and the roof itself. Moreover, in this case the roof was designed with very steep slopes and for which it was also necessary to take into account the shear forces.
In short, a proper challenge. Originally, the architect had proposed fixing the profiles in cellular glass insulation, a hypothesis that was too expensive and therefore not feasible. The solution found, efficient and sustainable also from an economic point of view, turned out to be RENOLIT ALKORPLAN Solar. The ingenious mounting system - without penetrating the waterproof covering when installing photovoltaic panels on roofs or other special applications - has proved to be ideal for this type of work. The lightness of the system, the absolute water tightness, and the reliability played an important role; in-depth tests and related approvals (testing and approvals) were another decisive factor when choosing such a solution.
Two different RENOLIT ALKORPLAN systems were used to waterproof the building. A 2.0 mm thick mechanically fixed RENOLIT ALKORPLAN F was used over the living area. The 1.60 meter wide rolls of roof covering were cut in two so that the covering could be fixed every 80 centimeters. The solar profiles, which are always welded close to the weld seam, can thus be installed every 70 cm. In this type of work, it is fundamental to avoid perforating the waterproofing membrane during installation. Well, the great strength of RENOLIT ALKORPLAN membranes, hot air welding allows to weld and finish in a perfectly integrated way the PVC-P RENOLIT ALKORPLAN Solar profile, complete with aluminum box section, to the membrane itself.
For the other wing of the building, which houses an indoor swimming pool, the RENOLIT ALKORPLAN A waterproof membrane was used. On the roofs, where mechanical fixing is difficult or even impossible, this waterproofing membrane can be glued to the substrate itself. This system is particularly suitable where the vapour barrier cannot be perforated, such as indoor swimming pools and buildings with high indoor humidity.
Finally, the architect came up with a particularly original solution for the solar panels. Thanks to the construction of very wide gutters, the solar panels are in fact completely hidden from view. The gutters were also waterproofed with the RENOLIT ALKORPLAN membrane in PVC-P, thus making it possible to house the RENOLIT ALKORPLAN Solar profiles.
The final result proved to be excellent in terms of effectiveness, the flexibility of use, and sustainability, confirming how well RENOLIT ALKORPLAN products can respond to every need.
The owner was thrilled with the result (video here). In fact, the project shows great creativity and originality and is a source of pride for the architectural firm Architectenbureau Dries Bonamie bv, for the roofing contractor APD and the Demonie Hout carpentry works.