Requiring a roofing solution that would assist with the internal cooling of Coolock Library in Ireland, Dublin City Council specified IKO Carrara, a highly reflective roofing membrane designed to reflect radiant energy from the external environment.
Around 1,000m2 of IKO Carrara Capsheet was overlaid and bonded onto the existing primed membrane on Coolock Library, saving time and money to achieve a waterproof and environmentally friendly build-up.
Further to offering a waterproofing solution, IKO Carrara positively influences the temperature in and on the roof making it ideal for commercial spaces and public buildings such as libraries.
With its white finish, the membrane will reflect most of the radiant energy from the sun and only a limited amount of this energy will be stored in the roof structure. As a result, overheating can be prevented.
Dublin City Council were particularly interested in IKO Carrara’s exceptional environmental properties with its view to adding photovoltaic panels (PV) to the existing building. PV panels in combination with IKO Carrara have greater efficiency, up to 25%, as the performance of the solar cells increases during sunny periods, at a lower ambient temperature.
Adding to this, IKO Carrara’s reflective qualities means that thermal extremes are reduced in the roof structure and as a result, the roof system enjoys enhanced stability and a longer service life.
The sun is a vital source of renewable energy and building owners are always interested in finding ways to reduce their reliance on the grid. It is becoming more and more common to see buildings designed so that the benefits of solar energy can be optimised, without the risk of overheating.
Keith Proudfoot, from roofing contractors Titan Roofing who installed the IKO Carrara system said: “This was our first project using IKO Carrara and we were delighted with the service from IKO throughout the job. We achieved a fantastic finish with a wonderful product, much to the delight of the customer who has specified IKO for a number of future upgrade works.”
Not only does IKO offer a solution to overheating, the innovative, ecological roofing membrane helps to purify the air surrounding it. IKO Carrara’s mineral finish is coated with a special type of titanium dioxide designed to convert harmful nitrogen and sulphur oxides (NOx and SOx) in the atmosphere into harmless and environmentally neutral substances.
For more information on how IKO Carrara could assist your cold roofing project, leave your details in the contact form provided.
