ROOFING: AN ENVIRONMENTAL FIRST

ROOF SPACE SYSTEMS/
COPAL GROUP
ROOFING CONTRACTORS
PRESS RELEASE

May 13, 2008.

WEST MIDLANDS BUSINESSES DRIVE ENVIRONMENTAL FIRST FOR NORTHAMPTONSHIRE HOMES.

Roof Space Systems, one of the country’s leading roofing contractors, will change the way homes are built with the installation of a first-in-the-UK roofing process at a site in Crick, Northamptonshire.

A residential development under construction by Birmingham-based regional developer Heritage Grange will benefit from an environmentally advantageous roofing process commonplace across Europe, but completely new to the UK.

The process, using pre-fabricated Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), cuts time spent on making a unit watertight by around two-thirds – but at the same cost, and with massive insulation advantages.

“In the case of this development, we will make the units in question watertight in less than a week-and-a-half, whereas established processes would take four weeks,” said Kevin Sherlock, Managing Director of Roof Space Systems, which is based in Stratford-upon-Avon.

“While it may be new to the UK, it is completely tried, tested and trusted across Europe, where it has proved massively popular for the past 20 years. However, until recent legislation it is a process that has been overlooked in the UK – and we now find ourselves in pole position to address a fast-growing demand.

“In a nutshell, we deliver SIPs panels direct to new-build home sites, pre-cut to length, all pre-determined by a take-off from drawings supplied by the builder using auto-cad. They are then installed by our own skilled labour, and also provides a faster method of making a house waterproof in adverse conditions.

“In November 2006 the UK government published its Planning Policy Statement 3 (PPS3) which essentially said it would encourage and drive a code for sustainable homes, promoting design initiatives aimed at building homes with a zero carbon footprint. Roof Space Systems is pivotal to this type of development.

“To address heat insulation requirements and regulations, the SIP panels incorporate thermal insulation, between two layers of OSB grade 3 boards. They offer the simplest way to comply with part L of the new building regulations, requiring a U-value of 0.25 for elemental (airtight) roofs.

“But here’s the real bonus on the space front: the average house contains 35% by volume of cold roof space, but SIPS panels allow this to be converted to warm, useable living space. Such airtight roofs save something like 600kwh per heating season per house and 100kg-plus of CO2 emissions over conventional roofs,” said Kevin.

Roof Space Systems is part of the Copal Group. Founded in Warrington, Cheshire in 1996, Copal Group is now headquartered in Leigh, Lancashire. It has since expanded beyond its North West heartland and now has operating branches covering the East & West Midlands, northern Home Counties, Yorkshire and Scotland giving a truly national coverage.

Copal’s varied services range from traditional roof coverings including natural and artificial slating, clay and concrete pantiles, clay and concrete plain tiles and all associated sheet leadwork and flashings to more modern innovative single ply systems, aluminium flashings, Mastic asphalting and high performance built-up felt systems, architectural, aluminium fall arrest solutions.As members of the National Federation of Roofing Contractors Copal’s customers can rest assured that all installations meet the highest possible standards.

Ends