Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice Case Study

The project

The award winning Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice currently supports over 160 children who are seriously unwell, 230 of their siblings and 350 of their parents/guardians by providing holistic, bespoke care. To facilitate the care of even more children and their families and care givers, a new building was needed. Main build partners, 8build, undertake one charitable build project every year and were therefore recommended for the Ark project. Their unique collaborative approach and utilisation of supply chain relationships kept project costs low with these costs savings directly benefitting the hospice as they could then be spent on care for the children. The project won the "Roof Gardens/ Living Wall Installations - Commercial Roof Garden or Podium Landscaping - Under £500k" award in the BALI National Landscape Awards 2020.

Bauder Building Board

Project:	Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice
Location:	Barnet
Project Type:	New build
Roof Area:	510m²
Specifier:	Squire & Partners
Main Contractor:	8 Build​
Approved Contractor:	Voland Roofing Ltd
Green Roof Contractor:	Bridgman and Bridgman
PV Contractor:	Joju Solar

Meeting the client’s requirements

Budget was key on this project as whatever wasn’t spent on the building fabric was then available to be used for care providers. Therefore, economic design was critical. This started with some design workshops with the architects, Squire & Partners, to look beyond our package of works as to how our waterproofing would be detailed to rainwater goods, cladding and what structure below was required to decide the most efficient design. The project costs were also reduced greatly by the main contractor, 8 build, generously carrying out the project as a not for profit contribution.

A large donation was pledged if a single source green roof system could be provided and subsequently installed by green roof specialist contractors. Bauder fully met this criterion, offering a single source solution and guarantee, with Bridgman and Bridgman landscapers carrying out the green roof installation. Bauderflex bituminous waterproofing system, installed by Bauder approved contractors Voland Roofing, was utilised on the two wings where a Biodiverse roof was planned. Bauder also organised for the solar panels to be funded by Schools Energy Coop, a community fund, which significantly reduced the overall capital expenditure to the client and enabled an increased PV array to be installed saving over £84,000 in energy costs to the client over a 20-year period. We believe this to be the first community funded BioSolar scheme in the UK.

To the central atrium an aesthetically pleasing finish was required so our Thermofol PVC was specified. We supported the project with a reduced cost for our materials from initial budget and maintained the price despite insulation and raw materials increases.
 

Collaborative working

The onsite challenge was having three specialist contractors installing the key elements: waterproofing and insulation, biodiverse landscaping, and PV. We achieved a manageable programme by agreeing the areas under each contractor and the process and timeframe for handing over to the next team, prior to works commencing. In most Bauder green roof installations the waterproofing installer would fit the protection and drainage layers. However, that fell to the landscape specialist, Bridgman and Bridgman, for this project. The team had to work off finished waterproofing, so an understanding and respect for others’ works was key to avoid damage and disagreement. Bridgman and Bridgman had an apprentice working on this site, so this demonstration of collaborative working was very valuable to her learning. She was assessed by the college as part of the works.

This was a very difficult site to manage logistically. Narrow roads leading to the site meant that only small vehicles could be used to deliver goods and there was no room to get a crane in for the lifting operations. All deliveries had to be timed and the telehandler had to be unloaded three quarters of a mile away and driven to the work area. Whilst trying to load the tonne bags of substrate to the roof, the telehandler was sinking in heavy clay. The plant had to be relocated to an area of hard standing meaning there was only one loading point. This resulted in huge amounts of wheelbarrow work to get the 150 cubic meters of growing medium onto the roof successfully.
 

Outcome and guarantee

On completion of the works and after sign-off from Bauder site technicians following inspections, Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice roof was awarded a comprehensive product and workmanship guarantee. The client was thrilled with the process and the welcoming nature of our team supported by Squire & Partners architects and 8 Build main contractors, showing parents, visitors and donors to the charity around the site and how the roof would produce energy and areas for wildlife (all inducted and wearing PPE).

Bridgman and Bridgeman have maintained the roof several times since the project was completed as part of their ongoing commitment to keeping the costs down and ensuring the performance of the system as a whole.

Systems installed

Thermofol PVC System - Core Roof, Reception Area and Lift Overrun Roof

As mentioned, aesthetics was a key consideration for the client when designing the atrium roof. Bauder’s Thermofol PVC waterproofing in the popular Anthracite colour option delivered a pleasing finish with lightweight, long-lasting waterproofing.
 

1 Bauder Thermofol U15 in Anthracite	Bauder Thermofol U15 Membrane is a 1.5mm gauge polyester reinforced Poly Vinyl Chloride membrane (PVC). The product is highly flexible due to the incorporation of internal plasticizers during the manufacturing process. The combination of materials gives high tensile strength, good thermal stability, chemical resistance and flexibility.
2 BauderPIR FA insulation	BauderPIR FA Flatboard Insulation is an extremely efficient PIR insulation board with aluminium foil facing on both sides and rebated edges to remove a thermal bridge. The facing is matt black on both sides and the board can therefore be installed either way up, and has been specially developed for use with Bauder single ply systems.
3 BauderTEC KSD Mica Air & Vapour Control Layer	BauderTEC KSD Mica Air and Vapour Control Layer (AVCL) is a technically advanced, robust, self-adhesive SBS elastomeric bitumen air & vapour control layer, with a mica finished upper surface to allow easy bonding of insulation using the specified Bauder Insulation Adhesive.

Bauderflex - Wing Roofs A &B

Bauderflex is a robust, two-layer bituminous waterproofing that offers specifiers on a budget a durable and long-lasting solution. This was ideal for the Noah’s Ark project where keeping costs down was a key criterion. Used with the AP2 root resistant cap sheet ready for the green roof element.
 

1 AP2 Protection Membrane	Bauder AP2 Capping Sheet is a top quality, heavy duty, torch-applied, SBS elastomeric bitumen capping sheet. The product features chemically treated bitumen to deliver superior root resistance which has been tested and approved by the FLL. The membrane is reinforced with 250g/m² spunbond polyester fleece to allow the finished product to cope with structural movement without fracture.
2 BauderTEC SPRINT DUO Underlayer	BauderTEC Sprint DUO Underlayer is atechnically advanced self-adhesive SBS elastomeric bitumen underlayer with “DUO” lap technology to ensure thorough sealing of lap joints, even in lower temperatures. The product features a glass fleece reinforcement for strength and stability. The product benefits from cleaner, safer and faster installation than traditional torch-applied membranes.
3 BauderPIR FA-TE Flatboard Insulation	BauderPIR FA-TE Flatboard Insulation is an extremely efficient PIR insulation board with aluminium foil facing on both sides. The top facing features a printed grid pattern to aid site cutting. It is lightweight and has zero ozone depletion potential.
4 BauderTEC KSD Mica Air & Vapour Control Layer	BauderTEC KSD Mica Air and Vapour Control Layer (AVCL) is a technically advanced, robust, self-adhesive SBS elastomeric bitumen air & vapour control layer, with a mica finished upper surface to allow easy bonding of insulation using the specified Bauder Insulation Adhesive

BioSOLAR - Wing Roofs A & B

A biodiverse green roof was created utilising DSE40 for drainage, Bauder’s biodiverse substrate for the growing medium and Flora 3 seed mix which is specially blended for BioSOLAR roofs with its mix of shade and sun loving plant species which will thrive in all areas of the roof.  Once established, the vegetation can be maintained safely due to the unique v-angle nature of the BioSOLAR mounts which allow for a strimmer to pass beneath the panels whilst using the man safe system.

Bauder BioSOLAR is an integrated mounting solution for photovoltaic renewable energy with a green roof where the substrate and vegetation provide the ballasted installation mechanism, which removes the need for penetrating the waterproofing to secure the mounting units to the roof. This system enabled Noah’s Ark to achieve two of their key project objectives of creating a biodiverse roof and generating renewable energy.
   

1 BioSOLAR	Bauder BioSOLAR is an integrated mounting solution for photovoltaic renewable energy with a green roof where the substrate and vegetation provide the ballasted installation mechanism, which removes the need for penetrating the waterproofing to secure the mounting units to the roof.
2 Flora 3 Seed Mix	The Bauder Flora 3 Seed Mix is a blend of seed, tackifier and additives developed to maximise diversity of vegetation on green roofs. Bauder Flora 3 has all the components required to improve the germination and the successful establishment of vegetation for a variety of rooftop conditions: light and shade; exposed and sheltered. The varied mix of species is designed to deliver the British native, biodiverse species required for BREEAM compliance.
3 Biodiverse Substrate	Biodiverse Substrate is a lightweight growing medium for biodiverse green roof planting schemes manufactured to FLL guidelines.
4 Filter Fleece	Bauder’s Filter fleece is designed to separate and contain Bauder substrates from the drainage element of the green roof system. It prevents fine material from being washed out of the substrate layer.
5 DSE 40 Drainage & Protection Layer	Laid on to the completed waterproofing to provide continuous drainage within hard and soft landscaping. It is primarily used where the load is moderate to high, such as extensive and intensive green roofs. Its compressive strength, makes it suitable beneath paving laid on sand/cement or gravel bedding or within planter beds. Normally laid over a protection layer.
6 FSM 600 Protection Mat	Heavy duty protection layer made from polyester and polypropylene fibres which is laid on the completed waterproofing to protect the completed waterproofing from mechanical damage.