Insulate Magazine Issue 11 - October 2017

The only independent insulation industry trade magazine
Insulate Debate
Warm Flat Roofs
are Simply the Solution when it
Comes to Quality and Performance
warm flat roof, correctly designed, specified and built, is one of the simplest construction
A elements of the building envelope, writes Paul Forrester, Technical Services Manager at
PIR insulation manufacturer, Recticel. However, its performance remains reliant upon a basic,
but essential value: high-quality workmanship.
Structural deck, vapour control layer, insulation
and waterproofing combine to create a warm flat
roof; the perfect example of a fabric-first
approach in action. It’s a tried-and-tested
solution, not least because it keeps the roof
structure at or around the same temperature as
the building interior. This eliminates the
possibility of condensation occurring - which
could otherwise cause deterioration of the
structure - and ensures the roof performs for the
building’s intended lifespan. And yet questions
such as, “Does a roof need a vapour barrier?”
continue to be asked, highlighting that
misapprehensions remain about the
ramifications of flat roof design. Too often, poor
roofing performance results from a lack of
awareness good-practice principles.
A warm flat roof, correctly
designed, specified and built,
is one of the simplest
construction elements of the
building envelope. However, its
performance remains reliant
upon a basic, but essential
value: high-quality
workmanship.
26
insulatenetwork