Tyvek® Helps Master Roofer Achieve A Prestigious International Award

The spectacular, undulating roof at Quintain House by Rowlands Roofing, which won the NFRC’s ‘UK Roof of the Year’ award in 2017 can now boast yet another prestigious accolade. A globally-recognised award from the International Federation for the Roofing Trade (IFR/IFD) was presented to the Hereford-based Rowlands Roofing at the 65th IFD Congress in Vienna, Austria, in October 2017.

The IFD awards honour outstanding achievement by roofing contractors in workmanship and safety. Seventy-one buildings from ten countries were submitted, and seventeen projects were shortlisted from around the world, in countries such as the United Kingdom, Hungary, Slovakia, South Africa, Russia, China and Austria. Quintain House was triumphant in the pitched roof category.

Contractors Rowlands Roofing combined both craftsmanship and innovation to create the sweeping curves of the building’s 820m2 roof, which is topped with 60,000 hand cut clay tiles.

Master Craftsman Andrew Rowlands explains that the unusual design of the new build in Gloucestershire called for reliable, robust protection. “The roof had to be stunning to look at,” he says, “but it also had to adhere to BS 5534 best practice – that is, to be waterproof and secure.”

“We’re very particular about quality and durability for all our roofing projects, and for this challenging installation, the choice was clear: Tyvek® Supro breather membranes, complemented by Tyvek® tapes,” he added.

Tyvek® Supro is as distinctive as the projects it protects. Recent tests show that, thanks to the material’s unique 175 micron functional layer, Tyvek® continues to perform for well after twenty years’ installation, whereas multi-layer products often lose the capacity to hold out water, and some fail less than five years after being fitted.

From award-winning projects such as Quintain House to public sector buildings, commercial structures and the average private home — all roofs deserve quality materials that will protect against the elements and enhance energy-efficiency dependably for the long term.