Needing to optimise available space, buildings such as offices, retail developments and hospitals often include parking areas on the uppermost roof deck. The challenge with this solution is to construct a durable, trafficable surface, while protecting the integrity of the waterproofing system, and ensuring the building roof is adequately insulated. The expectation is that this solution should match design performance criteria for a system lifetime of minimum fifty years.

Design of an optimum solution involves multiple structural and product aspects, from anticipated loading of the roof deck, waterproofing, drainage, insulation and the choice of trafficable surface.

A principal benefit of thermally insulating above the waterproofing system with IsoBoard, is the membrane is protected by the bulk of the insulation, requiring no maintenance. Not only is the membrane protected from aging due to weathering, UV exposure and thermal shocks, it is also protected against mechanical damage resulting from vehicle traffic, and damage caused by interstitial condensation.

Another important benefit is that the thermal mass of the concrete roof deck is maintained at internal temperature, assisting hugely in providing temperature control to the environment below.

Choosing a thermal insulator appropriate for this application, means specifying a product with the highest resistance to water and moisture absorption, to prevent any performance or compression failure. The product must be light in mass yet possess the compressive strength to support vehicle traffic over fifty years and maintain designed thermal performance over this period. Here is where IsoBoard XPS comes into its own.

More than twenty years ago, IsoBoard was installed as thermal insulation beneath paved roof parking in the Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria. IsoBoard continues to perform as designed, providing thermal insulation to the building below, protecting the waterproofing system and accommodating vehicle traffic, with no collapse of the paved surface. Waterproofing maintenance has been limited to exposed upstands.

In 2016, IsoBoard XPS was installed to the roof parking area of the Military Hospital in Wynberg, with the same positive outcome thus far, which we look forward to confirming and reporting on in fifty years’ time.

When looking for thermal insulation that is thermally effective, durable and fit for purpose for the long term, you know you can rely on IsoBoard.