The Government and New Zealand consumers are demanding energy efficiency is designed into modern buildings. And with 30-35% of heat going through the roof in an uninsulated house, roof insulation needs to be a focus during a building's design.
Higher standards requires a complete rethink about how we construct our buildings. When it comes to flat roofs, international best practice is to use "warm roof" designs.
These designs put the insulation above the substrate, completely enclosing the roof area with a highly efficient insulation blanket. Nuralite has sourced from Europe the most effective product available and combined it with our respected waterproofing products to make the Nuralite Warm Roof system.
- The most effective way to insulate a flat roof - improved insulation, with no thermal breaks.
- Less timber may be required as the rafters can be reduced to the minimum engineering requirements. There is no need to accommodate lofted insulation products and ventilation cavities
- No cross-ventilation of ceiling void required.
- Roof structure less susceptible to the effects of solar gain and thermal movement as it is insulated from outside temperature extremes
- A clear ceiling space is created providing ample space for running cables, installing downlights or speakers.
- Can be retro fitted on existing buildings to increase their energy efficiency
-
Compatible with Green roof and Ballast roof systems.
Cold Roof
The traditional approach
to flat roofing in New Zealand. The insulation is laid on top of the ceiling
and the cavity space is ventilated to dissipate any condensation. This is an
inefficient method as rafters and downlights allow heat to leak through breaks
in the insulation.
Warm Roof
International best
practice is to place the insulation on top of the roof substrate. A vapor
barrier is installed before laying the insulation and fixing it with screws.
The entire system is encased by two layers of bituminous membrane - the first
being mechanically fastened.
This method promotes an R-value that is consistent across the entire roof envelope. Using materials with the same R-value, an approximately 10% gain in heating efficiency is achieved over cold roof designs2.
The system can be installed on plywood, concrete or metal substrates, on new or existing buildings and on flat roofs regardless of their slope.
- Learn more about the Warm Roof System (PDF 1.2MB)
- See a warm roof project report - new build (PDF 456KB)
- See a warm roof project report - retrofit building (PDF 838KB)
- Download specifications
- Review detail drawings
- Calculate the construction R value using design navigator