The Avenue

Product used: Nuraply ALU vapour barrier, Nuraply TPO, Nuratherm PIR insulation Applicator: Edmonds Painting Jerome Tindal

Architects: Black Pine Architects

Situation

Located on Whanganui’s main street, The Avenue Hotel is one of the city’s most prominent accommodation providers. A kitchen fire had caused extensive damage to the venue’s hospitality facilities, including the restaurant and dining areas, and the rebuild required significant roof remediation. This created an opportunity not only to restore the building, but to rethink the roof’s design and long-term performance. Local firm Black Pine Architects was tasked with redesigning the roof structure and lines to improve performance, and Nuralite was engaged early to review the roofing system and collaborate with the project team to identify efficiencies without compromising performance.

Challenge

The previous roof had an extremely flat pitch, and consisted of tin and tray section metal. This configuration no longer met the building code and had to be replaced.

Black Pine Architects led the redesign work and incorporated their Passivhaus expertise into a holistic view of the roof within the wider project. The key practical drivers were watertightness and moisture prevention across the structure, achieving a high level of insulation performance across the entire system, and reducing fire risk – both during the installation process and throughout the life of the building.

The key economic consideration was ensuring the money invested in the solution worked as hard as it could for as long as possible, and that it could be backed up with an on-site review and warranty that would guarantee longevity.

In line with their design ethos, Black Pine also sought to give preference to suppliers that actively minimise their carbon footprint and uphold higher environmental and building standards, such as those promoted by organisations including Passive House Institute NZ (PHINZ) and the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC).

Solution

Black Pine Architects identified Nuralite’s Warm Roof System as the most effective solution for the project. The system incorporated Nuraply ALU vapour barrier, Nuratherm PIR insulation, and a Nuraply TPO waterproofing membrane to deliver a robust, high-performance roofing solution suited to the demands of a commercial hospitality environment.

A foundation layer of Nuraply ALU vapour barrier was installed to control internal moisture movement and prevent condensation, which was of particular importance in the commercial kitchen environment. This was overlaid with Nuratherm PIR insulation, selected for its high thermal performance, continuous insulation capability, and ability to minimise thermal bridging. Together, these elements created a thermally efficient roof structure that supports long-term energy efficiency and building performance.

Across the large, exposed roof area, the Nuraply TPO membrane was specified as the most suitable waterproofing solution. Installed over approximately 600m², the wide membrane rolls allowed for faster installation and fewer joins, significantly reducing the risk of future leaks.

Installation was completed locally by Edmonds Painting, with structural works completed by Shane Stone Builders Ltd. The completed roof delivers a practical, durable, and Building Code–compliant solution that was installed efficiently, reduces long-term operational risk, and provides reliable, high-performance protection for the life of the building.

15 January 2026