Project profile: Grand Union Wembley

By Tremco.

Tranforming an industrial estate into a vibrant neighbourhood space. 

Grand Union is transforming the former derelict industrial estate into a vibrant canal side neighbourhood, opening up previously closed off sections of the Grand Union Canal and River Brent for the benefit of the whole community.

A new canal side Piazza offers a vibrant space encompassing shops, cafés, restaurants and a community centre (offering classes, workshops and events) providing spaces in which to congregate and socialise, bringing new life to the banks. A state-of-the-art multi-storey industrial hub and high-quality workspace will make this regeneration project location a desirable place to live, work and connect.

The project details

StructureCare were engaged by Berkley Group to install 13,000m² of AlphaGuard Blueshield Inverted Roof System including the installation of various surface finishes to the first phase of the development which covered blocks (A,B,C and D) and recreational podium areas.

All of the block roofs (A, B, C and D) had biodiverse roof build ups applied enhancing the sustainability of this new development, meeting specific planning requirements. The roofs also offset the ‘brown field’ site that existed before the building was constructed.

These roofs had a biodiverse seed mix, containing an average of 30 sown species from certified native stock, hand sown at 4g/m². Each of the biodiverse roofs were encapsulated by paving to support access for future maintenance of the living roofs to ensure its longevity.

All waterproofing work to these areas were installed by in-house StructureCare employees. External finishes across the roofs, terraces and podium were instructed and managed by StructureCare including the biodiverse roofs, paving and man-safe systems. This delivered a harmonious system approach across the development.

In addition, every m2 of AlphaGuard Blueshield applied is electronically integrity tested. This process involves using a charged metal broom above the membrane to create an electrical potential difference. Once this process is complete any identified breaches are waterproofed and retested.

The result

By using AlphaGuard Blueshield Inverted Roof System as the structural waterproofing solution, the space gets benefits such as: 

• Rapid installation and cure
• Excellent crack bridging
• Independently certified to BROOF(t4) classification (BS EN 13501-5)
• BBA certification
• Durability for the design life of the roof of which it is incorporated
• Project specific warranties available
• Spray application ensures difficult detailing and penetrations are easily overcome
• Over 40 years of industry use
• Can be applied to 7-day-old concrete