The Rainham Marshes Nature Reserve is a bold departure from other reserves from the UK’s Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). This former military firing range in Essex has been transformed into a 362-hectare nature reserve and has been designated “Special Site of Scientific Interest” because of its importance as a place for wildlife.
After a design competition, van Heyningen and Haward Architects was chosen to renovate the visitor center. The ambition was that the building should act as a catalyst to attract people to the Marshes, where they would learn about the 250 species of birds to be found there. The purpose was to design an iconic and demonstrative building which clearly and proudly displayed its sustainable credentials.
The twin roof vents provide natural ventilation to the several rooms and offer a lot of natural light; they also provide a beacon that can be seen from very far during day and night. This carbon-neutral iconic building achieved a BREEAM “Excellent” classification and received several national and international architectural awards.
Why RubberGard EPDM?
To waterproof the 450m² roof of the visitor center, the architects choose to work with Firestone’s RubberGard EPDM membrane, fully adhered to the substrate. RubberGard EPDM is a synthetic rubber single-ply waterproofing membrane for flat and low slope roofs and offers outstanding durability, resilience and adaptability to current and future building needs.
Roofing systems can play a vital role in green building programs such as BREEAM and LEED. RubberGard EPDM contributes to achieving both programs’ highest ratings by presenting many possibilities to build highly engineered roofing systems, each with specific sustainability benefits.
Product durability, ease of application and ability to optimize the energy efficiency of buildings while minimizing their environmental impact are the key factors of Firestone's RubberGard EPDM roofing membrane.
Read more about Firestone RubberGard EPDM.
