31


Aesthetics, performance and buildability


Jonathan Lowy of VMZinc discusses what architects should be looking for when specifying zinc, and its long-standing attributes ranging from aesthetic appeal to maintenance, durability and recyclability


I


f you’re like me, then working from home – or should that be living at work – is the new normal. However, this is not the case for those actually constructing buildings and in particular installing zinc roofs and walls. In a creative industry such as architecture much can be done via a screen, but there are undoubtedly limits in what is possible online. Sketching, mock ups and making maquettes fortunately still have their place not only in design, but also in training and further education. Since the first zinc roof was installed in Liege in Belgium in 1809, the craft of the installer has been critical to both the beauty and performance of a zinc roof or wall. At a time when less academic forms of education are again being championed, a skilled zinc installer is a vital asset to any project where zinc has been specified. While companies play a large role in training, this can be supplemented by Basic Competency Programme training and Specialist Applied- skills Programmes in zinc which includes 30 days of off-job but hands-on training. A further 18 months of apprenticeship can lead to a Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Heritage Skills metal roofing. Installers who have followed this type of training, are capable of installing almost any zinc roof or wall that has been dreamt up on or off line! Buildings of all uses that are clad in zinc vary greatly, from small to large, curved to angular, and simple to complex. The aesthetic appeal of zinc is always important but so is the limited maintenance, durability and recyclability at the end of the service life. A correctly designed and installed zinc roof or wall has a service life of 100 years following the BRE Environmental Product Declaration EN15804. In this brief article, we will not go into how European Norms may be affected in the coming months and years, but currently they are still used by


Galerie d'Art, Krems, Austria


Since the first zinc roof was installed, the craft of the installer has been critical to both the beauty and performance of a zinc roof or wall


the UK’s Building Research Establishment. The 100 year service life also only requires very limited maintenance, as the best way to keep a zinc roof looking great is for rain to fall on it. However, all good things come to an end, and at the end of a long life, zinc is 100 per cent recyclable and indeed close to 99 per cent is actually recycled. One of the more traditional projects completed in the last few years was at Poundbury in Dorset where Quinlan and


ADF DECEMBER 2020 WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36