Every year the mastic asphalt industry’s most impressive projects and professionals are recognised at the Mastic Asphalt Council’s (MAC) Annual Awards and this year’s awards ceremony was once again hosted at the Royal Horseguards Hotel in London.
Almost 150 key players from the sector attended the event which is one of the most prestigious in the calendar for the roofing industry. The awards present the ideal opportunity for the Mastic Asphalt Council to honour top projects and professionals across the mastic asphalt sector and the guest speaker was six-time world snooker champion Steve Davis OBE. Steve dominated snooker during the 1980s and remains active as a television analyst and commentator for the BBC’s snooker coverage. Steve gave a fascinating and very entertaining talk, reliving the highs and lows of his career.
Outstanding Project Under 200m2
During the awards presentation, MAC Board Director Ian Deacon announced that the winner of the Outstanding Mastic Asphalt Project under 200m2 was Oxford Asphalt for the company’s completion of an impressive project at a private residence near Witney in Oxfordshire. A project somewhat different to the norm, the client wanted the roof to look like lead and have the seamless look of lead, but not be constructed in lead.
Oxford Asphalt offered the option of mastic asphalt with a colour reflective coating on top to mimic the appearance of lead as the architect wanted to veer away from the use of felt or single ply roofing. The project presented an excellent opportunity to show what a diverse material mastic asphalt can be in circumstances where the client had a particular vision but was unsure of what roofing material should be used.
Metal theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the UK and both the architect and building owner wanted to avoid the prospect of lead being stolen from the roof. In order that the client could visualise how the system would look, Oxford Asphalt made a mock-up model to show them the versatility and seamless possibilities of mastic asphalt. They were very impressed when they saw it and on this basis, mastic asphalt was specified. As mastic asphalt has no scrap or resale value, it is not targeted by thieves so the threat of any theft was eradicated.
The mastic asphalt system was made up of a vapour control layer, 140mm rigid board insulation, mastic asphalt waterproofing and a coloured reflective coating finish to match the appearance of lead. During the application, it became apparent that the carpenter had not created falls in the roof, so Oxford Asphalt had to create the necessary falls to the perimeter gutter outlets within the mastic asphalt system. Three sides to the roof had shallow box gutters and, by using mastic asphalt, it was possible to create a minimal fall with no open joints, as opposed to lead which would have required a greater fall. The main roof area was completed and then protected so that the slate roofing element of the works could be carried out. Asphalt lead roll was then added after completion of the pitched roof areas.
Outstanding Project Over 200m2
The winner of the Outstanding Mastic Asphalt Project over 200m2was BriggsAmasco for completion of an impressive £0.55 million car park waterproofing project at the Jaguar Land Rover Manufacturing Centre in Whitley, Coventry. The project had an extremely tight timeframe and the 10,000m2car park was completed in just nine weeks thanks to the diligence and determination of BriggsAmasco’s site management and installation teams working long, out-of-hours shifts, including weekends.
BriggsAmasco supplied concrete decking with mastic asphalt waterproofing manufactured by IKO PLC in order to provide additional parking at the growing Jaguar Land Rover site. Mastic asphalt was specified on the basis of its durable, waterproof properties in order to withstand hundreds of traffic movements per day. Not only does it offer exceptional strength, mastic asphalt provides superb skid resistance; a particularly crucial feature in maintaining a safe, durable car park for users. The project also included the installation of extremely large rooflights to two concrete stair cores attached to the car park deck.
BriggsAmasco installers were working to a specific deadline in order to minimise disruption to Jaguar Land Rover staff and customers as the car park facility is vital to daily operations. The car park deck was not suitable for Briggs’ asphalt finisher due to height restrictions, therefore the material was hand-applied. The project was completed to the highest specification, and to the agreed timeframe. The mastic asphalt’s rapid-apply, quick-drying properties meant the structure’s surface was installed in good time. The company is now furnished with a watertight car park that will remain accessible and safe for the long-term benefit of both staff and customers.
Other projects shortlisted for a prestigious MAC award included two projects completed by RJ Evans – Seven Kings Hotel and a private residence in Chelsea, as well as Royal Lancaster Hotel by IKO PLC and Infallible Systems.
Outstanding Contribution to the Mastic Asphalt Industry
On the night, a further award was given to Alf Turano of New City College Hackney for Outstanding Contribution to the Mastic Asphalt Industry. Alf has worked in the sector for almost 40 years and for the past 12 years has been a Mastic Asphalt Lecturer at New City College Hackney, the only further education college in the country to deliver courses in mastic asphalt.
Alf himself followed a Mastic Asphalt Apprenticeship at the age of 16 at Hackney Asphalt College, as it was then known. Upon completing his apprenticeship he received a special Bronze Medal Award in recognition that he gained the highest combined marks in the set theory and practical exams. At the time, there were Asphalt Colleges in Vauxhall, Manchester and Scotland and the Bronze Medal Winner was very highly regarded. He was presented with the medal at Hackney Town Hall by the Mayor of Hackney.
For 23 years Alf worked on site as an apprentice and mastic asphalt spreader, completing a host of prestigious mastic asphalt projects including Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Palace of Westminster, Old Bailey, Ministry of Defence, Whitehall and Oxford Mosque, amongst many other sites in and around London. Alf joined Hackney Community College as a Mastic Asphalt Technician in 2004 and subsequently went onto complete his teacher training in order to become a Mastic Asphalt Lecturer – a post he has held for the past 12 years.
Ian Deacon thanked Alf for his services to the mastic asphalt industry before Steve Davis made a special award to James Housechild, a mastic asphalt apprentice who has achieved full framework NVQ Level 3 for Mastic Asphalt at New City College Hackney. James, who works for NRA Roofing & Flooring Services, was awarded a cheque for £1000 in recognition of his achievement from the Mastic Asphalt Council.
At the event, an impressive sum of £3,500 was also raised for Demelza Hospice which provides care and support for seriously ill babies, children, young people and their families, across East Sussex, Kent and South East London.