At an impressive awards ceremony hosted at London’s Royal Horseguards Hotel on 16th June 2023, the mastic asphalt industry gathered together to celebrate the very best projects and outstanding individuals at the Mastic Asphalt Council (MAC) Awards 2023 sponsored by SIG.
Over the years, the event has become one of the most prestigious in the calendar for the waterproofing industry and 2023 marked the 25th anniversary of the MAC annual awards and lunch in its current format.
This year, the judging process was said to be more difficult than ever before, but ultimately a number of projects were singled out for their exceptional workmanship, health and safety excellence and overall ability to provide a first class solution to the client.
At the awards a mastic asphalt apprentice also received special recognition. Paul Mulgrew of BriggsAmasco received the accolade of ‘Apprentice of the Year’. Paul is carrying out his apprenticeship in conjunction with New City College Hackney and although he has worked for BriggsAmasco for over two decades, he is carrying out his mastic asphalt apprenticeship in his 40’s. Paul is based in Glasgow and travels from Scotland to London six times a year for two weeks at a time to attend college.
Following the awards presentation, the attendees were entertained by guest speaker Kevin Keegan – widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time. Kevin delivered a great speech, even including reference to mastic asphalt in his slide show. At the event, an impressive sum was also raised for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, which support and care for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk.
The Mastic Asphalt Council would like to thank the event sponsors SIG and the other valued sponsors Horrods, BriggsAmasco, IKO and Howard Evans Roofing and Cladding.
Car Decks and Paving Project of the Year
Winner: Broadmarsh Shopping Centre, NRA Roofing & Flooring Services Ltd
Highly Commended: Boothferry Swingbridge Footpaths, BriggsAmasco
Nottingham’s Broadmarsh Shopping Centre was previously owned by Intu which went into administration during the first COVID lockdown. The shopping centre has been partly redeveloped, whilst other areas have been demolished. NRA Roofing & Flooring Services were tasked with providing a suitable solution that would help reduce water ingress, manage surface water and provide a durable finish.
IKO’s mastic asphalt systems were specified to withstand numerous details, substrates and levels, and to provide a waterproofing solution and durable trafficked surface. This project posed a particular challenge in that the shopping centre is located beneath an ancient sandstone cave and water was leaking in from above. Nottingham has the UK’s largest network of caves, with over 800 hidden beneath its streets.
The most famous caves are beneath the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre and prior to the refurbishment works, the now popular tourist spot was accessed by the centre’s upper mall. Nottingham City Council was highly impressed with the IKO system and Heritage England was equally pleased that water had stopped leaking into the caves following installation. Although the entrance to the caves has since been relocated, it was important that construction did not compromise the integrity of the site and the safety of the subterranean visitors was prioritised throughout the project.
Development and Hybrid Project of the Year
Winner: Haymarket, Dublin, John Fetherston Roofing
Highly Commended: Parwich Hall Library, Ashbourne, M&A Group
The Smithfield district of Dublin is being regenerated and John Fetherston Roofing completed this project as part of the regeneration works. Several IKO mastic asphalt systems were specified for various roof areas. The main roof comprised 1,400m2 and involved the installation of IKO’s Permaphalt mastic asphalt system, and there was also a section where an IKO Extensive Green Roof was installed.
With a shallow soil layer supporting moss and grass, the green roof system was chosen to enhance the client’s sustainability credentials, reduce storm water run-off, to support the wildlife habitat, improve the air quality and to protect the waterproofing membrane from UV degradation. Furthermore, there was an additional terrace roof area, whereby mastic asphalt waterproofing was used as part of a paving system.
Heritage Project of the Year
Winner: Dover Castle, James Roofing Ltd
Highly Commended: Osbourne House, Isle of Wight, Abbey Asphalt Roofing Ltd
Rising above the famous White Cliffs high above the English Channel, the grade-I listed Dover Castle was built soon after 1066. The castle was at the centre of the crucial effort to evacuate hundreds of thousands of Allied troops from the beach of Dunkirk.
Four towers in the castle had previously been protected with mastic asphalt and needed refurbishment. Shrinkage was evident around the edge detail of the existing rock asphalt, which was allowing vegetation to grow and water to penetrate and deteriorate the screed substrate.
James Roofing worked alongside IKO to devise a mastic asphalt solution which involved the formation of a large rebate around all the edge details to stop the movement from occurring. This solution satisfied the demands of English Heritage.
Small Works Project of the Year
Winner: Derby Museum and Art Gallery, NRA Roofing & Flooring Services Ltd
Highly Commended: Lansdown Hotel Hove, Oxley Asphalte Roofing Services Ltd
Derby Museum and Art Gallery is home to a range of nationally important collections, including the world’s largest collection of work by the 18th Century artist Joseph Wright of Derby.
The building has a number of roofs cascading from upper to lower areas, as well as a highly unusual pitched mastic asphalt roof, adding a level of complexity to the design and installation process. It had come to the end of its serviceable life and required a complete strip out and reinstallation of a thermally improved mastic asphalt system. The client wanted the most robust and durable roofing system available as there are £70 million of paintings located in the rooms below.
NRA chose to partner with IKO as the company had the technical knowledge to assist on the complex design elements and offered the resilient, long-lasting products needed to give the client the peace of mind they were seeking. Furthermore, all areas had to achieve the client’s target u-value, whilst maintaining the integrity of the building and minimising impact on existing details.
An IKO board system was utilised as part of the mastic asphalt solution, and a new ballasted man-safe system was installed to ensure all future roof maintenance could be carried out safely. NRA finished the roof area with heritage grey paint.