The mastic asphalt industry’s most impressive projects and apprentices were recognised at the Mastic Asphalt Council’s (MAC) Awards 2022 hosted at London’s Royal Horseguards Hotel.
Almost 150 key players from the sector attended the event which is one of the most prestigious in the calendar for the waterproofing industry. Sponsored by SIG, the awards present the ideal opportunity for the Mastic Asphalt Council to honour outstanding projects across a range of mastic asphalt applications, and to recognise future stars of the industry.
Mastic asphalt has an illustrious history as one of the most established and well proven waterproofing membrane systems currently available and the incorporation of modern polymers into mastic asphalt systems has helped lead to its resurgence in the construction industry.
In recognition of outstanding projects and the diversity of mastic asphalt applications, there were four different project-related categories at the 2022 awards – Best Car Decks and Paving Project, Best Development and Hybrid Project, Best Heritage Project and Best Small Works Project.
The winner of the Best Car Decks and Paving Project was BriggsAmasco for the impressive Skypark project in Glasgow. Known as Scotland’s ‘best business park’, the Skypark underwent a major refurbishment comprising the waterproofing of path and road surfaces around a car park area. A rapid-setting mastic asphalt system was used to limit working hours spent on site and reduce machinery use, with the resulting reduction in emissions leading to a more sustainable works programme. Bell Asphalt Company was also a finalist in the Best Car Decks and Paving category for the Vauxhall Bridge project in London.
Guaranteed Asphalt were winners of the Best Development and Hybrid Project for the Bank Station application in London. This project posed logistical challenges as it involved a 1,000m2 mastic asphalt application at a busy underground station in the heart of London. A total of 600 tonnes of mastic asphalt was used to complete the project. Also shortlisted for this category was Bell Asphalt Company for the mastic asphalt terrazzo flooring application at the Royal College of Arts in Battersea.
The Best Heritage Project was awarded to R J Evans Flat Roofing for the mastic asphalt application on the roof of the Yeoman Keys Club – a private pub within the fortress wall of the Tower of London. The roof refurbishment was carried out on behalf of English Heritage and all materials had to be transported over drawbridges. Despite the challenges of the project due to its historic nature, the application was completed in just 14 days. Other shortlisted entries in this category included Greenroof UK for the Camphill Gate roof renovation in Glasgow and Sussex Asphalte for the Christ’s Hospital roofing project in Horsham.
Sussex Asphalte were winners of the Best Small Works Project for the residential application carried out at Premier Parade in Horley. The existing coverings were stripped back to the deck and mastic asphalt was laid in two coats. There were challenges associated with this project as the section of the roof ran over a party wall. An asphalt water check detail was required to ensure the new finished roof level joined seamlessly with the existing, leaving no risk from trip hazards. Sussex Asphalte had a second contender in this category – the Baron’s Walk roofing project in Lewes – and Howard Evans were also shortlisted for the staircase surfacing works carried out at the Iceland store in Bristol.
At the awards two mastic asphalt apprentices also received special recognition. Both apprentices are currently carrying out their mastic asphalt apprenticeship at New City College Hackney. James McCartney of Guaranteed Asphalt received the Apprenticeship Award 2022 and Rihards Silovs of BriggsAmasco was awarded an NVQ Level 2 achievement gift of £500.
Following the awards presentation, the attendees were entertained by guest speaker Alec Stewart, the most capped English Test cricketer of all time. The speaker sponsor was Shield Membranes. At the event, an impressive sum of £3,346 was also raised for Demelza Hospice which provides care and support for seriously ill babies, children, young people and their families, across Kent, South East London and East Sussex.