Roof System Protects Health Care Facility in Northern Saskatchewan

The roof system specified for the William Charles Health Centre was a two-ply modified bitumen roofing system manufactured by IKO. Photos: IKO

When the $11.5 million William Charles Health Centre was built north of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, durability and longevity were key considerations in the design and construction. The facility provides a variety of health care programs to meet the needs of the Montreal Lake Cree Nation.

The roof and walls were designed to last, even in tough weather conditions. The roof system specified was a two-ply modified bitumen roofing system manufactured by IKO. IKO’s Aquabarrier AVB was selected as an exterior peel-and-stick air and vapor barrier to support the facility’s exterior insulated wall system.

Oakwood Roofing& Sheet Metal Co., headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, installed both the roof and wall systems. Founded in 1977, Oakwood Roofing is a full-service roofing and sheet metal contractor handling all types of commercial and residential projects including new construction, roof replacement, service and maintenance. The company also has a Building Division.

“We do all types of roofing and repairs,” notes Brett Laing, an estimator and project manager with Oakwood Roofing. “We do infrared scans, roof reports and assessments, budget pricing for new and re-roof projects, as well as metal cladding and composite panels. We also provide custom roof maintenance programs for companies, property owners and property managers.”

The company was invited to bid on the William Charles Health Centre installation by NDL, the construction manager on the project, and emerged as the low bidder. The roof on the new construction project was approximately 18,500 square feet. On either side of a slight peak, the metal deck slopes to the exterior, where gutters were installed for drainage. The slope on one side of the roof was 13.9 percent, and on the other it was 21.8 percent.

“The roofing wasn’t too difficult,” says Laing. “It’s a conventional two-ply mod bit system, but some of the components are not used that frequently. We use Z-girts to hold the insulation in place in high-wind applications.”

The first step was mechanically fastening 5/8-inch DensDeck Prime to the steel decking. Then a vapor barrier was torch-applied to the cover board. Two 4-inch layers of IKOTherm insulation were installed using Z-girts. Oakwood Roofing fabricated the Z-girts in the company’s sheet metal shop and installed them spaced 24 inches on center. The two layers of insulation and Z-girts were installed perpendicular to each other.

The insulation layers were topped with a layer of half-inch DensDeck Prime. “We used torch tape on all the laps, and ultimately torched the TP 180 FF base sheet from IKO over the top, and then torched the cap sheet to that.”

Oakwood Roofing also installed the wall systems. “We also installed the vapor barrier and longboard siding on this project,” says Laing. “It was a pretty good project for us.”

The remote location posed some difficulties, as crews stayed near the site. Weather is always a concern, and it can be even more problematic when crews are working remotely, but there were no delays on the project. The weather was mild and coordination of trades at the jobsite was excellent, according to Laing.

“NDL was the construction manager on the project, and they are very well organized with their scheduling,” he notes. “It was nice to work with such a professional team, and there were no issues. Everything went smoothly.”

The roof system was specified for its durability and ability to withstand severe weather conditions. “IKO put their name behind it and warranted the roofing system for 15 years,” Laing says. “They came out and made sure it was installed by us to their requirements. The project qualified for a no dollar limit warranty for 15 years, so that says it all right there about how durable the system is.”

Safety First

The fall protection plan incorporated warning lines at the perimeter and personal fall arrest equipment. “Everyone was tied off at all times on the roof,” Laing says.

For torch-down applications, the company’s policy it to institute a two-hour fire watch every time a torch is turned off. “We basically go around and test areas with a thermal gun,” Laing says. “Obviously, if temperatures are dropping, then we are headed in the right direction. We want to ensure that no hot spots are getting hotter, there is no fire risk, and that everyone is safe.”

Oakwood Roofing bears a Certificate of Recognition (COR), a nationally trademarked and endorsed program instituted by participating members of the Canadian Federation of Construction Safety Associations (CFCSA). “We are COR certified at Oakwood Roofing, so we hold our degree of standing to the highest for everyone involved — the workers, the owners of the building, the other trades,” Laing says. “Safety is at the very top of our list when we get into a project.”

For Oakwood Roofing’s experienced crews, this project was just another day at the office — even if the jobsite was 11 hours from home. “We’ve done a lot of work in the Prairie Provinces, in Ontario and into the Northwest Territories,” says Laing. “We are a special company. We wouldn’t have survived for 44 years if we weren’t. We’ve developed special skills and methods to overcome any obstacles that come our way, including extreme weather.”

TEAM

Architect: Patrick R. Stewart Architect, Chilliwack, British Columbia

General Contractor: NDL Construction Ltd., Winnipeg, Manitoba, www.ndlconstruction.com

Roofing Contractor: Oakwood Roofing& Sheet Metal Co., Winnipeg, Manitoba, www.oakwoodroofing.com

MATERIALS

Cap Sheet: Torchflex TP-250-CAP Heat Welded Cap Sheet, IKO, www.iko.com 

Base Sheet: Torchflex TP-180-FF-Base Heath Welded Base Sheet, IKO

Insulation: IKOTherm Commercial Roof Insulation, IKO

Wall Vapor Barrier: IKO AquaBarrier AVB Vapour Barrier, IKO

Cover Board: DensDeck Prime, Georgia-Pacific, www.buildgp.com

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