What's special about the new copper roof at the ROM?

Posted: September 3, 2013 - 09:16 , by ROM
Categories: 
Behind-the-scenes | Comments () | Comment
structure of the ROM's new roof

You may have noticed that there is some work going on on the ROOF of the  Queens Park addition (1932) of the ROM. The short story is that the copper roof is being replaced. The whole story involves what is actually going under the copper cladding. It is not so much what you do see, but what you don't see that makes the ROM's new roof special. Here, in the words of the engineering firm responsible for the roof  replacement, is a description of the material being used and its purpose. The numbers below refer to the numbers in the accompanying photograph.

  1. STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY: OF PRIMARY IMPORTANCE IS ENSURING THE NEW ROOFING SYSTEM IS APPROPRIATELY FASTENED TO THE STRUCTURE TO MAKE CERTAIN IT CAN WITHSTAND THE WIND LOADING OF OUR VARIED CLIMATE. WHILE THE ORIGINAL ROOF DECK WAS FASTENED WITH SPIKES, THE ROOF REPLACEMENT ALLOWED RESUREMENT OF THE ROOF DECK WITH METAL STRAPS AND MODERN FASTENERS.
     
  2. ENERGY EFFICIENCY - MULTIPLE THERMAL LAYERS: THE ORIGINAL ROOF HAD MINIMIAL INSULATION WHICH HAS BEEN IMPROVED SUBSTANTIALLY WITH THIS RECONSTRUCTION (X10).  AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF INSULATION HAS BEEN USED OVER THE PRIMARY THERMAL LAYER AND THE WOOD BLOCKING TO REDUCE THE THERMAL LOSSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE WOOD BLOCK WHICH WAS REQUIRED TO ADDRESS "SLIDING" OF THE COPPER AND INSULATION ASSEMBLIES.
     
  3.  REDUNDACY - AIR AND WATER PROTECTION LAYERS:  THE ROOF REPLACEMENT AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE UPON THE ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE ASSEMBLY.  A ROBUST MEMBRANE IS INSTALLED ON THE ROOF DECK FUCTIONING AS THE PRIMARY DEFENSE AGAINST AIR MOVEMENT FROM THE INTERIOR AND THE SECONDARY DEFENSE AGAINST WATER INFILTRATION. 
     
  4. LONGEVITY - COPPER BATTEN ROOF:. THE ROM’S HISTORICAL ROOF WAS REPLICATED MAINTAINING THE DIMENSIONING, LAYOUT, AND OVERALL AESTHETIC OF THE ORIGINAL COPPER BATTEN ROOF. 20 OZ COPPER WAS UTILIZED WITH AN EXPECTED SERVICE LIFE OF 80 YEARS.
     
  5. INNOVATION: VENTED AIR LAYER: THE REPLACEMENT ROOF INCORPORATES A UNIQUE FEATURE IN THAT IT IS DESIGNED WITH AN AIR LAYER DIRECTLY BELOW THE COPPER BATTEN ROOF WHICH IS VENTED TO THE EXTERIOR.  THIS AIR LAYER WILL PROMOTE DRYING OF THE ROOF ASSEMBLY SHOULD WATER BYPASS THE COPPER OR CONDENSATION OCCUR.