Rolls Royce Blades to be cast in natural light

Based at the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham is the new Rolls Royce Advanced Blade Casting Facility. Currently under construction, the facility is expected to produce its first blades in late 2014, with the capability of manufacturing 100,000 aerospace blades per year when fully operational.

Designed by Bond Bryan Partnership in Sheffield, the building has a 13,000m² metal standing seam roofing system supplied by Euroclad. Hambleside Danelaw’s triple skin barrel vaulted rooflights were selected for the project as they are ideal for standing seam system roofs.

The triple skin rooflights are comprised of Zenon Evolution liner panels which are manufactured from high grade glass reinforced materials. This reduces the amount of resin required in their production, considerably improving their strength and reducing the embodied carbon. The outer Archlight weather sheets make up the curved layers, which are placed on an upstand that curves to the roof. These 100m long barrel vault rooflights have been applied downslope from the ridge and continue down to the eaves. This minimises the number of metal/translucent junctions and eliminates rooflight end laps to improve reliability and servicing.

The U value of the rooflights is calculated at 1.7W/m²k which indicates high levels of insulation and complies with European Standards. The liner panels meet the highest fire grade of SAA0, higher than the typical requirement for liner panels in a double skin assembly. The Archlight weather sheets are grade SAA. Robert Baines of Northern Cladding, who were contracted to the project by BAM Construction, commented, “The technical specification for the fire performance of the rooflights was a big driver for choosing Hambleside Danelaw’s product. As the structure of the roof was standing seam, the barrel vaulted rooflight option fitted perfectly. BAM Construction who are the main contractors have said they are delighted with the result.”

People respond better to working in natural light conditions, benefitting their own performance, and less dependency upon artificial light reduces energy consumption and costs as well as impacting upon the building’s overall carbon footprint. Rolls Royce will benefit greatly from the installation of these rooflights.