Fabric-First Roof Retrofit Supports College’s Decarbonisation Strategy

Garland UK has supported a major decarbonisation programme at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in Manchester, delivering a fabric-first roof retrofit that has cut the building’s U-value from 0.24 W/m²K to 0.10 W/m²K.

Across both phases of the programme, the thermal efficiency upgrade delivers approximately 300,000 kWh of annual gas savings.

The project formed part of a wider Salix-funded decarbonisation strategy for the college, which needed to remain fully operational throughout the works. Garland UK was appointed as technical roofing partner, working alongside main contractor Dodd Group, Dr John Hindley of Twelvetrees Consulting, Ian Palmer Architects and the RNCM estates team to ensure the roof retrofit contributed directly to the college’s decarbonisation objectives.

Fabric-First Retrofit

The existing standing seam roof had reached the end of its serviceable life and was underperforming thermally. Multiple contractors were working across the roof at the same time, with ongoing M&E plant upgrades and access routes in constant use; works had to be carefully sequenced around teaching, rehearsals and student life. The complexity of the interfaces earned the project its on-site nickname, “the impossible job”.

Garland UK specified a three-layer StressPly Flex Plus bituminous membrane system over the existing standing seam roof, avoiding unnecessary strip-out and reducing waste while keeping the programme moving despite heavy roof traffic. Insulation was increased to 150mm PIR, a decision driven by the project’s fabric-first brief.

“One of the precedents I set was that we weren’t doing this with 100mm of insulation. It had to be 150mm,” said Dr John Hindley, Director at Twelvetrees Consulting. “If you’re investing public money, you maximise the fabric performance first. That’s how you reduce bills, improve comfort, and genuinely decarbonise the building.”

This measured energy reduction data represents potential annual savings of up to £22,000 at current gas prices, driven purely by improved fabric performance rather than behavioural change or system optimisation. Pre- and post-project environmental monitoring across teaching and practice spaces has also shown improved air quality and reduced thermal fluctuation, with a clear shift from inconsistent conditions to stable, well-controlled internal environments.

The roofing works were installed by Absolute Waterproofing, a Garland UK Approved Contractor, under Garland UK’s technical oversight and quality assurance regime. Garland UK Technical Manager Dan Crowley provided ongoing support from the initial survey through to on-site project delivery.

“This wasn’t a standard refurbishment,” said Dan Crowley. “With multiple trades, plant movements and live interfaces, the roof had to work in the real world, not just on drawings. Our role was to make sure the system delivered performance, buildability and long-term resilience at the same time.”

RNCM has also secured long-term assurance through Garland UK’s 25 year Single-Point Guarantee, giving the estates team a single line of accountability covering system design, materials and workmanship, removing uncertainty for future maintenance and capital planning.

The completed retrofit now plays a measurable role in RNCM’s decarbonisation programme, demonstrating how a well-designed roof refurbishment can support energy reduction, operational resilience and a long-term fabric-first strategy on a live, complex estate.

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