Birdair, Inc. Awarded Talisman Centre Roofing Contract

Birdair, Inc., the leading specialty contractor of lightweight long-span roofing systems and tensile structures throughout the world, has been awarded the contract to provide the updated tensile roofing system for Talisman Centre for Sport and Wellness in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Birdair will serve as roofing sub-contractor for the full-service athletic facility, replacing the structure’s current 162,000 square-foot tensile roof with an updated TensothermTM with Nanogel® roofing system.

Tensotherm is a breakthrough composite architectural membrane roofing system, developed by Birdair, Cabot Corporation and Geiger Engineers. The material consists of a Nanogel aerogel layer sandwiched between two layers of structural PTFE fabric, an insulated composite that is less than two inches thick (40mm), yet delivers an insulation value of R-12. By maintaining the particularly important translucency, it also delivers markedly higher natural light transmission. This results in glare-free daylighting and contributes to a high level of energy-efficiency by reducing the need for artificial lighting. The advanced system also offers maximum moisture control and superior sound attenuation.

The new Tensotherm roofing system will replace the facility’s current fabric roof, installed in 1983. Aesthetically, Tensotherm will match the look of the current roof, while functionally providing five times the existing insulation value and solving condensation problems.

“Tensotherm’s ability to insulate like standard roofing while maintaining daylighting is a perfect fit for Talisman Centre,” explains Michele Roth, Birdair marketing manager. “The material’s array of enhanced aesthetic and functional attributes will provide the facility with a range of benefits, including reduced maintenance requirements.”

Talisman Centre is one of the most heavily visited multi-use sport facilities in North America. First opened in 1983, between 4,000 to 5,000 people use the facility each day. Current daily facility users range from Olympic caliber athletes, to moms and tots, to students, to seniors, to downtown office workers. A renewed Talisman Centre will help provide sport and wellness services to the 40,000-plus new residents and 60,000-plus additional day commuters estimated to be living and working in downtown Calgary between now and 2035.

As a full-service specialty contractor, Birdair offers complete design and engineering assistance and solutions throughout the design-build process, and has completed more than 1,200 tensile architecture installations worldwide.

TensothermTM is a patent pending product of Birdair, Inc.