Talisman Centre Receives TensothermTM with Nanogel® Roofing System from Birdair, Inc.

Birdair, Inc., the leading specialty contractor of lightweight long-span roofing systems and tensile structures throughout the world, has completed the retrofit of the tensile roofing system for the Talisman Centre for Sport and Wellness in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Birdair served as the roofing sub-contractor for the full-service athletic facility, replacing the structure’s original 162,000 square-foot tensile roof with an updated Tensotherm^TM with Nanogel® roofing system.

The original roof was installed in 1983 and the new Tensotherm roof maintains the facility’s external appearance while improving daylighting, insulation, energy efficiency and temperature control. Until recently, it was considered impossible to insulate a PTFE roof effectively without sacrificing its daylighting capability. Technological advances led to the development of Tensotherm by Birdair with others.

The Tensotherm roofing composite consists of a Nanogel aerogel layer, a Cradle to Cradle^TM Silver Certified^CM insulating material by Cabot Corporation. Tensotherm is comprised of the Nanogel aerogel sandwiched between two PTFE fiberglass membranes. The resulting composite material is less than two inches thick (40mm), yet delivers an insulation value of R 12 and natural light transmission value of 2.5 percent. By maintaining translucency, Tensotherm meets the facility’s need for increased natural lighting. 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.

“As the first facility in Canada to feature a Tensotherm roof, Talisman Centre will benefit from the material’s higher performance values,” explains Martin Augustyniak, director of engineering and new product development for Birdair. “The aquatic facility’s humid interior atmosphere combined with Calgary’s extreme winters impacted the original fiberglass insulation system which was state of the art at the time of installation. Today, Tensotherm provides a permanent composite insulation system that is not adversely affected by moisture and gravity.”

The new Tensotherm roof is extremely durable, fade-resistant and will retain its brilliance over time. The roof is also water repellent, as the insulative material is hydrophobic and doubles as a high-tech moisture management material that sheds water and prevents mold, mildew and rotting.

“With its minimal maintenance requirements, superior durability and longevity, Tensotherm’s capabilities will not deteriorate over time,” says Augustyniak. “Tensotherm will contribute to cost savings in regards to the facility’s electrical, HVAC and operational requirements.”

Talisman Centre is one of the most heavily-visited multi-use sports facilities in North America. First opened in 1983, 1,800 people use the facility each day. Current daily facility users range from Olympic caliber athletes to community members. 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.

Retrofit roofing construction on Talisman Centre began in January 2010 and was completed in March 2011. The facility’s previous roof was recycled and will be used by the City of Calgary Parks & Recreation to construct parking shelters for their equipment.

In addition to Birdair serving as the roofing contractor, the project team included Dominion Construction Management (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) as general contractor, as well as AD Williams Engineering, Inc. (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) and Geiger Engineering (Suffern, New York) as engineers.

Tensotherm™ is a patent pending product of Birdair, Inc.