Olympia London’s grand hall will continue to function as one of Europe’s premier exhibition venues for years to come, with help from Protan. The 100+ years-old Grade II listed building is undergoing a major refurbishment, the latest element being the refurbishment of the North Elevation and Apex roofs. Project-managed by Antony Patrick Associates, with Mooney Kelly providing quantity surveying services, the project had to be executed whilst the hall below was still in use, also further balancing issues of access and site safety, and completed with a 12 week timeframe. The north elevation of the 35m high iron-framed barrel roof covering has been overlaid by main contractor Heartfelt Roofing, using 1600m2 of Protan SE1.2mm SE single ply membrane. “Protan single ply has already been used in the upgrading of the South Elevation; this was an influencing factor on its use for the North Elevation,” explained Nick Herridge, managing director at Antony Patrick Associates. “The project has to be completed in a very tight timeframe to minimize disruption to the busy show schedule. The Protan membrane isn’t the cheapest solution, but gives us the quality and durability we need, reinforced with reliability of supply and speed of installation.” Protan SE membrane has a tensile strength of ≥1050N, and tear resistance ≥210N. Developed to withstand the weather extremes of Scandinavia, Protan SE membrane is more flexible than comparable PVC membranes, and delivers reduced risk of fracturing even in extreme cold: it can still be folded at -30°C, and is proven to deliver a life in excess of 30 years. Protan SE membrane is part of Protan’s comprehensive range of single ply roofing solutions, covered at www.protan.co.uk, all designed to protect value for specifier and contractor. Manufactured at the company’s headquarters in Norway, Protan roofing solutions are guaranteed for a minimum 10 years, but the company has roofs that have been in place for 30+ years without performance-affecting degradation. A full support service, from NBS specification and in-house CAD design through to technical advice and variable warranty depending on specification is provided from Protan UK’s Warrington office.