Synergy News & Blog: News
Re-roofing and Solar Panel Installation at Marnel Junior School
We recently completed a project at Marnel Junior School in Basingstoke, which involved the re-roofing of the Year Six building and the assembly hall.
Over the past five years, the Site Manager and Synergy have been trying to track down a persistent leak in the year six corridor and the assembly hall. The original roof was an aluminium standing seam system, and we had no less than two valley gutters that constantly struggled with rainwater and becoming overwhelmed.
Synergy was asked to come up with a new solution that would move away from the standing seam to something more repairable and maintainable.
Together with manufacturers Garland Roofing and contractors Salnor Roofing, we designed and installed a felt roof system that could handle the 8 degree pitch of the roof, simultaneously replacing all of the aluminium roof lights and access points. Additionally, we redesigned the cladding and vent to allow for the passive ventilation of the school hall.
To minimise disruption for pupils and staff, the works began during the Easter holidays. A system-built scaffold tent was erected over the buildings eliminating the uses and noise from torque drills, ensuring the school remained fully protected and that teaching could resume smoothly once term started.
Crane lifting the scaffold tent into place
Although the project was originally planned as a re-roofing scheme, we worked with the school to identify an opportunity to bring forward a second initiative—the installation of solar panels.
The solar arrays were mounted on an integrated bracket that was installed as part of the felt roof covering. These had been scheduled for the summer, but by incorporating them into the roofing project, the school benefitted from:
- A holistic solution that improved both the condition of the roof and the school’s long-term energy efficiency.
- Smarter project delivery, using the same scaffolding and access equipment for both tasks—saving the school money on future access costs.
- Reduced disruption, as all major works were completed together, minimising interruptions to the school timetable.
This combined approach not only delivered essential upgrades but also created a more sustainable future for the school.
In addition, we installed a complete man-safe system so that the site staff could maintain and clean the solar panels safely. We also added traffic paths as an additional safeguard to the new roof covering.
Photos courtesy of Garland Roofing.
