RubberGard EPDM roofing membrane turns 40
Holcim Solutions and Products celebrates this year the 40th anniversary of its RubberGard EPDM roofing membrane. Installed for the first time in 1980 in Wisconsin (US) RubberGard EPDM is a roofing solution of outstanding durability, resilience and adaptability to current and future building needs. Products
When Elevate decided to enter the flat roofing industry back in 1980, the market -which was dominated by asphalt roofing products- had begun to shift. The emergence of synthetic single-ply roofing membranes started a quest to achieve high-performance buildings at more competitive installation costs. Today, roofs are expected to go beyond sheltering a building’s contents and occupants. They need to be user-friendly, environmentally friendly and energy-efficient.
For the past 40 years, RubberGard EPDM has cemented its status as a proven, quality roofing membrane, with approximately 30 M m² installed every year worldwide. Projects carried out several decades ago are still performing well today. The first project using RubberGard EPDM, covering Albo Manufacturing Co.’s warehouse in Wisconsin (USA) is still in service today, testament to the membrane’s outstanding durability and resilience.
With a life expectancy of over 50 years*, EPDM roofing membranes remain stable and unchanged over time. They have a high resistance to ozone, UV, microorganisms and severe weather conditions such as hail. Their outstanding elasticity enables them to cope with extreme temperature fluctuations and with eventual building movements.
This extreme durability, minimal need for maintenance and adaptability to potential modifications of the roof make RubberGard EPDM one of the most sustainable roofing membranes on the market. It is chemically inert and releases no toxic substances, which makes it suitable for the collection and recuperation of rainwater. It is also compatible with the installation of extensive green roofs and photovoltaic systems.
No flame is needed to install RubberGard EPDM and its availability in large sheets reduces the amount of seams to a minimum, making installation safe, quick and easy. A small roofing crew is enough to carry out most projects, allowing roofing contractors to move to their next job much faster compared to other membranes. In addition to delivering a product of proven quality, Elevate offers full support to architects and roofers, from project to completion. This includes training, technical calculations, onsite support during installation and even roof inspections once the job has been completed.
RubberGard EPDM can be installed over a wide variety of substrates and can be secured in place in a variety of systems, making it suitable both for refurbishment and new build projects. It is a lightweight membrane, so it can be installed directly over the existing roofing membrane without adding much weight to the roof structure, which is a key point in renovations. Future modifications to the roof, such as the addition of skylights or the integration to building extensions can be carried out easily without affecting the overall roofing system’s performance.
In Europe and Asia, Holcim Solitions and Products has commercialised the RubberGard EPDM membrane since 1990. From the sub-zero temperatures of Russia to the desert sun of Saudi Arabia, roofs covered with RubberGard EPDM do their job every day, protecting buildings and the people who live and work in them.
Find out why, even after 40 years, Nobody Covers You Better™ than RubberGard EPDM.
*"Evaluation of the useful life of EPDM roofing membranes", SKZ (Süddeutsche Kunststoff-Zentrum).
