Scott's Hutt is a well known historical landmark, so when it came to restoring the 105 year old roof, Cheshire Architects looked no further than Nuralite Waterproofing for the project. As the building needed to maintain its original look yet be fitted with a new weathertight roof — which needed to be installed in sub-zero conditions — the project came with certain obstacles.

The extreme low temperatures and harsh winds of the Antarctic were considerable challenges, and the right product needed to be selected to withstand the environment and have long-lasting efficiency. The decision to use Nuraply 3PM was made because the product has a well known ability to contend with adverse weather, whilst still maintaining high performance characteristics. Nuraply's very high dimensional stability meant that shrinkage due to the cold was minimal. Additionally, the look of the Nuraply was a close match of the original bitumen membrane used on Scott's Hutt.

Antarctica's average temperature sits at -49°C with extremely high wind speeds. These conditions would challenge the best membranes, yet Nuraply was able to do the job, proving its resilience and durability in all environments.

Installation on Scott's Hutt provided another challenge, as the setting was different from anywhere the applicators had worked before. To ensure they were prepared for the job, Nuralite trained installers in a refrigerated shipping container, so they could become acclimatised to working in a much lower temperature than usual.

To guarantee Scott's Hutt was unscathed in the installation process, the use of torch flames was denied. This was because the combination of old timber in dry conditions and an open flame torch would have been highly dangerous. Innovative problem solving was required and Nuralite decided that using specialised hot air tools was the best substitute. By fixing and melting the Nuraply sheets with the hot air tools, a similar result as using gas torch was achieved.

A perfect finished roof was delivered, with the historic building looking unchanged — merely revamped. The Nuraply 3PM membrane proved its ability to cope with harsh conditions, and Scott's Hutt will be protected from the elements for a long time to come.