The building, located in Trieste, originally constructed in the 1960s as the site of the famous ‘Distilleria Stock’, a historical liqueur company founded by Lionello Stock on 26 December 1884, covers a rectangular area of about 7,000 sqm. Today, the structure is the headquarters of Saiph S.r.l., a subsidiary of Gruppo Orion S.p.A., a leading global manufacturer of high-quality industrial valves, with sites throughout Europe.
The intervention in question involved renovating the roof of the building which, thirty-five years after it was first completed, needed to be restored and updated to modern safety requirements and functions, as well as the installation of a new photovoltaic system. Extra care was taken over the choice of materials, considered crucial to withstand the strong Bora winds that blow in the city of Trieste.
The construction company, Edili Bi Zeta S.r.l., that created the roof thirty-five years ago and now in charge of its renovation, had already chosen Impertek S.r.l.’s TPO Ideal Aerators with a ribbed flange and Black Cup cover and TPE Ermetic H 240 drain connectors with perforated flange in the past. This, therefore, formed an important starting point for the current partnership. Iniziative Edili Bi Zeta S.r.l. was, in fact, Impertek S.r.l.’s first customer after it was founded in 1985.
The first stage of the restoration project involved mechanically securing the old membrane to ensure greater stability. A new, high-performance, certified bitumen membrane was then laid for the installation of the extrados of a photovoltaic system. In this specific case, the Broof T2 membrane by Soprema S.r.l. was chosen, in compliance with Italian Fire Brigade Department guidelines for fire resistance. Before the installation of the photovoltaic system, the engineer, Luciano Bellini, also recommended the installation of additional anchors under the supports used for the installation of the photovoltaic panels. The number of mechanically fixed anchors, calculated by Bellini, increased the level of resistance of the system by 30% to the strong Bora winds. For the installation of the photovoltaic panels, Iniziative Edili Bi Zeta S.r.l. chose Soprasolar supports by Soprema S.r.l., which are feet specifically designed for the installation of photovoltaic panels on flat or slightly pitched roofs. The supports were welded, using flame burners, to the waterproof membrane without the need for drilling. The entire surface was then coated in aluminium paint to reflect the sunlight. In addition to improving the visual look, the application of the paint is in keeping with the type of photovoltaic system installed. A double-sided 1,000 kWp photovoltaic system was installed, capable of generating energy on both sides of the photovoltaic cell, thus increasing production compared to a standard photovoltaic module.
Impertek S.r.l. contributed to the completion of this restoration work by integrating other waterproofing accessories to the products supplied in the past, which had remained intact over the years, thus confirming the trust that the customer had put in the company thirty-five years ago. More specifically, for the mechanical fastening of the bituminous waterproofing membranes to the concrete roofing, 30,000 HD Universal 6.3x60 screws were used along with 30,000 Aluzinc 6.3 flat washers with a 50mm hole.
The return to using Impertek products underscores their consistent quality and the confidence placed by customers and sector-based professionals in the company. This renovation project is, in fact, a perfect example of how the quality of products and trust in suppliers can endure over the years, highlighting a well-established, long-lasting link with the past, while looking with confidence at the future.
