Construction News

21/04/2008

Raising The Roof At The Elements

The main contractor building The Elements - Livingston's new £130 million shopping centre - recently installed the dome centrepiece of its spectacular roof.

Miller Construction used a crane to lower the huge steel beams into place for Land Securities' 375,000sq shopping centre, which opens in October and will adjoin the existing Almondvale Shopping Centre.

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The ETFE roof is made of transparent plastic 'air cushions' rather than glass. One of the best examples of this type of roof is The Eden Project in Cornwall - but this is the first time this innovative material has been used in Scotland for a shopping centre.

The low-energy, environmentally-friendly material has lots of benefits - it is lightweight, can be formed into a variety of complex shapes, requires less steel to support it, and it is even recyclable.

The roof will span the four shopping streets in The Elements, giving the centre an outdoor feel whilst protecting shoppers from the weather.

(GK/JM)

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