Given its watertightness, high reliability and exceptional compressive strength, the FOAMGLAS® Compact Roof System is increasingly used for retention roofs. The building of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) at the Zuidas in Amsterdam would be a prime example of this. There, 2 x 150 mm FOAMGLAS® T3+ slabs were installed on a 1,400 square metre concrete substrate. Essential for a FOAMGLAS® Compact Roof are a flat substructure and a complete sealing of the insulation slabs with bitumen. First, a bitumen emulsion was applied followed by the burning of a bituminised polyester membrane. Then, using liquid bitumen, the FOAMGLAS® insulation slabs were completely bonded to each other and to the substructure. The insulation layer was finished with a two-layer Soprema roofing with root-resistant top layer. A retention roof system from Optigrün with intensive greening and various terrace finishes was applied to the roof covering.

Since the joints between the FOAMGLAS® slabs are completely sealed, a non-absorbent layer is created that is fully bonded to the underlying support structure and the overlying waterproofing membrane. In case of localised damage to the membrane, the FOAMGLAS® insulation takes over from the membrane and prevents water from spreading over a larger part of the roof. Thanks to the compact roof structure, damage can be located immediately and repaired at low cost.