Resort's Green "Roof-scape" Brings Beauty and Sustainability to Hawaii's North Shore
Outdoor enthusiasts and paradise-seekers travel from all over the world to Turtle Bay Resort in Oahu, Hawaii. More than 450 guestrooms and suites offer ocean views and seven restaurants and bars allow guests to get the most out of the cuisine, views and ambience of Hawaii. Situated on 845 acres with 17 miles of beach and oceanfront hiking trails – not to mention a championship golf course – it’s no wonder the resort was named to Travel + Leisure’s 2016 World’s Best Awards.
However, in 2013, Turtle Bay desperately needed a roofing renovation. After years of weathering from Hawaii’s North Shore, the resort required a roof that came with a reliable performance record, sustainability benefits and a strong warranty. The resort’s design and construction team of Honolulu Roofing, Walters Kimura Motoda, Hui Ku Maoli Ola and Division Seven Consulting of Hawaii took on the challenge with the help of Firestone Building Products.
“We are dedicated to preserving Hawaii’s delicate and natural resources as stewards of the land and delivering compelling regionally relevant designs,” said Scott McCormack, vice president of real estate for Turtle Bay Resort. “We have received positive feedback from our resort guests who appreciate the project’s eco-friendly benefits and are enjoying enhanced guestroom views of the ocean and the foreground green and rock garden roof areas atop the newly designed roofs.”
Before renovations began, the team at Honolulu Roofing had to remove three separate layers of existing roof: one layer of built-up roofing, 8-inches of spray foam roofing and a top layer of built-up roofing covered with red cinder rock. Additionally, the resort’s owners requested the cinder block be removed for reuse elsewhere on the property.
Stripping the old roof required nearly six months of work and presented daily challenges. During the removal of a specific section of the roof, contractors discovered rusty metal decking that needed to be replaced. In addition, the construction had to remain invisible to guests and work around events such as the Triple Crown of Surfing, concerts and weddings. When 50 square yards of dirt—a depth of about 3 feet—needed to be removed discreetly, contractors carried 5-gallon buckets one at a time out of the area to ensure a low impact on resort guests.
During each phase of the project, the exquisite Oahu coast presented a safety challenge with its frequent gusts of high winds. Contractors had to be even more flexible and willing to reorder tasks on the fly. These extreme weather conditions led to the selection of Firestone Building Products V-Force Vapor Barrier Membrane. Approximately 40,000 square feet of the membrane served as a temporary roof for Turtle Bay Resort’s work crews to maintain their job schedules. The material’s non-slip, ultraviolet-resistant surface can be left exposed to the elements for up to three months when used over an approved substrate.
The sprawling 60,000 square-foot rooftop at Turtle Bay required more than one type of roofing system. To cover more than 20,000 square feet, experts selected the Firestone Building Products’ SkyScape Vegetative Roof System. This green roof gave the construction team an opportunity to create a “roof-scape” specific to Hawaiian culture, contribute to energy-reduction initiatives and produce a harvest for the resort’s restaurants.
Several native plants were chosen that would flourish in the Pacific seashore climate. The Hawaiian nehe, a vine plant; akulikuli, a short, succulent grass; bright green carex; and hardy, flowering sedum were planted and once fully grown, will require little to no maintenance.
Owners of Turtle Bay Resort can expect an increase in annual energy savings. The vegetative roofs on the lower, south side of the building cut down on the amount of heat absorbed into the building—reducing the energy needed for cooling. Additionally, the team adhered moisture meters to the irrigation system to achieve maximum water conservation.
For the resort’s Kula Grille and Paakai restaurants, two different open-air rooftop gardens produce fresh herbs and vegetables for chefs and diners. In total, more than 73,000 individual plants contribute to the aerial beauty of the grounds and the lush landscape of the north Oahu shoreline.
Supporting the SkyScape Vegetative Roofing System is more than 40,000 square feet of 80-mil Firestone Building Products UltraPly TPO Platinum Membrane. This membrane is a thermoplastic roofing system comprised of a durable, 80-mil-thick membrane backed by a 30-year warranty. It offers Wide-Weld seam technology to provide the industry’s widest field seams and highest mechanically attached wind ratings to combat the extreme weather coming off the ocean. For further protection, the scrim-reinforced membrane comes with enhanced puncture, tear and abrasion resistance.
Challenging prep work, combined with extreme weather and a desire for sustainability benefits made the final installed roof not only as lush and beautiful as its surroundings, but also durable and functional for years to come.