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The award recognizes the outstanding application of RENOLIT ALKORPLAN Design and ALKORPLAN Solar products on the Kovács Katalin National Kayak-Canoe Academy in Hungary. The company’s innovative solutions delivered a flexible, metal-roof aesthetic for the academy’s wavy design and seamlessly integrated photovoltaic panels without membrane perforations. The project’s success was driven by RENOLIT ALKORPLAN roofing products’ comprehensive technical support and collaborative partnership, leading to this award-winning outcome.

RENOLIT ALKORPLAN roofing products is pleased to announce its victory in the “Roof of the Year 2025” award in the plastic sheet waterproofing category. This prestigious recognition is awarded by the Hungarian Roofers Association (ÉMSZ) to celebrate the best completed roofing projects.

The award was granted for the outstanding application of RENOLIT ALKORPLAN Design and ALKORPLAN Solar products on the roof of the Kovács Katalin Nemzeti Kajak-Kenu Akadémia (National Kayak-Canoe Academy) located in Sukoró, Hungary. The celebratory gala event took place on May 10th at the Technical University in Budapest.

The Kovács Katalin Academy: a fusion of sport, aesthetics and cutting-edge innovation

The Kovács Katalin Nemzeti Kajak-Kenu Akadémia is a purpose-built sports and recreation facility. Its primary function is to host international junior kayaking and canoeing competitions, as well as rowing and open water swimming events.

Located next to a beautiful natural lake, the design of the buildings themselves thoughtfully mirrors the graceful shape of waves. The academy is named after Katalin Kovács, a legendary kayaker with an impressive record of achievements, including 3 Olympic gold medals, 31 world championships, and 29 European championships. Her career serves as a powerful symbol of the beautiful and lasting results that can be achieved through demanding work.

The project faced several intricate design challenges. A primary objective was to achieve the aesthetic appeal of a metal roof, while simultaneously demanding the exceptional flexibility required for its distinctive corrugated, wave-like design. Further complexity was introduced by the necessity to incorporate photovoltaic panels in designated sections of the roof.

A winning design: innovation meets performance

RENOLIT‘s ALKORPLAN Design and ALKORPLAN Solar roofing systems played a pivotal role in successfully addressing the project’s challenging demands.

The RENOLIT ALKORPLAN Design system provided the ideal solution for the roof’s aesthetic requirements, offering the visual appeal of a metal roof while retaining the crucial flexibility needed for the corrugated, wave-like design. This system is known for its ability to adapt to all possible roof geometries, whether simple or complex, making it perfectly suited for the academy’s undulating roof structure.

Furthermore, the incorporation of photovoltaic panels was seamlessly achieved through the ultralight RENOLIT ALKORPLAN Solar system. This system offers the significant advantage of requiring no perforations of the waterproofing membrane, and removes the necessity for heavy ballasts, thus reducing the load on the roof structure when securing the photovoltaic panels.

The ease, reliability, and speed of installation, coupled with simple maintenance and panel replacement, made RENOLIT ALKORPLAN Solar the perfect choice for the synthetic PVC-P membranes used, ensuring both the aesthetic and functional demands of the project were met.

Expert guidance: RENOLIT’s commitment to technical partnership

The success of this project was a testament to the strong collaborative efforts of all partners involved. Architecture was handled by Design Plan and Fényjel Stúdió. The general contractors responsible for bringing the vision to life were West Hungária Bau and Lajtaszig.

RENOLIT ALKORPLAN roofing products played a pivotal role throughout the project lifecycle. This included early consultations with the architect and waterproofing specialist designer, which began several years prior to completion.

The company also participated actively in the preparation of a large sample roof, covering 800 square meters, to address specific wishes of the general contractor.

Furthermore, RENOLIT ALKORPLAN roofing products provided comprehensive on-site technical advice to both the general contractor and the insulation company through regular site visits and wind load calculation. Seamless delivery arrangements were also meticulously coordinated to meet the needs of both the factory and the contractors.

This comprehensive approach, combined with the innovative use of RENOLIT ALKORPLAN’s smart, sustainable, and reliable polymer solutions ultimately led to this significant win.

The “Roof of the Year” competition is an annual event organized by the Hungarian Roofers Association (ÉMSZ). This competition is considered the biggest event in the profession, where roof construction companies showcase their masterworks completed in the preceding year.

“Winning the ‘Roof of the Year 2025’ award is a tremendous honour for us”, says Ferenc Szabo, Managing Director of RENOLIT Hungary. 

“This recognition not only celebrates the aesthetic and technical excellence achieved with our RENOLIT ALKORPLAN Design and ALKORPLAN Solar systems but, more profoundly, it highlights RENOLIT‘s unwavering dedication to being a true partner, not merely a product provider. Our comprehensive technical assistance and seamless collaboration with all project stakeholders were instrumental in navigating the unique challenges of the Kovács Katalin National Kayak-Canoe Academy and delivering this remarkable result”, he adds.