Case Study
Heathrow Terminal 5 stands as one of the most significant projects in Hathaway’s history, showcasing our expertise in the design, manufacture and installation of complex roofing and cladding systems on an exceptional scale.
Developed for BAA, the £4.3 billion project was one of Europe’s largest and most ambitious construction developments, demanding innovative solutions, specialist engineering expertise and meticulous logistical coordination.
The scale of the project and complexity of the construction programme called for a unique approach. BAA sought contractors with proven experience, established supply chains and the technical capability to deliver high-performance solutions. Hathaway’s successful track record on major projects across the UK, together with our expertise in specialist roofing systems, secured our involvement in this landmark development.
Hathaway’s extensive scope of works included the roofs of the main terminal and satellite buildings, together with full building envelope specifications for the energy centre, multi-storey car park, numerous substations and outbuildings. Our involvement also extended to elements of the Colnbrook Logistics Centre and a new container handling facility.
The main terminal building covered approximately 70,000m², measuring 396 metres in length and 176 metres in width. Its distinctive wave-form roof incorporated an extraordinary 156-metre single span, making it one of the largest of its kind.
Constructed in parallel, the satellite building extended to approximately 25,000m², with a roof span of around 65 metres.
Together, these structures presented substantial technical and logistical challenges, requiring an innovative approach to roofing design, manufacture and installation.
Innovation Through Off-Site Manufacturing
One of the defining features of Hathaway’s involvement in Terminal 5 was the development of an innovative prefabricated roofing cassette system.
With construction taking place between the runways of one of the world’s busiest airports, traditional installation methods presented significant challenges. The programme extended across all seasons, with critical handover dates, tightly coordinated follow-on trades and strict requirements for minimising on-site installation time.
Off-site fabrication offered an effective solution, enabling substantial sections of the roofing system to be manufactured in controlled factory conditions before being transported to Heathrow for installation.
The development process included the manufacture and acoustic testing of 12 prototype cassettes, helping establish a system capable of meeting the project’s demanding technical and performance requirements.
The final cassette design incorporated approximately 80% of the complete roof build-up, including the finished internal soffit. By integrating the soffit during manufacture, Hathaway eliminated the need for this element to be applied internally on site, removing a significant operation from the critical construction programme.
The cassettes were designed to optimise both their dimensions and component content, while remaining suitable for transportation on standard articulated trailers.
To support production on this unprecedented scale, Hathaway expanded its manufacturing facilities in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, constructing a purpose-built cassette assembly facility.
This dedicated manufacturing operation enabled the efficient production, assembly and preparation of the prefabricated roofing components before their carefully coordinated transportation to Heathrow.
In total, 3,600 roofing cassettes were installed across the main terminal and satellite buildings, demonstrating the considerable scale of the off-site manufacturing operation.
Specialist Engineering and Project Delivery
Alongside the prefabricated roofing system, Hathaway installed over 9,000m² of bespoke rooflights across the Terminal 5 development.
These were specially developed to meet the project’s performance requirements, including sufficient strength to allow maintenance personnel to walk on the rooflights when necessary.
The roof construction programme demanded precise coordination between manufacturing, transportation and installation activities.
Working within the constraints of a major operational airport, deliveries were carefully planned using just-in-time logistics, ensuring roofing components arrived in accordance with the installation sequence while minimising on-site storage and handling requirements.
The use of prefabricated cassettes substantially reduced the amount of work required at roof level, helping minimise on-site erection times and maintain progress through changing seasonal conditions.
Hathaway also placed considerable emphasis on utilising established products and trusted supply chain relationships. Wherever possible, materials already available within the marketplace were selected, with approximately 95% of products sourced through the company’s existing supply chain.
The successful delivery of the roofing works reflected the close collaboration between Hathaway’s design and technical teams, manufacturing personnel, site operatives, subcontractors and the wider Terminal 5 project team.
Representing Hathaway’s largest contract at the time, Heathrow Terminal 5 remains a defining project in our history and an outstanding example of the company’s technical capability, manufacturing expertise and commitment to innovation.
The development stands as a testament to the skill, dedication and collaborative efforts of everyone involved, and continues to hold a prominent place in Hathaway’s extensive project portfolio.
Project Highlights
- Landmark aviation development: A major contribution to the £4.3 billion Heathrow Terminal 5 project, one of Europe’s most ambitious construction developments.
- Extensive project scope: Roofing works to the main terminal and satellite buildings, together with building envelope specifications for the energy centre, multi-storey car park, substations and supporting facilities.
- Main terminal roof: Approximately 70,000m² building footprint, incorporating a distinctive wave-form roof with an impressive 156-metre single span.
- Satellite building: Approximately 25,000m² building footprint, featuring a roof span of around 65 metres.
- Innovative roofing solution: Development of a bespoke prefabricated cassette system, incorporating approximately 80% of the completed roof build-up.
- Specialist manufacturing: Expansion of Hathaway’s Bishop Auckland facilities with a purpose-built cassette assembly building to support the project.
- Large-scale off-site fabrication: 3,600 roofing cassettes installed across the main terminal and satellite buildings.
- Bespoke rooflights: Installation of over 9,000m² of specially developed rooflights designed to accommodate maintenance access when required.
- Complex logistics: Just-in-time transportation and installation within a restricted operational airport environment.
- Established supply chain: Approximately 95% of products sourced through Hathaway’s existing supply chain relationships.
- A defining achievement: Hathaway’s largest contract at the time, demonstrating the company’s capability to deliver complex, large-scale roofing solutions.
