Opened in early 2019, the Copper Spirit Distillery manufactures and serves super-premium, organic gin, vodka, and rye as well as masterfully mixed cocktails at their state-of-the-art distillery and tasting room. Located on Bowen Island, a small island just 2 miles west of Vancouver, the distillery is a model of efficiency and eco-friendly design.
Problem
Water is a key and expensive ingredient in all spirits. Even after distillation, the final product is generally between 40 to 60% water. Finding a sustainable source of free, clean water would be an exciting prospect to any spirit maker.
With 72.4 inches of average yearly precipitation, the distillery’s 1,315 square feet of roofing could produce nearly 60,000 gallons of harvested water annually. To effectively harvest rainwater, they needed a roof coating that would provide years of lasting protection without leaching chemicals into the water during collection.
Solution
Castagra’s Ecodur roof coating is NSF-61 rated for drinking water and commonly used to line municipal freshwater tanks. With Ecodur’s extreme adhesion, it was able to bond over the previous, failing roof coating. Because Ecodur does not chalk or degrade, it will provide years of lasting protection with little to no maintenance.
Application Results
After the roof was thoroughly cleaned using push brooms and blowers, Ecodur was applied to a uniform 30 mils using a notched squeegee and rollers. All drains were also coated to prevent any contact with the water prior to collection.
The Ecodur roof coating keeps the interior of the building dry while keeping the water collected above safe for use. The water collected on the roof runs directly to storage barrels in the basement where a series of filters ensure that no anomalies find their way into the delicious spirits enjoyed by hordes of discerning spirit enthusiasts.
