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Waterproofing the City of the Future

Arab Construction World – July 2011

Recognized as North America’s youngest major city, Vancouver is now looking to add “Greenest City in the World” to its calling cord by 2020. This bold, new ambition was backed by Vancouver’s City Council, which requires all building rezoning to be LEED Certified, ensuring that Vancouver‘s infrastructural continue to be on the cusp of innovation and sustainability. 

Going beyond the basic LEED requirement, some structures are simultaneously forging the way for multi-purpose spaces such as the 3,824 square meter development located at 1005 Station. This six-story building houses studio homes for 80 residents, a commercial kitchen, and a commercial/retail area. NSDA Architects and Darwin Construction wanted to create a building that would be able to stand the test of time and rigors of use without compromising sustainability. It would also be held to the highest green standard, designed to be greenhouse gas-neutral and achieve LEED Gold certification.    

The innovative multi-purpose, LEED Certified building which sits reclaimed land which was once a part of False Creek

The site clearly poses structural challenges for concrete waterproofing especially for the underground parking lot, electrical room and elevator pits which are all located well below the water table in order to maximize the site’s space. In order to keep the building both green and waterproof, Kryton International Inc.’s crystalline concrete waterproofing systems was written into the concrete specs for its below grade waterproofing. Darwin decided to use Lafarge Canada as their ready-mix partner. 244 ten-kilogram packages of Kryton’s flagship product, Krystol Internal Membrane (KIM) was used to waterproof 350 cubic meters of concrete. Moreover, Krystol Waterstop System was also used for the building’s cold joints. 

Kryton’s innovative and comprehensive waterproofing system offers many distinct advantages over conventional waterproofing systems. It requires no specialized equipment and reduces the need for specialized tradespeople. lt is also easier to install, saving construction time and labor costs. Unlike other waterproofing systems, Kryton’s Krystol technology doesn’t deteriorate over time, providing on-going peace of mind for developers, architects, building owners and residents.