High-quality waterproofing vital in construction sector

Ashok Srivastava, General Manager of IMI welcomed the participants and highlighted that installing waterproofing membranes in buildings in order to prevent seepage that causes structural damage has been a mandatory practice for many years, but utmost care should be given while selecting the right product that is compatible with the ecological features, particularly so in the Gulf region.

He also added that the right product with the right specification could actually extend the lifespan of the concrete structure and that is the relevance of Hyperflex waterproofing membranes manufactured in the UAE by IMI.

Elias Balit, Senior Sales Manager, IMI made a detailed presentation of the Hyperflex waterproofing membranes, which have secured the prestigious Agrément Certificate issued by the British Board of Agrément (BBA).

"Hyperflex, the SBS modified bitumen reinforced waterproofing membrane, being the first waterproofing membrane to be accredited with a BBA certificate, has the highest quality standards set in line with the demands of the desert and its moist conditions," Balit said.

Bitumen Membranes are waterproof sheets made by saturating and coating a robust reinforcement core material such as non-woven polyester, fiberglass mat or a combination of both with an impervious compound of polymer modified bitumen. The membranes produced are of pre-determined thickness and finished with a choice of surfacing materials suitable for most waterproofing applications. These are laid between concrete layers in building structures in order to prevent water seepage and saline-influenced corrosion.

Currently, IMI supplies its products to nearly 35 countries, including, Gulf Co-operation Council member states, Far East, Africa & North America.

Joe Blaisedale, International Business Manager of the BBA, also addressed the seminar and explained the role of the BBA and the process of BBA certification.

"The BBA issues an "Agrément Certificate" to a product after conducting a comprehensive assessment involving laboratory testing, on-site evaluations and inspections of production to ensure that the product meets the fitness of purpose in all aspects.

"Tests are carried out, either by the BBA or approved external laboratories, to ensure that a product will meet certain predetermined levels of performance in particular areas. BBA technical staff also visits sites where products under evaluation are being installed and also, if possible, where they have been installed for some time.

"This enables the BBA to provide valuable information, in conjunction with the manufacturer and installers, on items like transport, storage, fixing, maintenance and durability, said Blaisedale. An Agrément Certificate gives a statement on product durability, either in years or as a factor of the anticipated life of a building in which the product might be incorporated.

"The main focus of the Agrément process is the evaluation of the extent to which the product allows compliance with relevant Building Regulations and other statutory requirements to be achieved. Such certification in the construction and building sector becomes all the more relevant in the UAE and elsewhere in the Gulf in view of the fast expansion of the sector in the region. Experts have also expressed concerns over the need to have a uniform set of specifications and quality requirements that suit the environmental features of the area and other parameters," Blaisedale said.