"separating membranes geotextiles"

Citu, Leeds - SIPS panels made 0.03ach on the fabric/joints/connections using PASSIVE PURPLE.

This blockwork construction with sips panel warm roof connections and fabric made completely airtight using Passive Purple. This Passive build with sips panel roof in the heart of Cambridge was a great job from start to finish, with Passive purple brush sealing all the connections of various substrates such as steelwork, blockwork and timber and then given a final send of with a spray application of Passive Purple, with intricate detail, multi-level rooms and grand design in general, achieving under 0.6ach was no problem.

Magly MGO board spray applied with Passive Purple for a MAGLPLY advert on Whitehaus bespoke timber frame build in london

We built the world first Passivhaus CPD training facility / pub, this is the worlds most airtight pub at 0.07ach at 50 pa. This is a twin wall timber frame, it’s 450mm wide insulation Huntsman which is made of thousands of recycled plastic bottles. Huntsman also recycled 1 billion plastic bottles from the sea last year. We have a 7.2 KW system solar panels system that powers the building, it’s got MVHR Nilan. On the external façade we applied Passive Purple External which is airtight up to 0.03ach.

Magly MGO board spray applied with Passive Purple for a MAGLPLY advert on Whitehaus bespoke timber frame build in london

CuTex is a permeable geocomposite root barrier consisting of a copper sheet mechanically encapsulated between a woven polypropylene geotextile and a high strength nonwoven polypropylene geotextile. Cutex functions not only as a physical barrier, but also as a chemical barrier.

The scope of the project was to facilitate a solution for a damp, salt and mould covered lightwell wall, which was impacting negatively on staff who thought their office views were unsightly and unhygienic.

The scope of the works was to design, specify and install a suitable waterproofing solution to 2 large properties engineered from ICF construction which required waterproofing. Areas where attention from a skilled specialist were required, was to the rear and two side walls which were earth/ground retaining.When specifying a suitable waterproofing solution, consideration to the final use of the building, designing a system to be maintainable and repairable along with a deep understanding of BS 8102:2009 is essential in ensuring project success.From a waterproofing design perspective, we use three grades to define waterproofing systems.These 3 grades are:Grade 1 – Some water seepage and damp are tolerable depending on the intended useGrade 2 – No water penetration is acceptableGrade 3 – No dampness or water penetration is acceptableIn existing basements and new build properties which will be habitable, Grade 3, is always required.

The scope of this ambitious project was to restore and transform an abandoned Neo-Gothic Cemetery Keeper’s Lodge with adjoining public facility into a luxurious mansion in just 12 months.  Works included demolishing the adjoining public facility to enable the construction of a new basement.The proposed new build construction would be a luxury ground floor extension which would run the footprint of the redundant public facility to offer a 4,000 square foot subterrain space with key features such as 13-meter swimming pool, 2 additional bedrooms, a tv games room and office space.Simon Gill Architect designed the ambitious project and was appointed as Project Manager.Delta Registered Installers 5 Star Basements were employed to undertake both dig out and installation of the structural waterproofing with Delta’s Technical Waterproofing Consultant, Paul Callaghan representing Delta. This approach at the design stage, allowed Paul to attend design team meetings and to ensure all criteria’s of BS8102:2009 were met.As aired on Grand Designs on 6th January 2021.

Passive Purple Airtight detail a must with this huge open plan modern structure in Nottingham.

A case study of the use of Airtight White intelligent airtight liquid vapor control

In China, the name Shenzhen is associated with frenetic pace. The city’s metamorphosis from a fishing village with 30,000 residents into a 15-million strong metropolis took just 30 years. A start-up at this location required only two decades to become the world’s fourth largest industrial enterprise. Tencent, the high-tech concern that started out as an e-mail provider, has already overtaken Facebook in terms of its market value. The new HQ of the high-flying company was designed by NBBJ Architects from New York as a statement of a new era of campus buildings. Two towers made of glass and steel, that shimmer in the sun and unite the copper-colored pedestrian bridges, resemble robots hugging one another. When deciding on the cladding for the gigantic atrium, the company went for a golden metal fabric from GKD – GEBR. KUFFERATH AG, which was recommended by French designer Alain Bony.Shenzhen lies directly on the border with Hong Kong in the Southern Chinese province of Guangdong. Named a special economic zone in 1980, the once sleepy fishing village has developed into a prosperous market economy under state control. Countless skyscrapers today form a skyline that can hold its own in comparisons with Manhattan. One in three smartphones sold in the world is fabricated here. Yet Shenzhen has developed from the world’s workbench into China’s Silicon Valley. The majority of residents are less than 30 years old. Numerous international concerns are based here, and nowhere in China is the per capita income higher. Thanks to massive economic growth, Shenzhen is one of the fastest growing cities in China, making property in the city a geographically restricted commodity. Despite being one of the city’s most famous children, Internet giant Tencent is still not well known outside China. The inventor of the two most popular apps in China – QQ and WeChat – is today also market leader for online games, offers video streaming services, and generates 20 percent of its revenue from advertising alone. The company has been working hard on international expansion for quite some time and has shareholdings in various companies, including Snapchat and Tesla. It has been enjoying constant and fast growth since being founded. Just one year after completion of the first new company building in Shenzhen for 15,000 employees, planning work started on a new global HQ, which offers enough space for a further 12,000 employees. Tencent commissioned the renowned American architecture firm NBBJ, which has already built many award-winning headquarters for high-tech companies such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, or Samsung, to design the new building. The team around Jonathan Ward fended off six competitors to win the order with a completely new campus concept. Tencent was looking for a classic campus based on the US model. The goal was to create a comfortable central meeting point in a spacious, attractive, natural environment, where people could automatically meet, chat, and find new ideas. However, the plot for the new HQ was located right in the heart of the city at an intersection of the multi-laned city expressways. As such, the only way to secure sufficient space in the small footprint was to design a skyscraper. Yet Tencent was concerned that a building of this type would not allow employees from various teams, departments, corridors, and floors to engage in regular contact with one another. NBBJ therefore merged the benefits of both approaches – inspiring spaciousness and inner city spatial efficiency – to create a completely new concept that re-imagines the campus idea and implements it vertically. To this end, the concept of a skyscraper was divided up into two buildings and then given the qualities of a classic campus. The Tencent Seafront Towers comprise two towers, boasting 50 and 39 floors respectively, which were constructed to give the appearance of being slightly intertwined with one another. The offset height reduces the load of the tropical winds common in the region, while at the same time providing ventilation for the atrium located between the two towers. The towers also provide shade for one another and thereby support the intelligent integrated energy concept.The key to the vertical campus concept, however, are the three skybridges, which cross as horizontal meeting areas. From a visual perspective, the copper-colored walkways give the towers a soul, as they appear to be hugging one another. They are logically referred to as links and make a contribution to movement and networking with topic-specific offers. While the link on the first floor above the lobby with café, exhibition space and auditorium is used for cultural exchange, the central link on the 21st floor is ideal for rest, recovery and health promotion. Staff can relax and unwind here in meditation rooms, a basketball court, a gym, a swimming pool, games rooms and even a running track. The highest of the three links on the 34th floor is dedicated to the topic of knowledge, boasting a library and multiple conference rooms. All of the links have roof terraces containing landscaped gardens. To ensure that they actually cater to their intended function as places of communication, collaboration, and inspiration, the architects at NBBJ designed an elevator system for the HQ, so that all employees can regularly spend time in these meeting areas. Express elevators from the lobby travel only as far as the bridges. The employees then enter local elevators to take them to their floor. From a design perspective, this is the fastest way to reach any office or location in the towers. This makes the links the perfect counterpart to the central square in a traditional campus, where employees automatically meet, even if they work in different buildings. They engage in spontaneous conversations here on their way from the bus station located beneath the towers or the parking areas to their office, in the queue for the juice bar or even on their way to play sports. Thanks to the bridges, these social meeting points are distributed across the entire HQ like in a city. This allows social networks, the key focus of operations for Tencent, to become genuinely accessible and experienceable. This systematically designed and yet organic networking produces precisely the kind of synergies that lead to the collaboration and inspiration Tencent strives for – as a prerequisite for further growth.The conceptual design of the lobby, which is open to the public from two sides, provides for additional hustle and bustle, as well as social meetings. This makes it a much-used route from other parts of the city to the Nanshan high-tech district. Just like the entire building, this central intersection between the inside and outside world was designed by the architects as a conscious statement of networking. When cladding three sides of the atrium, which is located above the lobby, the architects therefore chose metal fabric from GKD. A total of 1,850 square meters of this material is used to create a golden net that encapsulates the three-floor auditorium. Some 28 panels, each measuring four meters wide and 16.5 meters high, were used to create these hanging shrouds. Their sophisticated texture facilitates views into the atrium from the lobby, as well as open views down into the entrance hall. The textile shell also serves as efficient fall guard protection here. Visually, it acts like a delicate veil in harmonizing the effects of the corridors and rooms of the atrium located behind it. GKD was commissioned with developing a new special fabric for the design of the cladding. To create it, golden-anodized aluminum wires and tubes were interwoven in three-wire warp wire groups made of untreated stainless steel at varying intervals. The various diameters of the fabric components – 4 mm thick wires and 12 mm thick tubes – lead to significant differences in tension in the weaving process. These were completely equalized using special weaving techniques, so that the fabric reliably complies with the static requirements of the large-format skin. Installation of the special fabric also required the experts from Germany to demonstrate their decades of expertise. For example, the tubes had to be aligned precisely in the panels to create the appearance of a seemingly endless texture. Definition of the golden color to be used was also a particular requirement of the planners. The homogeneity of this color not only needed to be guaranteed across the entire area, but also meet the high expectations of the designers with regard to the appearance of the fabric when viewed in various light conditions. The subtle luster of the soft golden color ultimately chosen allows the atrium to appear caressed by the sun and lends the lobby a sense of warmth to contrast with its cool gray marble floor, walls, and aluminum screens. In the atrium itself, the selected color scheme also matches the wooden finish of the wall and ceiling cladding. The golden membrane then acts like a fine business card for the HQ, which underlines the image of a truly important concern thanks to its size and aesthetics and combines this with maximum interaction of the environment and employees.

Delta Registered Installers, Premier Preservations, were approached to offer a waterproofing design and system to a basement, to ensure the vaults – located under the entire footprint of the property were protected from water ingress.

Commercial to residential, it may be last orders for some of our great British pubs, for other’s its discovering exciting ways of transforming commercial structures into luxury residential dwellings.  The growing trend of converting old inns offers new homes a unique history whilst being packed with character and features.Delta Registered Installers, Advance Property Preservation Ltd were engaged to assist on a troublesome vaulted basement to a property, based in central London which had already been converted into high living accommodation.Just off the basement area were two large vaults around 12m long. Made from brick barrel construction, this below ground space had previously used for storing kegs of ale!One of these vaults had previously been converted into a spa area with jacuzzi and steam room, the other was used as a storage area. The owners had previously had the storeroom tanked with a Type A, render system, however this approach repeatedly failed, allowing for substantial water ingress which was causing damage to items stored in this area.With Structural Waterproofing one of the major contributors to project failure lies with the design. When hiring contractors, ensure the design, procurement of materials and installation is undertaken by one specialist will naturally reduce these known and associated risks. A specialist contractor will always be able to offer quality assurances.

The brief of this project was to carry out a trial on a section of track (the Metropolitan Line) located close to Farringdon station to provide an elastic, permanent repair waterproofing solution which would not cause any detrimental effect to the structure nor the trains passing through it.

Delta Registered Installers, Oaks Damp Proofing having previously undertaken work for the client were commissioned to design and install a Cavity Drain Waterproofing system that would meet BS8102:2009 the British Standard for the protection of structures against water from the ground, Grade 3 (no dampness or water penetration acceptable) to the cellar area of The Blonde Hedgehog. The Cellar having been used historically to store beer was not waterproofed historically. Beer cellars are notable for being very cold and wet. For hundreds of years beer cellars were always underground – because underground rooms are generally quite cool.

Waterproofing design is a key and critical component for successful construction of below ground structures. Whether it’s a completely new build or making smaller changes to an existing property, waterproofing design should never be overlooked.Waterproofing might account for just a small fraction of a building’s total cost, but waterproofing defects can result in catastrophic consequences. When waterproofing fails, the implications are significant.Delta’s MD, Kevin Dodds was approached to offer advice and guidance on a failed waterproofing system.The existing structure had an impressive 5-level basement which houses: kitchens, food storage and food preparation areas, spa, plant rooms and accommodation. Near to a large river, the site sited well within the water table. The original waterproofing system was based on the secant piled walls and a block wall internally to provide a basic drained protection system with drainage holes at various points to drain to various levels.Over time, the third floor had become completely saturated with all levels of the basement experiencing water ingress in varying levels from damp patches to significant “jets” of water and flows of water through the secant piles.With remediation waterproofing design strategies, it may take some time to specify a suitable system. It is important that investigations are thoroughly carried out by individuals with the capability of diagnosing the defect, assessing the extent of that defect, and recommending a suitable corrective measure.

The Scope of the project was to provide a structural waterproofing solution to a private dwelling with new build extension.The property, situated on a sloping site gave the opportunity for the waterproof design to utilise the properties environment to allow for natural discharge of any potential water ingress.The property was detached and retaining to the front and side elevations where the retaining ground slopes down and away from the property to a garden that continues to slope down to a small stream. The retaining walls on either elevation rise at their highest point to approximately 1500mm above the internal floor level.The internal walls of the property were original brick to the front and new cavity built concrete block. The floor to what was the original house is of solid concrete construction joining on to a newer block and beam floor construction.When designing the most appropriate waterproofing system to any given situation, various design factors require addressing such as (but not limited to), final use of the building, the grade of waterproofing requirement under the British Standard, structural considerations based on the form of construction and in some cases, satisfying the requirements of building warranty providers.

This large new-build structure required to be waterproofed to meet BS 8102:2009, the British Standard for the Protection of Structures against Water from the Ground requirements. As it is not possible to determine the amount of potential water pressure surrounding the structure, BS 8102:2009 states the waterproofing designer should expect a head of water against the structure at some stage during the structure’s service life.

low energy home in Threlkeld, Lake district, this huge open plan warm roof home went full Passive Purple to achieve maximum results of airtightness.

The scope of the project was to facilitate a waterproofing solution for a substantial brick built detached property with a large 3 elevation basement situated at the bottom of a steep sloping driveway. The basement when constructed had 1 form of external waterproofing incorporated during the build stage, however the system required a second form of internal waterproofing due to the location of the structure and high-water table, capable of protecting the luxurious basement from unwanted water ingress.The property’s driveway significantly slopes from street level to the front elevation of the property requiring a specialist waterproofing system to protect the structure.Working in conjunction with the homeowner, Timberwise’s CSSW qualified waterproofing surveyors specified a Delta Type C (Drained) Protection waterproofing system to provide the necessary Grade 3 (habitable environment) to enable to homeowner to fully utilise their basement space. For Grade 3 habitable environments, two types of waterproofing may be required.A Waterproofing Designer’s philosophy defines what they wish to accomplish in the design of their waterproofing system and which principles they will use to do so. Identifying a robust and suitable design philosophy is an important aspect when designing a continuous system, as this will not only directly impact in how users install the system but also in future maintenance which will directly impact on the property owner.

Delta Registered Installers, Bensleys provided a waterproofing solution on an iconic Brighton structure.Steeped in history and thought to be built on the original Brill Baths site, sits Clarendon Mansions. This large, detached structure is thought to have been built in 1870 by Charles Brill during the Brighton boom.The four-storey building facing Brighton’s famous sea front, was originally constructed as a hotel.Numerous refurbishments over subsequent periods of time, saw the structure move from a hotel to a public house, with the basement area being unoccupied for nearly a decade.The basement area boasts large, vaulted areas to the south and west elevation, with the south-side possibly being part of the original Bath structure.Bensleys were instructed by the main contractor, Pilbeam Construction on behalf of Evolution Architects, to help design, specify and install the waterproofing system.There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to waterproofing design. With the basement suffering from water penetration, Bensleys worked with the design team at an early stage of the project to ensure the right approach be taken, which included multiple factors such as: customer requirements, standards, robustness, cost, resources, time, skill required, safety and expectations of ground water which all translated into a design solution.

Delta’s Technical Team along with Delta Registered Installers Marsden Damp Services were approached by the main contractor Wilmott Dixon to give assistance on designing a robust waterproofing solution. Working in collaboration with the architects and project team, this team of waterproofing experts were easily able to offer a simplistic and practical approach.The project was split into 2 phases with Phase 1 waterproofing the existing stage and orchestra pit and Phase 2, the seating and ancillary rooms which all required the installation of a Type C waterproofing system to ensure a Grade 3 habitable environment was created.

Edenside Barn is a real-life demonstration property in the Cumbria Flood Resilient Showcase Project. The idea behind the Flood Resilient Showcase Project was to use products and materials that will try to keep water out of properties prone to flooding. In a flooding event that is less severe, those products (all of which have been tested to a high specification) are expected to reduce water ingress.

Delta were employed to assist on this leaking podium deck project. Following a full assessment of The Hub and its underground parking facilities it was identified that rainwater was entering the basement car park through the ceiling deck at multiple points. These points included holes that were formed to allow drainage from the surface, movement joints and investigation holes that had been created through the steel rib and concrete deck. Based on “as built plans” a system was designed post construction that would offer the same quality of structural protection had it been incorporated during the build phase.

The scope of this project was incredibly interesting. The owners sought to create a subterranean space which had the look and feel of a magical ‘Hobbit Home’ as if created by J. R. R. Tolkien himself.

To fulfil the requirements of BS8102:2022 and BS 8485:2015+A1:2019 a strategy to develop a specification which combines structural waterproofing and ground gas protection were required for this refurbishment project.The project involved creating additional living space to an existing mid terrace Victorian property in W12. The site of the property, whilst not being located on contaminated land was identified as being potentially at risk, it was near what is classed as contaminated land (an old brick yard).To satisfy Building Control requirements gas protection measures were required to meet BS 8485:2015+A1:2019.Site investigations at former brickworks and landfill sites are within expected UK guidelines for contamination. Ground investigations incorporate both soil sampling, ground gas and groundwater monitoring.In accordance with Table 3 of BS 8485:2015+A1:2019 a residential building is classed as a Type A building, creating a “high risk” requirement for ground gas protection. With the structure requiring a Grade 3 habitable environment attention as required to offer a system which meets all requirements.

This project required a robust and a meticulously detailed specification with Delta Registered Installers, Cemplas being appointed waterproofing contractor to guarantee a watertight basement.

We all know warm roofs and joist zones are huge areas for air leakage and extremely hard to solve this problem. This warm roof structure for luxury apartments retrofit fit onto an already existing block of apartments in Tottenham was typically the icing on the cake for detail and performance. With the hand cut roof providing the client with multiple skylights, dormers and 360-degree turrets, this was going to be no easy task of getting the airtightness and vapour control secure and correct in a traditional method. Step forward Passive Purple! Rather than just covering the issues, once the hand cut roof was finished, the 220mm roof rafters were filled with a layer of spray insulation supplied by Lapolla UK. The dormers, skylights and turrets were then given some attention to detail with Passive Purple BRUSH before the final application of Passive Purple (spray applied) This gives this roof a complete airtight vapour control with performance like no other and getting around all of them circular details and angle’s galore this was just another simpler, easier way to get the job done right and guaranteed! Passive Purple liquid application saves the client and user so much time and so much less strenuous labour.

Delta’s design philosophy was to devise a suitable flood resilience measure that would protect this property from the effects of future flooding, like what had previous occurred. Information gleaned from the survey visit enabled Delta to offer a fully effective solution for the intermittent yet long term flooding problem.

This project is unusual and offered an interesting scope. Delta was approached to give assistance on designing a robust waterproofing solution to a new build basement within a Synagogue in North London. The main contractor having previously worked with Delta, knew Delta would be able to provide this project with a high calibre waterproofing design whilst offering respect for the community it serves.

Vaults are a common feature of 18th and 19th century buildings in Bath. Originally built to support the cobbled streets above and were a constructional response to the precipitous topography that surrounds Bath, in order to provide a level site. Many of the vaults within historic Bath suffer with water ingress and damp related problems. Incorporating best practice guidance - Type C Waterproofing Systems (BS 8102: 2009) a Type C System was used to keep this historic vault watertight and dry.

Delta products were used at ground level on a semi-detached property in Hertfordshire that suffered from severe flooding. After the flood at the Grade II listed property in Long Marston, restoration experts DJ Hutchings of Towcester was called in, and – in turn – they called upon the services of Peter Cox . Work includes the full strip-out of all wall finishes and the solid floor on the ground floor. Mass underpinning took place to all the external walls. Included in the materials supplied by Delta is the MS500 system applied to all ground floor walls and MS20 on the floors.

The scope of this project was to offer a waterproofing solution to an early 19th century two storey, listed cottage sited in a conservation area of beautiful countryside in Scotland.Providing a guaranteed, cost-effective scheme that would comply with BS 8102:2022 (Protection of below ground structures against water ingress. Code of practice.).For any structure below ground, either fully or partially, waterproofing is essential for protecting and preserving integrity. 

Koster Aquatecnic were approached by the project architect to assist in a specification to renew the waterproofing to the roof of the large visitor cottages at the base of Ardnamurchan Lighthouse.This lighthouse is situated at the most westerly point in the British Isles and as such is extremely exposed to the elements. A robust material and system had to be produced. This was a very challenging project and a great deal of assistance was provided including bespoke drawings, office and site meetings followed by leak testing services to ensure fully watertight.Please read through the case study and if you have any questions or would like advice on a similar project, please contact technical@kosteruk.com.

The brief for this project was to design, supply and install a bespoke and sympathetic waterproofing solution to a Grade II listed, commercial structure with an impractical damp basement.Delta Registered Installers, MacLennan Waterproofing worked closely with the Principal Contractor, HB Projects to achieve a Grade 3 habitable space whilst preserving this historic structure.The Co-op shop in Petworth Village, provides the local community with everything they need, whether its household essentials or a place to meet friends.The site incorporates two Listed Buildings, including part of a Listed Church. The store applied for listed building consent to reconfigure its ground and basement floors, to increase the retail floor space and improve the functionality of the store.When designing a waterproofing/damp proofing solution in a historic building or a structure of architectural interest, additional design considerations should be employed during the design stage to maintain preserve aesthetic and structural integrity of the structure/building. The waterproofing design should be sympathetic in application whilst offering a robust solution.Care consideration should be applied when specifying products to ensure they are ideally suited for meeting the complexities of listed building requirements.