Ft. Lauderdale, FL
BROWARD HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER
Project Basic Information
Project Name: Broward Health Medical Center
Location: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Application Date: December 2022
Size: 185,000 sq. ft.
Products Used: TechCrete 2500 … ACR Accelerating Agent
Applicator: Naysac Corporation – Certified Applicator #1305
Specifier: Conemco Engineering
Structure Owner: Broward Health Medical Center
Project Warranty: 20-Year Material
THE CHALLENGE
When this 185,000 sq.ft. health center complex was originally constructed, the first floor was designed & built several feet above the ground in order to form a mechanical chase. Neither a vapor barrier, nor insulation was installed on the bottom side of the raised concrete slab (which also doubles as the first floor of the complex). As a result of the normal weather conditions in southeast Florida; the hot humid air on the underside of the slab interacted with the cold air-conditioning on the topside of the slab, resulting in moisture condensation occurring in the concrete slab, which ultimately caused mold to grow in the hospital.
The challenge was to find a way to stop the moisture from forming, and thereby stop the mold from growing. Pipe hangers & the unevenness of the bottom side of the slab prevented sheet waterproofing from being used, and the combination of high cost & pungent odors given off by most solvent-based sealers & coatings were unacceptable to the work environment inside the hospital. They were also proving to be very costly options to consider.
THE SOLUTION
For this challenging project, Alchemco’s TechCrete 2500 Waterproofing System with a 20-Year Material Warranty was chosen as the best and most cost-effective solution to the problem. With its unique ability to penetrate the surface of the slab and form a waterproofing gel inside the concrete matrix itself, TechCrete 2500 provides decades of waterproofing protection. In this case, it stopped the condensation from occurring, which stopped the mold from growing and will substantially extend the service life of the structure.
THE RESULTS
The TechCrete 2500 Waterproofing System quickly and successfully stopped the water migration into the building in a cost-effective and environmentally friendly manner. This allowed the project to be completed on schedule.