Award

M A R C H 2 0 2 2 | 41 Restoration Products & Services P H OTO G R A P H Y CO U RT E S Y H U N T S M A N B U I L D I N G S O LU T I O N S; K RY TO N I N T ER N AT I O N A L ; M A P EI I N C . Maxime Duzyk, director of building science and engineering at Huntsman Building Solutions, antici- pates that 2022 will be a busy year, and despite the supply shortages he says, "We're still working on developing new products and improving our current solutions, while managing raw materials and stock to better serve our customers' needs. Huntsman Building Solutions has always had a major focus on sustainability, innovation, and R&D, and we'll con- tinue working hard and promote our worldwide leadership as polyurethane spray foam company." Duzyk says two of the more significant develop- ments from Huntsman Building Solutions of late are the D-Max wall assembly, which he regards as "a new way of building," and Heatlok Soya HFO closed- cell spray foam. The former is an assembly allowing the installation of spray foam insulation from the interior of the building while managing the thermal bridging of the studs and the structure. Weather conditions and access to the facades are no longer an obstacle to the progress of the projects. In addition, the D-Max wall is a high-performance assembly with effective thermal resistance and airtightness, and yet remains very thin. Heatlok Soya HFO is a closed-cell spray foam designed as a continuous insulation solution con- tributing to protection on several fronts, with superior adhesion. Heatlok Soya HFO product con- tains a total of 22 percent renewable soybean oil and recycled plastic. When used with the D-Max Wall, the assembly acts as an insulation, air barrier, vapour barrier in a single application, contribut- ing to faster construction and cost savings (the spray foam is installed completely from the interior and reduces the thermal bridge of the studs by filling the gap between the exterior sheathing panel the studs; this gap is variable and created with Z-bars). Kathy Fowler, director of marketing at Kryton International Inc., says of 2022, "Market recovery is looking positive. We are seeing more demand for building materials to support sustainable concrete construction, to build climate resilient structures, and to reduce carbon emissions – and we're well positioned to support our customers with our Smart Concrete products. We also recently opened a new manufacturing facility in Calgary to increase our production capacity in response to global demand." The facility in question is operated by Cementec Industries Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Kryton. Cementec manufactures and distributes award-win- ning Hard-Cem, an integral hardening admixture that increases concrete resistance to abrasion and erosion. Cementec is also the only manufacturer of silica fume products in Western North America, with Con-Fume widely used to add durability to con- crete construction and XL-Fume used in mining, oil, and gas infrastructure (these products are part of Kryton's suite of Smart Concrete solutions, all of which are designed to help builders meet new OSHA regulations and tight deadlines, while reducing skilled labour requirements). Fowler notes that with regards to COVID's ongo- ing impact on jobsites, "To manage the construction schedule effectively, many of our clients are choos- ing to add integral products like KIM and Hard-Cem to the concrete at the time of batching. This allows them to build dry and durable structures without the need to schedule skilled workers for the applica- tion of surface-applied products on site." As for supply shortages, she remarks, "As an indus- try we're working together to plan for longer shipping time, and that's alleviating some of the pain. Of course, the damage to the infrastructure in B.C. due to the recent floods have made it more challenging, but B.C. road builders have done a tremendous job in getting major routes open as soon as possible." Another leader in crystalline technology, Xypex Chemical Corporation, is forging ahead with new products to support the preservation of infra- structure, one being Xypex Bio-San C500. This admixture is a unique way of protecting concrete in harsh sewage conditions where hydrogen sulphide causes microbial induced corrosion (MIC), and it's recommended for use in areas where H2S gas is likely to accumulate, including sewer lines with long retention times, sealed or unvented manholes, and areas of high turbulence such as lift stations, drop structures, force main outflows, and head works. Xypex Bio-San C500 contains mineral solids that remain permanently fixed within the con- crete throughout the life of the sewage structure. These solids kill acid-generating microbes such as Thiobacillus. Combined with Xypex's crystalline technology, Bio-San C500 protects concrete from infiltration and exfiltration as well as resist acid and sulphate attack. After placement and curing, the crack-healing properties continue to function throughout the service life of the concrete. Canada was the first country outside of Italy where Mapei established production facilities, and today its products are fundamental to Canadian construction. Demand is such that late last year the company announced the expansion of its Laval, Quebec operations with a new 4,715-square-metre powder-production plant and distribution facility. "The existing facility has proven to be such a tremen- dous asset in providing us with manufacturing and warehousing for Eastern Canada, and this expansion will greatly increase our ability to meet our custom- ers' demands in those areas," said Luigi Di Geso, president and CEO of Mapei North America. This new plant complements the existing 11,892-square-metre facility, which serves as Mapei's head office and whose adjacent plant also produces polymers, adhesives and, more recently, admixtures for concrete. In terms of new products, Mapei recently introduced Planitop 13, a one-component, polymer- modified, fibre-enhanced, extended-working-time, cementitious repair mortar with corrosion inhibitor designed for vertical and overhead applications. As for projects, some undertakings are so long in development they require work that in any other situation would be thought of as restoration. For example, Grande Prairie Regional Hospital began construction in 2011, and Mapei products helped installers complete unfinished work in various areas of the complex. The work consisted of 2,453 square metres of resinous industrial flooring for the ambulance bay and basement, 9,290 square metres of resilient flooring, and 8,360 square metres of large-format tile installation for walls and floors, as well as waterproofing in select areas. Since the hospital basement's concrete surface was cracked and ill-prepared to take on the epoxy resinous topping (as was the ambulance bay's con- crete surface) contractors went about shotblasting and grinding the surface. Levelling was done with Primer L, acrylic latex primer for concrete, and this enhanced the bonding of Ultraplan M20 Plus, the quick-setting, high-compressive-strength, self-levelling, calcium-aluminate-based underlay- ment that followed. A thin layer of Mapefloor I 302 SL was applied as a primer and then again as an epoxy-resin basecoat to take advantage of the prod- uct's excellent chemical and abrasion resistance. Mapefloor Finish 54 W/S was then used to provide a semi-gloss, aliphatic, polyurethane topcoat. The ambulance-bay required an industrial floor- ing solution with high load endurance, so over a layer of Primer SN, installers used Mapefloor PU 400 polyurethane basecoat that can be used as a water- proofing membrane for elevated concrete surfaces. Mapefloor Finish 450 aliphatic, polyurethane top- coat was then applied to provide added resistance to chemical agents, including diluted acids, bases, oil and fuel. Elsewhere in the hospital, contractors used Ultrabond ECO 360 premium, high-performance adhesive for wood and plank flooring. A D-Max wall assembly. Preparation of Hard-Cem integral hardening admixture. Application of Planitop 13 cementitious repair mortar.

• Cover
• Contents