The global headquarters of the Miami Association of Realtors in Miami Springs, Florida, was inaugurated in May 2024. The use of PENETRON ADMIX SB-treated concrete to protect the concrete foundation from groundwater made the installation of a conventional waterproofing membrane system unnecessary.
Founded by Glenn Hammond Curtiss, the renowned American naval aviation pioneer, during the Florida "land boom" of the 1920s as a planned community, Miami Springs has a population of almost 14,000 inhabitants today. The town’s historic buildings feature a distinctive southwestern adobe style architecture.
Chartered in 1920, the Miami Association of Realtors represents over 60,000 real estate professionals, making it the largest local realtor association in the USA. The Association’s new global headquarters in Miami Springs was designed by RSP Architects and constructed by Link Construction; it comprises a three-floor parking garage and two floors of Class A office space (50,000 ft2 / 4,545 m2) with conference space, a computer lab, a classroom (capacity: 80 people), a conference center (200 people) with a stage, and a recording studio – for a total of 119,000 ft2 (10,820 m2).
Because of the high hydrostatic pressure encountered at the Miami Springs construction site, Link Construction, the general contractor, was looking for a waterproofing solution that would be more economical and easier to install compared to a conventional waterproofing membrane system.
“Working with the project subcontractor, JA&M Construction, Penetron helped Link Construction avoid the challenges associated with the installation of a waterproofing membrane system beneath the foundation slab,” explains Darrin Vogeli, Account Manager for Penetron USA. “By adding PENETRON ADMIX SB to the concrete mix, we provided an integral waterproofing solution that made a membrane system superfluous.”
CEMEX, the ready-mix concrete supplier, added PENETRON ADMIX SB to the concrete for the project’s concrete foundation structures.
Impermeable to water and moisture, PENETRON ADMIX SB-treated concrete contains proprietary chemicals that react to moisture in a catalytic reaction to generate a non-soluble crystalline formation throughout the pores and capillary tracts of the concrete. The resulting crystal formation permanently seals microcracks, pores, and capillaries against the penetration of water or liquids from any direction. This increases the lifespan of the concrete structure and reduces the amount of maintenance required in the future.
“Compared to a membrane system, adding PENETRON ADMIX SB to the concrete mix resulted in significant savings in time, labor and materials,” concludes Darrin Vogeli.
Protected against high hydrostatic pressure: The Miami Assoc. of Realtors project specified PENETRON ADMIX SB to avoid the costs and installation challenges of a waterproofing membrane system.
