PENETRON Helps Finish Phase 3 / Alice Towers in South Africa

Phase 3 construction of the Alice Lane Office Towers in Sandton, South Africa, was completed in September 2017. The PENETRON System provided long-term durability for all exposed concrete.

The 11 Alice Lane project comprises three Green Star-rated office buildings centrally located in Sandton, Gauteng, a metropolitan district of Johannesburg, with quick access to the Gautrain metro rail station, malls, embassies, hotels and other office parks.

Green Star is a sustainability rating system for sustainable construction recognized in South Africa to assess the sustainability of projects at all stages, from planning and design to the construction or finishing phases of the buildings, or during the ongoing operational phase.

The Phase 3 project is part of a larger ZAR 1 billion (US$57 million) mixed-use development being completed by Abland, a South African property developer. The three buildings surround a public piazza and include a 19-floor landmark tower. This new addition to the Alice Lane development offers 35,000 m2 (385,000 square feet) of office space. 

“Phase 3 is directly adjacent to the Alice Lane Office Towers Phase 1, which was also a successful PENETRON project,” adds Clive Leader, Director of PENETRON South Africa. 

The PENETRON System was used to waterproof and protect all the exposed concrete in the ground floor slabs and the outdoor planter boxes, and it was an integral component of the roof assembly of the office buildings and parking garage. The system included a combination of PENETRON ADMIX mixed into the concrete during the batching phase, PENEBAR SW-55 waterstop to seal the construction joints, PENECRETE MORTAR for any cracks in the structures, and a final layer of PENETRON topical material for added waterproofing.

PENETRON crystalline materials are applied to both new and existing concrete structures – for protection as well as repair – to eliminate cracks, voids and fissures that can seriously compromise the durability of a building. For Green Star-rated projects like Alice Lane, these crystalline products are non-toxic and contain no volatile organic compounds (VOCs). PENETRON products are ISO 14001-certified and have been a successful component of many Green Label and LEED-certified projects around the world. 

“It’s easy being green with crystalline,” quips Mr. Leader. “It’s also a smart way to ensure more durable structures with protection for the concrete that lasts for many decades.”