South African Office Park Builds on Penetron for Longevity

In February 2019, construction was completed for Block G and Block J at the Hertford Office Park in Waterfall, a booming economic suburb in Gauteng Province, South Africa. PENETRON ADMIX was used to waterproof all exposed and below-grade concrete structures. 

Waterfall is a suburb of Midrand, a city of around 90,000 inhabitants in Gauteng Province and part of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality. Just 30 auto minutes (36 km/22-miles) south of the city center of Johannesburg and only 23 minutes from the O.R Tambo International Airport, Africa’s busiest airport, Waterfall is one of the fastest-growing suburbs in South Africa, with schools, crèches, hospitals – and the largest single phase mall on the continent, the Mall of Africa (also a successful Penetron project).

“Everywhere you look in Waterfall, you see burgeoning residential, commercial, and retail developments,” explains Mark Courtney, Managing Director of Penetron South Africa. "It’s an extremely attractive location. I’m not surprised that Hertford Office Park is already home to blue chip companies like SABRIC, Kyocera, EOH, Roche Holdings and Cosmopolitan Housing.”
 

Focus on Energy Efficiency

Managed by Abland, the project developer, the Hertford Office Park is a 60,000 m² development that will eventually comprise 14 buildings. The modernist and open three-floor design of the office buildings features an attractive minimalist architectural style with wide views of the surrounding area, all set in a secure, park-like estate. The development has a strong focus on energy efficiency and environmental responsibility, including an integrated rain-water collection system with water storage tanks. Roof gardens, as welcome outdoor spaces for tenants, are offered by Abland for each building on request.

During the initial consultations with Probest, the project contractor, and the engineers at Gerrard Consulting, the Penetron South Africa team examined the groundwater situation at the construction site and the performance parameters outlined by Abland. 
 

Enhanced Durability to Reduce Maintenance Costs

“Abland focused the overall design and construction of the Hertford Office Park on sustainable operating standards and long-term reliability that will help reduce maintenance costs and extend the life of the facility,” adds Mark Courtney. “We were able to show Probest how treating the office park’s concrete mix with Penetron crystalline products could substantially enhance the durability of the below-grade structures.”

Based on product performance data and the results of other South African projects that used Penetron technology – especially the enormous Mall of Africa right across the street – the project engineers opted for a waterproofing solution based on PENETRON ADMIX. 
 

Reduce Excavation Profile with Integral Waterproofing

Afrisam, the ready-mix supplier, added PENETRON ADMIX to the concrete mix for all exposed concrete slab parking decks, elevator pits, and retaining walls. The ground floor slab for Building I was topically treated with a PENETRON slurry application. PENEBAR SW-55 waterstop strips were installed to seal the resulting construction joints in the exposed slabs and basement structures – ensuring a durable and completely waterproof structure.

“Applying an integral waterproofing solution allows the builder to minimize the dimensions of excavation because the need to install a waterproofing membrane and protection systems behind the retaining walls is eliminated. This is a substantial cost and time saver,” concludes Mark Courtney. “Block I is still under construction, but we’ve now successfully completed a further phase of what will eventually be an extensive new high-level office park.”