Waterproof membranes | materials
Surface effect: developments in waterproof membranes
Waterproof membranes – which are usually made from PVC or polyolefins – form an impermeable seal to prevent water ingress. The principles remain broadly similar whether the membrane is use to seal a roof, or to prevent pollution from a mine, for example. Udo Wagner, technical director of FDT Flachdach
Technologies in Germany, told delegates at the recent Waterproof Membranes conference in Cologne, Germany that the company has installed more than 250m sq m of its synthetic Rhepanol and Rhenofol roofing membranes across Europe. He said that meeting EU building regulations – such as the EU 305/2011 – can be both a blessing and a curse: on the one hand, standards are harmonised; on the other, he said the ‘local knowledge’ that his company has built up is in danger of being ‘adjusted’ to fit the wider guidelines. “Exclusions are forbidden – but local expert groups
still try to maintain their existing national or local positions,” he said. Another example of important legislation is the EPD
Environmental Product Declaration (EN 15804) – a kind of ‘eco passport’ that allows certified products to be environmentally evaluated. This feeds into other schemes that promote energy efficiency, such as the Energy Performance Building Directive (EPBD) – which obliges member states to ensure that new buildings are nearly zero-energy buildings (NZEBs) by the end of 2020.
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Protective membranes made from tough plastic film are used
everywhere from mines to reservoirs, as well as sealing roofs against the elements. Lou Reade reports
“Harmonisation on a EU level is a fantastic idea, but it is not making life easier – especially for the produc- ers,” he said. “More certificates and more audits have to be paid by industry and – last, but not least – by the end customer.” He pointed to an example of a sustainable project within the waterproof membranes industry: the ‘Roofcol- lect’ project, which feeds into the VinylPlus target of recy- cling 800,000 tonnes of PVC every year by 2020.
Concrete effect William Crawford, director of UK-based Concrete Canvas, explained details of his company’s product – which comprises a flexible, PVC-backed fabric that is impreg- nated with concrete. The membrane is laid in place – like any typical geomembrane – and then hydrated, which causes the concrete to set and act as a thin, durable layer.
May 2017 | FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION 27 Main image:
Ditch lining is a common
application of Concrete Canvas’
protective liners
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