Vancouver’s VanDusen gardens opened to the public in 1975. In 2007 the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, along with the garden association, selected a team to develop a master plan for the garden which included a new visitor center.
The visitor center was built to exceed LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum status and pursue the Living Building Challenge, which defines the highest measure of sustainability for built environments. To meet the Living Building Challenge sites must be operational for 12 consecutive months before evaluation.
The visitor center used Rammed Earth walls in its construction. Rammed earth is an ancient technique for building using raw materials. The technique has grown in popularity as developers look for more sustainable materials and natural building methods. Rammed earth walls are strong and durable but may be susceptible to water damage.
Kryton’s Krystol Internal Membrane (KIM) concrete waterproofing admixture was used to waterproof the site’s water cistern as well as the wall behind the rammed earth wall. Kryton’s Krystol Waterstop System for joints was also used to fully tank the site’s water cistern.
The 19,000 square foot visitor center project was completed in 2011 with a cost of $14.4 million. The site achieves net zero energy, is carbon neutral and is in line with the gardens mission of conservation.
Krystol Internal Membrane (KIM) is a hydrophilic crystalline admixture used to create permanently waterproof concrete.
Krystol Waterstop Grout is a crystalline grout used to create an internal or external waterstop at construction joints, pipe penetrations, tie-holes and control joints.
Krystol Waterstop Treatment is a cementitious crystalline slurry that is applied to horizontal and vertical construction joints to provide additional waterproofing protection, and protect rebar from corrosion.
Krytonite Swelling Waterstop is a synthetic rubber waterstop that uses swelling pressure to seal concrete construction joints and stop water.
Kryton’s Crack Inducing Waterstop is specially engineered to produce a waterproof crack control joint.
The Krystol Waterstop System is used to permanently waterproof concrete construction joints, pipe penetrations, tie holes and control joints. The Krystol Waterstop System works where other waterstops routinely fail. Kryton is the only integral waterproofing company that offers fully integrated concrete waterproofing solutions. [more_toggle title="How…