The newly redeveloped Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Hospital, which serves communities in the northern suburbs of Sydney, Australia, reopened in October 2022. For Penetron Australia, this opening is the latest in a number of successful hospital and medical facility projects that have chosen Penetron’s crystalline technology as a waterproofing solution for below-grade concrete structures.
The Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Hospital and affiliated community health centers serve a number of NSW communities on the Upper North Shore of Sydney, Australia. The final A$265 million (US$173 million) redevelopment project stage comprised a refurbished and expanded Emergency Department and a new multi-floor Clinical Services Building, with classrooms for the University of Sydney and retail space.
Down Under Diagnosis
Prior to the start of construction, Builder Watpac, the project contractor, contacted Penetron Australia for a durable waterproofing solution for all the below-grade concrete structures.
“Because of the region’s humid subtropical climate, exposure to the environment and the high groundwater is always a challenge for builders,” explains Steve Hodkinson, General Manager at Penetron Australia. “We recommended PENETRON ADMIX as the optimal waterproofing solution for all below-grade concrete structures and the new hospital helipad.”
The completion of the Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Hospital highlights the success Penetron has enjoyed with hospital and medical center construction projects across Australia.
Optimal Treatment for Hospital Projects
“Penetron has become the ‘go-to’ waterproofing solution because our crystalline technology lasts for the service life of the concrete and provides a self-healing capability that seals any hairline cracks that could appear later on,” adds Steve Hodkinson.”
A short list of recent Penetron hospital projects in Australia include:
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SANS Hospital, Wahroonga, Sydney NSW – PENETRON ADMIX, PENEBAR SW, and PENESEAL FH used to waterproof and seal the concrete structures of the hospital carpark.
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Neuroscience Research Center, Randwick, NSW – a seven-floor research facility and part of the Prince of Wales Hospital used PENETRON ADMIX to treat the concrete for below-grade structures, balconies, and the roof. PENEBAR SW waterstop sealed all construction joints; PENESEAL PRO sealer was applied to a podium slab.
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Charles Perkins Centre / Sydney University, Camperdown, Sydney – a state-of-the-art medical research and education facility has 4 below-ground floors and 7 above-ground floors; extensive PENETRON ADMIX-enhanced shotcrete was placed on the perimeter walls and PENETRON crystalline slurry was applied to the surface as a final coat.
“The effectiveness of the Penetron System makes it a reliable solution for virtually any concrete waterproofing and durability challenge – not only hospitals,” concludes Steve Hodkinson.