Construction Moves Forward on New Bank Location Once Geo‐Seal® is Installed to Mitigate Vapor Intrusion Risk
Project Highlights
- Geo‐Seal®’s triple‐layer composite protection and high puncture resistance provided ease‐of‐mind to the client looking to mitigate vapor intrusion
- Vapor‐Vent™ Trenchless Vent System installed to collect and remove buildup of vapors beneath the structure
- Installation of 4,000 square feet
Project Summary
The construction of a new Compass Bank location was scheduled to be built over a site with chlorinated solvents residing in the subsurface. A vapor intrusion membrane was sought to prevent vapor intrusion entering the building from the contamination below. Initially, a simple spray‐applied asphalt/latex material was specified. However, TGE Resources requested Geo‐Seal be approved by the design engineer because of its superior chemical resistance and ability to prevent chlorinated solvent vapors from migrating into the new building’s construction.
Geo‐Seal was approved by Brownfield Subslab and favored as a superior alternative to the specified barrier because of its ability to resist contaminant permeation breakthrough for periods 18 times longer than a simple asphalt/latex membrane. Geo‐Seal proved to be a cost‐effective choice for the owner and was successfully installed along with Vapor‐Vent trenchless venting system. Overseeing the installation was Brownfield Subslab, a certified Geo‐Seal inspector.
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© 2021 All rights reserved. Geo-Seal is now a registered trademark of Epro Services Inc.
Geo‐Seal® Selected Over Alternative Gas Membrane Systems to Effectively Mitigate Vapor Risk at Urban Chicago Recreation Facility
Project Highlights
- Geo‐Seal® selected over other vapor barrier options due to its superior chemical resistance, ease of constructibility and cost‐effectiveness
- Approximately 16,000 square feet of Geo‐Seal successfully installed
- Vapor‐Vent™ HD trenchless passive ventilation system utilized to alleviate buildup of vapors beneath the structure
- Site achieves LEED “Silver” Certification for green construction technology on historic site
Project Summary
A new fieldhouse utilizing the latest in green technology was constructed by the Public Building Commission (PBC) in the city of Chicago, IL. The development incorporated various sustainable design elements and materials to achieve the Commission’s goal of LEED “Silver” Certification. Past use of an adjacent property resulted in chlorinated solvent contamination which presented a vapor intrusion risk on‐site.
Geo‐Seal, a triple‐layer, composite vapor intrusion barrier was installed to protect the users of the fieldhouse from potential exposure to chlorinated solvent vapors. The Geo‐Seal technology was chosen by PBC’s consultants, Parson Corporation and Carnow Cornibear & Associates, based on an evaluation of various gas membrane technologies, including a simple spray‐applied asphalt latex membrane and HDPE sheeting. The Geo‐Seal system was designed and inspected by Terracon Consultants.
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© 2021 All rights reserved. Geo-Seal is a registered trademark of Epro Services Inc.
Denver Luxury Apartment Community Protected From Vapor Intrusion Risk Following Successful Geo‐Seal® and Vapor‐Vent® Installation
Project Highlights
- Geo‐Seal® provided a proven, chemically‐resistant technology which effectively sealed around plumbing, electrical penetrations, and foundation terminations
- Approximately 90,000 square feet of Geo‐Seal and Vapor‐Vent™ successfully installed
- Applied in below freezing temperatures and winter conditions
Project Summary
The Alta Alameda Station, developed by Wood Partners, L.L.C., is a 338‐unit luxury apartment community located in the diverse and urban Baker neighborhood of Denver, Colorado. The three‐building, four‐story, residential project is constructed on the former Denver Studio Complex that was used in the production of many Perry Mason movies. It is directly across the street from the Alameda Light Rail station, the hub of Denver’s mass transit system which provides access to downtown Denver and the Denver Tech Center. Terracon Consultants, Inc. specified the Geo‐Seal vapor intrusion barrier with Vapor‐Vent to protect the buildings from contaminant vapor intrusion. The concept behind the specified approach was to provide a barrier to block all vapor intrusion pathways and provide a vapor collection system underneath the membrane to alleviate the buildup of vapors by passively venting the vapor from beneath the building.Ideal for sites where residual contamination is known, but not fully characterized, Geo‐Seal and Vapor‐Vent provide building owners with long‐term vapor intrusion protection and no maintenance. Geo‐Seal was selected over other barrier technologies due its protection against chlorinated solvent‐type contamination and the ability to be applied in colder temperatures. To provide additional peace of mind to the client, Land Science® provided a 20‐year warranty against vapor intrusion for the Geo‐Seal system.
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© 2021 All rights reserved. Geo-Seal is a registered trademark of Epro Services Inc.
Land Science Technologies eNewsletter – Archived Edition
Interested in vapor intrusion solutions? This spring, Land Science Technologies published an enewsletter that featured recent developments in the field. Features include a case study about a 275,000 square-foot Brownfields site that was re-developed into a medical supply warehouse, creating 140 jobs in Detroit, MI. Kelly Ameli Smith is introduced as the new Director of Land Science Technologies, and you have the opportunity to view an on-demand recorded webinar about vapor intrusion regulatory updates and solutions and solutions for new and existing structures.
Click here or use the button above to view an archived copy of the newsletter.
CASE STUDY: Big Box Retail Store Receives “No Further Action” Status after Geo-Seal Application
Project Highlights
- Incorporated the new Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s (IEPA) Tiered Approach to Corrective Action Objectives (TACO) legislation vapor intrusion regulations
- Geo-Seal® applied to 150,000 square feet of commercial space
- Geo-Seal® application helped obtain a “No Further Action” letter
Project Summary
Geo-Seal was selected to mitigate vapor intrusion at a new retail development in Skokie, Illinois. The former industrial site was contaminated with chlorinated solvents (PCE, TCE, DCE and VC) and regulatory agencies required mitigation. A developer purchased the underutilized 15-acre light industrial business park for redevelopment and initial due diligence investigations identified numerous environmental issues on the property.
Geo-Seal was applied to 150,000-square-feet of retail space and the applicator was able to meet union labor guidelines for the project. Vapor intrusion risks were also mitigated at a fast-food restaurant and bank on-site through the application of Geo-Seal. The site was issued a draft “No Further Remediation” letter with the final letter issued upon completion of the engineered barriers constructed as part of the redevelopment.
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© 2021 All rights reserved. Geo-Seal is a registered trademark of Epro Services Inc.
Land Science Technologies Leads Technical Discussion at International Industry Conference
Land Science Technologies’ Director Peter Grant led a technical discussion at last week’s Battelle-sponsored Ninth International Conference on Remediation of Chlorinated and Recalcitrant Compounds in Monterey, California. Grant’s presentation was titled “Mitigating Vapor Intrusion in Existing Structures Through the Use of a New Coating Technology”.
During his talk, Grant discussed the recent advancements in the technology of vapor intrusion barriers to address the growing need of applying barriers to existing buildings. He highlighted Land Science Technologies’ Retro-Coat™ as a way to provide a chemically-resistant physical barrier to block vapor intrusion.
The Retro-Coat vapor intrusion coating system is applied directly to existing concrete slabs. Unlike other vapor intrusion barrier systems, Retro-Coat is designed specifically to handle foot and vehicular traffic. Specially formulated to be chemically resistant to constituents commonly found on brownfields, PCE, TCE and Benzene, Retro-Coat can be used as a standalone barrier or in conjunction with a SSD system.
Grant also presented field data where the use of Retro-Coat was proven to be successful.
For more information on Retro-Coat, click here or call 949-481-8118.
Successful Retro-Coat Application Featured in Coatings Pro Magazine
Coatings Pro Magazine recently featured a cover story on Land Science Technologies’ Retro-Coat vapor intrusion coating application at New York City’s Peter Cooper Village. A large number of basement areas within the Peter Copper Village development suffered significant damage from Hurricane Sandy. Rehabilitation and repair required the use of a chemical resistant material to mitigate potential environmental risk associated with vapor intrusion.
A summary of the project highlights are:
• Retro-Coat was applied to 15 basements for a total of 150,000 square feet
• Retro-Coat was selected to due to its comprehensive testing on a wide range of contaminants
• Retro-Coat contains no VOCs
• Certified contractor Manhattan Concrete Design ensured timely application to meet the demanding construction schedule
The Peter Cooper Village development 
exemplifies the historical transformation of former, underutilized industrial areas (Brownfields) commonly found in urban areas.
Formerly referred to as the “Gas District” due to the large number gas fuel storage tanks that were present, these tanks often leaked and made the area undesirable for certain types of land use. In the early 1900s, tank removal was initiated and the neighborhood began to recover from its legacy of gas storage, but the Great Depression halted any beneficial redevelopment. In 1945, the “Gas District” was leveled and construction began on Peter Cooper Village and its sister development Stuyvesant Town.
The development of Peter Cooper Village helped fill a massive need for post-depression housing and evolved into a community for veterans of World War II. In 2006, Peter Cooper was sold by the original developer, Met-Life, for $5.4 billion and is a now premier neighborhood on the lower eastside of Manhattan.
To read the full length Coatings Pro Magazine feature article, 
click here.
To read more about Retro-Coat, click here.
Retro-Coat is manufactured by Land Science Technologies a division of REGENESIS Inc.
Combined Technologies Treat High Vapor and TCE Levels at Michigan Facility
Project highlights
- Redeveloped facility delivers jobs to Michigan community
- Simultaneous use of Retro-Coat™ and Vapor-Vent™
- reduced number of SSD points
- Approximately 30,000 square feet of Retro-Coat successfully applied
- Retro‐Coat provided a durable finish for vehicle traffic and heavy equipment in a manufacturing setting
Project summary
St. Johns-based F.C. Mason company was provided a $1 million Clean Michigan Initiative Brownfields grant from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) to move its operations to the former Federal Mogul manufacturing facility which was vacated in 2008. F.C. Mason Company was founded in 1898 and specializes in manufacturing parts for agricultural, construction and industrial equipment. The acquisition of the 265,00-square-foot facility allows F.C. Mason Company to expand operations and bring back valuable jobs to Clinton County. Michigan-based Soil and Materials Engineers, Inc. (SME) was consulted to address the suspected environmental and vapor intrusion concerns resulting from years of manufacturing activities at the site.
Trichloroethylene (TCE) contaminated areas were present in one section of the building. In 2009, in situ chemical treatment of the “hot spot” areas was conducted employing RegenOx® technology (REGENESIS®, San Clemente, CA). However, a vapor intrusion condition was later identified and mitigation was needed. Retro‐Coat was selected to be used in conjunction with an active sub‐slab depressurization (SSD) system. By simultaneously utilizing the two mitigation approaches, SME was able to reduce the number of SSD points in the design and the total area requiring the vapor intrusion barrier coating. MDEQ approved of the plan. A certified Retro‐Coat applicator installed 6 mils of red Retro-Coat Primer and 20 mils of grey Retro-Coat along with a broadcasted aggregate to provide a non-slip surface. The contrast in color between Primer and Retro-Coat allows the clear identification of wear over time, prompting repair if needed, and ensuring long‐term protection from vapor intrusion.
Technology Description
Retro‐Coat™ Vapor Intrusion Coating System is a complete product line that consists of chemically resistant materials to protect existing structures from the threat of contaminant vapor intrusion without the need for additional concrete protection. The Retro‐Coat system has been subjected to rigorous testing procedures to prove its ability to combat the most aggressive chemical vapors. The system is rated for industrial use providing a durable finished surface suitable for vehicular traffic. Retro‐Coat coating technology was specifically developed for vapor intrusion.
Vapor‐Vent™ is a low profile vent system that can be used in lieu of slotted PVC pipe. The speed of installation and the proximity of the vent to the barrier provide cost savings and performance benefits compared to other technologies.
Retro-Coat™ a New Approach to Mitigating Vapor Intrusion at Brownfield Sites with Existing Structures
Recently, at the Eighth International Conference on Remediation of Chlorinated and Recalcitrant Compounds, organized and presented by Battelle, Dr. Ben Mork, the Director of Research and Development at Land Science Technologies (LST), a Division of REGENESIS, Inc. delivered a formal “Technologies for Tomorrow” luncheon presentation which included subject matter on a new vapor intrusion mitigation product called Retro-Coat™. This new technology is part of a suite of successful vapor intrusion solutions, including the widely used vapor intrusion barrier Geo-Seal®, offered by LST and designed for use on a range of contaminated properties including brownfields.
Retro-Coat is a new, specially formulated concrete coating developed to mitigate vapor intrusion in existing structures. The Retro-Coat material is highly effective in mitigating potentially harmful contaminant vapors resulting from chlorinated solvents and/or petroleum hydrocarbons in groundwater or soil environments. During the presentation, Dr. Mork went into great detail regarding the research and development process, including the new long-term chemical resistance and testing methodologies developed by LST to document the effectiveness of the Retro-Coat material. He also mentioned that more information will be available regarding the details and testing of Retro-Coat in a forthcoming white paper due out later this summer.
Looking beyond the testing and application, Peter Grant, Division Manager for Land Science Technologies, added, “Vapor intrusion represents a lot of uncertainty for building owners. Retro-Coat provides a simple and proven solution to a complex problem. Implementing Retro-Coat can reduce site characterization cost, building mitigation cost and provide the building owner with greater long-term assurance and flexibility in successfully mitigating their vapor intrusion risk.”
For more information about Retro-Coat please contact your Land Science Technologies Representative Directly at 949-481-8118.